It's REALLY good.
From what I've heard, among the very best.

That's what we used on our travertine flooring/shower stalls and limestone bathroom counters. 2 years and still going strong. We used a sealer without an enhancer.

This is exactly what I mean by my most recent post. You are so sweet in helping me out.

I need lots of reassurance along the way as I am the only one making any decisions on the kitchen remodel

It's what we use, 3 years and still going strong. We put it on about every 6 months or so, it's a 15 minute task.

I agree on the 511, but in most cases the Porous Plus is overkill. It's for stones like limestone, which literally sucks up the sealer. For granite and most marbles, 511 Impregnator will do every bit as good a job and last just as long for about half the price.

I'll second Bill V's and Kevin's recs. 511 is a quality product, what I find amazing is that the Depot even sells the stuff.

Does anyone know which 511 product is the correct one for marble that you want to seal AND enhance? Or do I have to use two products?

511 Enhance n Seal

Thanks Bill.

good timing on the post -- i happened to be in ome depot today and went by the sealers just to see what they carried (i'm about three months from having anything to seal!). was pleased to see they had 511, since i remembered positive reviews here. i think it was $32/qt. they also had tilelab.

Miracle 511 is the best, I purcahsed it online at supplyguyinc.com and got it in 2 days, they have the best prices available, better than Home Depot by far.

Here is a link that might be useful: 511 sealer

So the 511 would be good for granite AND (polished) marble?

How do you know how many coats to use?

Yup. :-) Contrary to popular belief, one coat, applied correctly (smeared on, allowed to set for 5- 10 minutes, and then wiped off), is more than sufficient to last for years. Of course, this all depends on the amount of usage of the surface, as well as its porosity.

OK,

My kitchen guy just dropped off some Miracle 511 Impregnator and told me to use a spray bottle to apply it to the granite to get good coverage. Instructions say to wipe it on.

Should I spray it on or wipe it on?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Sorry, DH brought up our bottle last week and it was the Porous Plus (we have limestone and travertine), not the Impregnator. But like everyone has said, they are great products.

Bill, we used the largest rectangle from our Versailles pattern floor on our shower walls (travertine) and we've been in just over 2yrs. The shower started showing "spots" (not really mildew) a few months ago. We've cleaned those off and are about to seal again. Two showers a day, sometimes more. I think it needs to be resealed once a year.

Our limestone countertops we haven't touched since moving in.

Home Depot also sells an applicator - it looks like a big flat white pad with a handle. Does the same job as a towel but easier. I wouldn't use a spray bottle - you may not apply it evenly. You really need to wipe it on heavily. (Then buff off after 5 minutes)

What sealer do you reccommend for a honed marble counter and floor? Thanks

Thanks Snookums,

I like things to be clear- so not to beat a dead horse... but when you say it needs to be wiped on heavily... I am anticipating I will work my counter about a 3 foot section at a time, what size blob would go on my cloth/towel? Quarter size? Palm size? Or do I lay it on like I would wax a floor? Do I apply it so that there is small film on counter?

My kitchen guy just dropped off some Miracle 511 Impregnator and told me to use a spray bottle to apply it to the granite to get good coverage. Instructions say to wipe it on.

Should I spray it on or wipe it on?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Either or works just as well.

Snookems-- that's for top coat sealers that you need to apply a heavy even coat. With a penetrating sealer, if you apply it heavy, all that does for you is use up more sealer which will inevitably be wiped back off minutes later and thrown away. You DON'T want to use an applicator. You'll be putting WAY too much on, and you'll go thru that bottle LONG before you should, with no added benefit.

Can 511 be put on 2 year old Verde peacock granite if you don't know if it ever had any on it to begin with? I found my first chip at the edge of the sink. Could this have been caused by not sealing? Sorry if I'm hijacking.

Kevin / Bill

Can you recommend a product to restore marble / granite floor tiles?

OK, can't recall right now what it is - but the floor tiles we have have pieces of granite or marble mixed in with some resin. We have two shades / styles - the lighter one in the foyer still looks great after 16 years, the dark one in the masterbath on the other hand needs spruced up.

Any ideas what product would work best? Would a pic help of the tiles? Unfortunately I have searched and can;t find out any more data about their composition

Thanks

Would a pic help of the tiles?

Absolutely. The only product that I can think of that matches your description is terrazzo, and if it's tile, it sounds like a product called "Fritztile". If that's it, there's not really anything short of refinishing it (which CAN be done by a stone refinishing crew) that'll work. There's one other possibility, depending on the product, but I'll wait for the pic, before I put my foot in it! :-)

Can 511 be put on 2 year old Verde peacock granite if you don't know if it ever had any on it to begin with? I found my first chip at the edge of the sink. Could this have been caused by not sealing?

Put a sopping wet sponge on the granite and let it sit there for a minute or two. Now, pick it up, wipe up any water, and observe where it was just sitting. Is there a darkening of the stone where the sponge was? If so, then yes, you can use the sealerl. As for the chip. no, that has nothing to do with the lack of sealer. That's just plain bad luck.

