I purchased marble stairs and I would like to know how to refinish them to get them shiny again?

Question

the marble has been outside for close to 80 years. It is in really good shape but is scratched and the finish is dull.

Answer 1

Marble outside, is not meant to be shiny, it will not resist. They begin mat and are sold mat for outside. Inside the polish can be managed. Unless of course you mean granite.

But to restore marble it is very possible and you will get a surprising result when done professionally. You can do it if you have a knack with such tools as grinders. It is very similar to sanding wood but you will need diamond disks (best) or metal bond disks (excellent). You can also the same used when sanding wood but of course the life will be much shorter.

Sand it down with the roughest grit to remove old material quickly until you are left with a smooth even finish. then you move up in grit, one number at a time ex(40, 60, 80, 100, 200, 400) coarsest to smoothest until you get the finish you are looking for. With marble, when you get to 400 -800, you will start to see the shine, so i suggest you do not go over 400. Then you apply a penetrating sealer. I do not suggest sealers that leave a shine or film as they yellow and wear off very easy. The when its time to restore it, it really becomes troublesome.

Answer 2

it depends on how bad the scratches are. First, use no acids!!!!!!!!!!!!! Second, get you a 1/2 sheet sander, not an orbital, or any sander that takes round sheets of paper, and start with lower grit, I would say 100 grit sandpaper, and just sand them down like you would wood. Marble works just like wood, but it may take a bit longer. go to lighter grits until you get the finish you want. If you want really shiney finishes, after you have sanded it down, you can polish it with first a coarse auto body rubbing compound, then go to a lighter one, and then to the finest. you can use a rotary sander with a pad on it for that.

If the marble is stained, it is probably from mildew and you can take that off easily with a blend of clorox and water and dish soap. Put it on, let it sit for a few minutes and wash it off.

Answer 3

I do beleive that there are marble sealants that add a shine to marble. If the surface is dull, you will need to seal the marble anyway to protect it from staining, etc.
They also sell a gloss restorer, too. Here is a link to a website that sells it.
http://www.marble-cleaning-products.com/Marble-Gloss-Restorer/

Answer 4

Bar Keepers Friend?

Answer 5

You need to polish them mechanically or manually with grinding stone with water ,wax.A lot of hard work if you DIY