and then I rinse off the cleaner, and let the table dry before I seal it with a water-based sealant (Tikko Stone Protector/W) applied with a soft brush. When the table dries, after using Tikko Stone Protector/W, it has a matt finish and is light again. You wouldn't know that it had been sealed.
After the sealant has dried, I cover the table with a layer of carpet underlay, and a tarpaulin. Each spring, when I remove the protective coverings, my marble is in pristine condition.
Metamorphic rock is formed basically through:
a. pressure on existing sedimentary, igneous or even metamorphic rock types, either by settling and subsidence of other layers of rock, or by movement and folding of continental and oceanic plates (regional metamorphism);
and
b. extreme heat within the earth’s crust. Heat can be caused by radioactive decay of elements such as uranium; by magma flowing into close contact with pre-existing rock (contact metamorphism), or by friction caused by continental or oceanic plates sliding under an adjoining tectonic plate (sub-duction zone metamorphism). Temperatures required to accommodate metamorphism can range between 150 to 1000 degrees centigrade – above that, rock begins to melt and forms igneous rock such as basalt or granite.
Metamorphism causes mineralogical and textural, but not chemical, changes in the original rock. The variety of textures and structures are referred to as its fabric. Regional metamorphism generally creates a fabric quality called foliation, which has a similar appearance to the grain of wood - slate is an example. Contact metamorphism results in a finer re-crystallization of the original rock and therefore is generally non-foliated – like marble, for example.
Metamorphic facies is the name given to the physical and chemical features of a rock that indicate the manner of its metamorphic formation: contact, regional, or subduction-zone. Pressure, temperature and time, together with the chemical composition of the original parent rock, determine the outcome. In limestone parent rocks, for example, the carbonate minerals re-crystallize dramatically to form marble. Metamorphism creates two of the most popular stones used in interior design: marble and slate.
The world 'marble' stems from the latin word 'marmor' meaning 'shining rock'. This aptly named lustrous stone has been used in the creation of the most exquisite buildings and interiors for centuries past and right up to the present time. Marble evolves from metamorphosed limestone. Impurities add colour and variation to the marble to give an amazing choice of pattern and veining. Natural flaws in marble, are not the same as damaged material, and can add greatly to its beauty.