I used the Miracle 511 from Home Depot on my limestone backsplash a few months ago. I find that the limestone is not affected when a water based material is splashed on it, but anything greasy leaves marks. The signs of wear are showing because we cook alot. No matter how careful you are, things do end up on the back splash. The staining is on the grout AND the tile itself. So I am suprised people like Miracle 511 so much, because even if I had a ceramic tile with a non porous surface, the grout would show signs of wear when grease touched it. I am trying to decide what to do next, since my backsplash will only get progressively dirtier. Any suggestions?

So I am suprised people like Miracle 511 so much

I can't tell you what you're doing differently, but none of this is usually a problem. Let me ask you two questions-- first, specifically WHICH 511 product did you use? Secondly, what color is the bottle and the label?

The reason I ask is because it sounds like you have a non-breatheable waterbased product, which the Miracle 511 line is not. Not only is it breatheable, but it's also solvent based, which WOULD protect against minor grease staining. Also, I do know that SOME Home Depots carry a Miracle "lookalike" product. It even has the "511" in the name, but it's not a Miracle product.

Thank you for responding Bill. I hope this can be repaired. I'm concerned that it will get bigger.

Hi Bill, The bottle I used is blue and has a yellow top. The label reads "The Original" 511 Impregnator Original Penetrating Sealer. It says it offers "Stain protection for Grout, Tile, Natural Stone & Masonry surfaces. It is from the Miracle Sealants Company in Arcadia, CA. Their website is www.miraclesealants.com/depot. It says on the Caution section of the label: 511 Impregnator contains combustible petroleum distillates.

Is this the good sealer or the 'fake' HD brand? It cost about $30 for one quart -- not cheap!-- and the label says it's good for "Natural stone," which is what my limestone is, right? It says it's water and oil stain resistant but from my experience it's water but NOT really oil stain resistant. The splashes of greasy water from dishes being washed in the kitchen sink are marking the tile.

Guess I should probably call the manufacturer in CA and ask why it's not working for me.

No, that's the good stuff. When you call them, ask them what they recommend for a poultice (to pull the grease out of the stone).

I've been using Stone Care International Spray and Seal on my granite countertops. When I went to HD and told them I wanted to use the same sealer on my limestone tiles in the bathroom they told me it wasn't for limestone, just granite. I called the manufacturer and they said that information was incorrect. Every time I get advice from HD it's wrong. I don't trust their advice.
Bill, should I switch to 511 next time I need to seal? Someone said it's best to stick with the same sealer and not switch brands.
Donna

Happy New Year Bill. Isn't it nice to know how needed you are? Thanks for all your help.

Not all 'granite' needs to be sealed or treated with anything.

Many of the stones sold as 'granite' are not actually granite, but any number of other actual stone types.
Real granite will not absorb much of anything, including water.

The various other types of stones have varying levels of porosity that may absorb surface treatments.
Many of the more decorative stones are rather far from being an actual granite, and can have localized inclusions that can be damaged while the main portion of the stone remains unfazed by just about anything you could spill on them short of hydrofluoric acid (the one that eats even glass).

Treating a stone that will not absorb anything results in a surface film that is far more likely to show damage from heat, moisture, and the acids found in a kitchen than doing nothing.

Bill

Thanks - I attached a pic of the tile. It was a commercial tile that we purchased from Dal-Tile (the tile supplier of our GC 16 years ago)

Here is a link that might be useful:

Donna-- yes, the 511 will be fine. Matter of fact, depending how absorbant it is you may want to consider using the 511 Porous Plus instead of the Impregnator. You want to wait a good long time before switching sealers, though, and really give the other sealer a chance to wear off to be safe.

brickeyee's right. The best way to know is to put a sopping wet sponge on the stone for a minute or two. If after removing the sponge and wiping up the water you see a dark spot where the sponge was, it needs to be sealed (once it COMPLETELY dries back out again).

Bayberry-- that's what's known as "agglomerate marble". It's basically a man made product that uses epoxy resin and big chunks of marble. Yes, it can be refinished by a professional marble refinisher. You could TRY using a topical sealer such as Miracle's Mira-Matte or Mira-Gloss, but I don't think you'd really be happy with it.

Bill - no, I'm not using a lot. I bought a quart-size bottle 4 years ago and it's only about 1/4 of the way gone. When I say heavily I suppose I mean more evenly - by spraying it on, some areas may get more than others. The applicator prevents that. Instead of wetting just a towel in my hand, I wet the applicator just a bit but all the way across its length (it's about 10 inches long), then wipe it on with big long swipes.

Rachelen - I do the whole kitchen all at once. I put all of the countertop stuff on the kitchen table, then wipe all the counters in one shot. Wait a couple of minutes, then buff it off with a clean towel. I do have to buff fast or it will be dry by the time I get to the other end of the kitchen. (If that happens, just reapply to reactivate it, then buff)

After that I just put everything back on the counters and move on. It's an easy, quick process.

I must be doing something right because I have a light, porous granite (Santa Cecilia), had it for 4 years, don't take any extra precautions other than using the 511, have two kids, and have no stains.

