Imperial Danby sample test, round two

Brief recap.

First test: We tested our honed and sealed Imperial Danby sample with several items: tomato sauce, coffee, red wine, soy sauce, yellow mustard, a strawberry, and a lemon. After an hour, most of these items have left a very distinct splotch or etch on the marble. The red wine was the worst by far and had left a faint stain.

Patina test: We slathered the sample with fresh lemon juice. After an hour, there was etching over the entire tile. More patina than splotches.

Today, I put the test materials back on the sample. All the usual testers were back, except for the strawberries. Those had been eaten. Remember this sample was initially sealed before testing began. However, we did not seal it again after the first test.



After an hour, this was the result. The colorless lemon juice had left no marked change. Any further etching was disguised by the previous lemon juice etching. However, almost everything else left a slight stain from the soy sauce (slightest stain) to the red wine (most obvious stain). I don't know why the marble was more prone to staining after the overall lemon juice etching. Perhaps the lemon juice had taken off the sealer? The overall impact was lessened by the etching that was previously on the marble. Also, the stains are somewhat disguised by the color variation of the Imperial Danby.





Red wine has proven itself to be the "marble killer." Very interesting. Does this bother me? Not really. Maybe a little. But I do wonder if repeated etchings take a toll on the actual stone. It does support our decision to not use marble as our main prep countertop.

We haven't tried to clean or sand the sample yet. That's still to come.