Why Does a White Marble Surface Change to Yellow?

It is a common problem that white marble gradually changes to yellow colour when not maintained properly. Although flooding is the common cause for the marble to turn yellow, there are also several other reasons for this change. Natural Stone Restoration specialists like The Marble Man from Gold Coast can rectify the damage after finding the appropriate cause for the colour change.

Possible causes of marble colour change:

Not doing regular maintenance: When the marble is not maintained regularly, the finely polished surface gets scratched and gets worn out. This causes the marble surface to become pitted, rough and scratched, making it to attract all the dirt and debris. As marble flooring is porous, improper maintenance and improper cleaning can cause the pores in the white marble to collect dirt and discolour the marble to yellow and even to brown colour also. Substandard cleaning products, dirty mop, infrequent cleaning are the most causes of yellowing.

How to cure: The stone cleaning product should be alkaline as the acidic cleaners make the stone dull. Apply the appropriate cleaner and scrub with a soft brush. Then rinse the floor thoroughly. Repeat the procedure till all the imbedded dirt is completely removed. Even after so many repetitions if the marble remains dull then consult a Stone professional like ‘The Marble Man’ for stone repair and stone maintenance.

    

Wax Coating Build-up: Marble flooring should not be coated with acrylics, waxes urethane and many other coatings. The poor quality of these irrelevant coatings can cause the white marble to turn yellow. When these materials are done multiple coatings, the layer becomes quite soft allowing the dirt and debris to get embedded in the layer of the coatings. So these coatings should be frequently stripped but they are often neglected.

Recrystallization is a process to polish the marble floors. When the marble floors are polished in the moisture condition it will turn the white marble to yellow colour.

Method to Cure: To remove this yellow colour on the white marble, it has to be stripped well with commercial wax stripper. It is wise to do this stripping with the help of stone restoration professional. When you do it yourself, there is possibility of the abrasive pads to scratch the marble surface. If the marble is re-crystallized, it is necessary to remove the crystallized layer with the help of the experienced professionals by polishing and then honing.

             

Yellow due to Iron Staining: The white marble contains naturally the deposits of iron. When the iron becomes oxidized due to exposure of water, household bleach and acid cleaners, it will discolour the polished white marble stone. So it is highly recommended not to use white marble for showers. The main cause for the change of white marble to yellow or brown is iron oxidation. Like the rusting of metal, when the stone gets exposed to air and water, the white marble discolours to yellow or brown. If this colour change is left unattended it is difficult to reverse and may lead to tile replacement.

The change of white marble to yellow colour is a common problem. The new installations should be well sealed with good quality sealer or impregnator which will prevent the oxidation of the iron by not exposing to moisture. Marble floor Restoration to their original beauty and shine can be done professionally by the expert team of ‘The Marble Man’. It may be yellowing due to oxidation or improper maintenance or water staining or abrasion or scratching, the expertise of The Marble Man will restore your white marble to its original white shine and beauty. Call now: 1300 627 626.