Bill - thanks for the input. Once we finish our kitchen remodel I will check on a marble refinisher in our area

thanks

I was told to use this product to seal my tumbled marble backsplash prior to grouting. Can I do a second coat after grouting over both tile and grout?

I would also like to know if I can use the same Miracle 511 product for both my granite and my travertine tumbled stone backsplash and grout. Granite is being installed this Thursday. I don't know if the installers will apply a seal coat before they leave or not, but should I make sure they use the Miracle 511 product if that is what I plan on using?

I suspect my granite is one that may not need a lot of sealing, based on my water, lemon, ketchup and mustard testing of the sample piece. But my travertine and grout will be another matter. Should I use different Miracle products?

We have a new tiled shower floor that has been sealed with Miracle 511 Impregnator sealer. My question: Is there a product that will provide a greater degree of water "proofing" for the grout. I am concerned with water getting thru the grout and causing problems. Would the "511 Porous Plus " offer additional water protection and can it be applied over the 511 Impregnator Penetrating seler?

Thanks

We installed new granite counter tops made by Artisan Stone Collection (http://www.artisanstonecollection.com/). They look very nice, but are quite porous (our countertops definitely fail the 'sponge test' previously mentioned on this site). The installer says they were sealed properly, but that some granite is more porous than others. I am not convinced and am thinking of using 511 impregnator. Any suggestions? Good idea?

Quick note. I used the 511 Impregnator last night on carrara marble -- a tub surround and vanity top -- in our recently redone bathroom. First time doing this, and found it very easy.

I cleaned the surfaces with a marble cleaner from Gracious Home, then went out for dinner and let it dry for a few hours. Came home and sealed them in fifteen minutes with the 511, just using some rubber gloves and an old white gym towel, which I cut into washcloth size. Smell was fine. I got some of it on the (brand new) chrome sink fixtures, however, and should have taped those up as it was hard getting the streaks off them this morning. Am going away for the weekend, so letting the 511 cure for the suggested 72 hours. (Is that really necessary, meanwhile? It seemed fine this morning.)

Here is a link that might be useful: bath reno blog

I have limestone tile on the entry floor. My dog made a puddle on it and it sat unnoticed overnight. Cleaned up next morning and the puddle had etched the stone. We had sealed it with 2 coats of 511 Impregnater.I got most of the etching out using polishing compound for cars. Should I use 511 for porous to prevent any future damage?

My quartzite natural stone tile floor is 3 years old and needs sealing. Not sure it was done right in the first place. It looks dry, dusty and absorbs liquids. I would like to enhance the color and have a medium or high gloss shine. What Miracle product would be best? Should I hire someone to do it? I have about 2,000 SF of the tile! Thanks.

My husband is a contractor and we did a huge job back and front yard thousands of dollars worth of ledger granite stone. We wanted to seal the stone, not change or enhance color at all. The entire backyard did very well and looks beautiful. Half way through the front yard which was looking great we ran out of product and bought a 4 pack from HD and applied exactly the same way and the new bottles of product which was sealer changed the color of the stone. Now I have a 2 tone fireplace up the house and two panels up the house that a 2 toned and a planter. I applied it all myself, the same way on the same stone and somehow the new product formula changed. The company Miracle Sealants have been very un-co-operative and it took a lawsuit threat to just get them to agree to come 40 miles to look @ it. I sent samples of the empty bottles, samples of the 2 tone stone and he is at this point saying that they don't think they will stand behind their product...we shall see, be careful with this product.

I purchased this sealer because it specifies "resistant to moisture and stains while allowing vapor to escape." Well in my case this so called "sealer" did the complete opposite. The surface I used this product on is completly stained. I spent approximately more then 3k+ dollars because after extensive research, I happened to land on this product which had the most positive feedback . I am extremely agitated, and bothered that they can possibly gurantee a product that does not do what it is guranteed to do. I spent my hard earned money, and honestly thought I can confide in this company to give me the uppermost quality and that I would be completely satisfied. I truly do not recommend it. I give this product a extremely poor rate, and the company as well.

Dr. Cosme Vela, read the label, it states to do a test first. While the product doesn't stain most things, they don't guarantee that it won't stain anything, therefore they suggest you test it.

Is there anyone still out there with 511 sealer/ enhancer knowledge? I love this product. We just had Saltillo laid in the kitchen, I wanted it darker. Everything I needed in one bottle. I am 100% pleased with thus product. I just need to know when or how to tell if its completely dry. I really want to get into the kitchen. I put the last coat (3) on very early this morning. The house is set at 72* and I've had two fans blowing on it all day. It's easily been 12 hours.

Ruined my counters tops. Trying to find a way to remove it aweful

Hey. Great stuff thank you. How long after sealing granite counter w 511 before you use again?

I have white Moura marble island and bathroom sink. What should I use to clean it daily and what product should I sue use to seal it first and how often.

thanks!

this marble countertop is making me very nervous and have no idea why someone would put it in a kitchen and kids bathroom.