Apartment Block Spain

Surface Type: White Carrara Marble | Product Used: Premium Impregnating Sealer | Completed: June 2007

Applicator: Jaime Redondo

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THE PROJECT:

Located in the heart of the residential area of the city of Andoain in the Basque Region of Northern Spain, the 32 apartment building was constructed in May 2005.Each apartment in the block has a balcony, finished in white crandalled Carrara marble, which had not been treated. This was causing 2 different, but related problems:

1. Rain water was penetrating into the marble, particularly in the joints where it could collect and sit for extended periods. Marble is a dense stone, but water will move freely through any untreated porous material, just more slowly through dense ones. In this case, the water was passing through the marble and into the structure of the building, through walls and floors, leading to a serious damp problem inside the apartments.
2. The water traveling through the marble was causing pyrite (iron) deposits within the marble to oxidize (rust) and stain the marble.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: 

A Solution was required which would maintain the pure white colour of the Carrara marble, while at the same time preventing further entry of water into the stone and circulation of water within the stone. The solution also had to be long lasting and to stand up to future commercial cleaning and UV light.

• Original colour of surface must be maintained 
• Sealer applied must be long lasting and stand up to commerical cleaning processes and UV light
• Superior stain repellence 

THE STAIN-PROOF^® SOLUTION:

STAIN-PROOF Premium Impregnating Sealer, formerly known as STAIN-PROOF Original™, was applied to the marble, to create a deep water and oil repellent barrier within the marble. Only STAIN-PROOF’s unique impregnating sealers are able to penetrate deep enough to prevent both entry of water into the marble and circulation of water through the material. Premium Impregnating Sealer also forms a permanent chemical bond within the material without changing the colour or breathability of the material. To date there have been no reports of further oxidation and the dampness in the apartments has dissipated. The Premium Impregnating Sealer barrier has successfully prevented water from traveling from outside to inside through the porous marble and structural materials.