FAQS
Masonary & Stone Processing
What concentration should I run S-Complex at?
This depends on what you are cutting. If you are cutting extremely hard material, you can experiment with increasing the dosage. In our experience going above 4% does not make it any more effective and, in some circumstances, you can go as low as 0.4%.
The S-Complex is generating a lot of foam, what can I do?
Keep in mind that the foam is beneficial to the cutting process, it flushes away the cuttings, assists with cooling and can aid in slurry control. However, if the foam becomes an issue in your water and cuttings collection area/sump tank or water recycling equipment; 0.01 % NC-7 Antifoam will knock down the foam and make it more manageable. Please note: a few days after dosing your system, the foam generation will significantly reduce in volume.
Adhesive advice
How much product do I apply when using Chemforce Sealers
Click here to download our Sealer Application Rates for Enhance+® New Formula, Stain Protector™ and Fortifier Plus™.
What is an "acid sensitive" stone?
Stone which contain calcite (a form of calcium) are sensitive to acids, because the calcite in the stone reacts and immediately begins to dissolve on contact with acidic substances, including wine, vinegar, most soft drinks, citrus fruits, tomato sauce, mustard and acidic rain.
An acidic liquid will dissolve and leach the calcite out of the stone, leaving a white layer – what the stone industry calls “etching” or “etch marks” on the surface.
Calcitic stones include marble, limestone, travertine and onyx. Tumbled, honed and brushed versions of these stones show fewer etch marks than polished stone and will maintain their look better in entertaining areas and outdoors.
Will an impregnating / penetrating sealer protect my surface from acid etching?
Unfortunately no. The reason is that penetrating / impregnating sealers work by repelling water and / or oils – they do not create a film on the surface and do not stop acidic liquids from touching the treated surface.
Consider choosing a tumbled, honed, brushed or leathered finish if you use an acid sensitive stone – these will not show up etch marks as much.
How do I maintain my sealed surface?
For regular light cleaning use a pH neutral or mild alkaline cleaner. As many stones, terrazzo and concrete are acid sensitive, it is best NOT to use vinegar or any acidic cleaners. Be aware that many household cleaners may contain citrus elements which may be acidic.
For heavy duty cleaning try Chemforce Oxitec-M, a gentle but effective oxygen cleaner which is suitable for all types of natural stone, concrete paving and tiles.
Penetrating sealer v impregnating sealer - is there a difference?
Yes! Although many companies and brands use the terms penetrating sealer and impregnating sealer or impregnator interchangeably we would say there is a clear difference.
Any sealer which is not visible on the surface and does not cause a significant chance to the finish of a surface can be called a penetrating sealer. BUT, not all penetrating sealers are impregnators. 2 things make a true impregnator difference and superior are a) smaller molecule size – small enough to penetrate deeply into the actual pore system of even a dense granite or marble and b) the sealing molecules make a proper chemical (covalent) bond inside the pores of the stone becoming part of the molecular matrix of the stone. Deeper penetration and chemical bonding = GREATER EFFECTIVENESS against efflorescence, picture framing and spalling and PERMANENCE. With an impregnator, even if water no longer beads on the surface, the pores of the material remain water and /or oil repellent.
What tool/s should I use to apply a penetrating / impregnating sealer?
Very smooth and high polished surfaces (most indoor surfaces) – a microfibre or lamb’s wool applicator.
Honed, matte, rough and most outdoor surfaces – a pump sprayer. High quality Silvan brand of pump sprayers are available at Bunnings in Australia at reasonable prices. Buy a sprayer where the spray shape of the nozzle can be adjusted to make a flat blade spray rather than a round spray – this helps to get even coverage.
Never use a roller – as they do not distribute the sealer evenly over the surface and you will get areas which are well sealed and less well sealed.
A paint brush can be ok for small, difficult to reach places such as the overhang of a pool coping.
What is the most common application error when applying a penetrating or impregnating sealer?
Excess product or product residue left on the surface.
While brands may differ in their instructions – you never want a visible layer (a film) of product left on the surface. These are not topical coatings. Read the application instructions carefully to know how to remove excess product from the surface before it dries and forms a film. For removing product residue from the surface, plenty of white rags or towels or disposable super absorbent microfibre cloths may be necessary, particularly for dense stones.
Can I use Enhance+® on my outdoor stone?
Yes, if it is not an acid sensitive stone, the colour enhancement should last 5+ years and the sealing effect should last longer still.
If you have an acid sensitive stone outdoors, you can still use Enhance+®, but it is more complicated:
Marble, limestone and travertine are acid sensitive and this has repercussions for using an enhancer on these particular stones OUTDOORS.
This is because rain is usually acidic these days, and, over a long period of time – a year or two, rain sitting on marble will slowly dissolve the calcite (a form of calcium which is white) out of the marble and redeposit it on the surface.
This means any acid sensitive stone outdoors, enhanced or not, will slowly look lighter and lighter. It’s not from the sun – it is from acidic rain slowly dissolving the calcium and redepositing it on the surface of the stone.
To the naked eye the stone just looks lighter – under a microscope you can see the tiny particles of white calcite deposited on the surface.
Impregnating / penetrating sealers cannot stop this as they don’t stop the acidic rain from touching the marble surface (or limestone, travertine).
So YES, you certainly can use ENHANCE+® (which we believe to be the best in the industry) on acid sensitive stones outdoors, but the colour enhancement likely won’t last the 5-10 years + that it would on a non-acid sensitive stone like quartzite or granite. Just something to consider – to retain the colour enhancement it may need to be reapplied lightly every 1-3 years. Indoors this is not a problem.
ALSO – even if you don’t enhance it, marble, limestone and travertine will still become lighter year by year from acidic rain. This is easily solved by using a low speed buffing machine with a nylon cleaning pad impregnated with diamond dust to cut a few microns (a tiny amount) off the surface and restore it to its original colour. There are many brands such as https://klindex.com.au/home/floor-restoration/supershine-diamond-floor-pad-system/ and restorers that will do it for you.