Page 31 - Demo

Slippery rock Gazette
Stone Sleuth
Continued from page 30
• A darkened area indicates that the stone has absorbed water.
On a full slab, in the vertical position:
• This is the least helpful way to
gauge porosity, but sometimes
it’s the only option.
• Use a spray bottle to spritz
water on the surface of the slab. The water will run off, but you will be able to observe how water interacts with the stone. Does the water leave a darker shadow, or does it bead up and run off entirely?
• If you have access to a broken edge of the stone, put water there and see what happens.
• Another option is to drape a wet towel on the stone and leave it in place for 10-15 minutes.
What the results mean:
Porous stones are more likely to stain. Although porosity can be reduced with sealer, it’s still wise to consider a stone’s natural tendency to absorb liquids so that the sealer is not the only defense against staining. Ideally, avoid putting a porous stone in a place where it will have to endure a lot of liquids.
The more knowledge you have, the more confidence you’ll gain in your decisions. While many variations of natural stone offer gorgeous aesthetics and versatile utility, understanding their dif- ferences will help you pinpoint which ones are right for different circumstances. And when you align a stone’s properties with the ways it will be used, the stone itself can take center stage, for many years to come.
A professional-level stone di- agnostics kit can be purchased through MB Stone Pro: https:// www.mbstonepro.com/products/ stone-id-kit .
Karin Kirk is a geologist and science educator with over 20 years of experience and brings a different perspective to the stone industry. Karin is a regular con- tributor to usenaturalstone.com and the Slippery Rock Gazette. Contact her at karinkirk@gmail. com .
After sitting in water, the stone will always be wet on the outside. Dry it off thoroughly to see if the water penetrated the stone. In this case, water did not get soaked into the stone, indicating it has low porosity. The stone is Wild Sea sandstone.
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Porosity test with water on marble and limestone. Leave the water in place for 15 minutes, then wipe dry.
After the porosity test, wipe off the stone and let it air dry for around 10 minutes to be sure you are look- ing at water absorbed into the stone, rather than the wet surface of the stone. In this case, the water clearly left a dark area in the stone, indicating it’s porous. The stone is Lamberti Bianco quartzite.
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