Removing sealed pencil marks on travertine

[KR]

How do you remove pencil marks on travertine that has already been sealed?

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[Davestone]

I don't know, i'd like to know though.I would have to say it involves removing the sealer first though. :goodluck:

[KR]

Thanks, but I don't know how to remove the sealer. Do you think just rubbing with 00 steel wool in the area that has the pencil mark would be okay?

[doitright]

Hi KR, Welcome! :)

We are on a first name basis around here (unless you go by your initials). :nod:

If it's not a topical sealer, you may want to try using Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser.

[KR]

What do you mean by topical sealer? Also is the Mr. Clean eraser safe to use on travertine?

Thanks!

KR

[Stonehenge]

Hi KR,

Has your "sealant" imbued or imparted an artificial gloss to your travertine?

If I understand your chronological actions you had pencil marks which were accidentally sealed into place ?

Just a little more info please.


Michael

[KR]

Yes you do understand me the pencil marks were used to mark the tile when cutting so they were put on the travertine before it was sealed. It was sealed with 511.

Hope this helps.

KR

[KR]

Also the sealer has not imbued a artificial gloss on the floor.

Hope this helps.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

I'd like to try the Mr. Clean eraser, but not sure if this will hurt the tile. Also any thoughts on the 00 steel wool?

KR

[Davestone]

The steel wootl of course isgoint to abrade away the surface,until you get the mark off,then you'll have a mark you'll have to try to bring back to the same texture and color as it was.

[KR]

If I remove the sealer already there and remove the pencil mark with 00 steel wool then reseal, do you think that will be okay?

Thanks,

KR

[doitright]

Hi KR :)

I personally don't like altering the surface, if it can be avoided. However, we all have our tricks that might work for us, but not someone else. No matter what you do, I suggest TESTing first.

Magic Eraser will not harm the stone. It may not be effective with the sealer though. I get most of my pencil marks off before the tile is even installed. :nod:

[dl]

I never mark directly on the tile but on masking tape. The reason is not removing the mark but because it's pretty hard to directly mark porcelain or ceramic, but I guess the habit saved my ass with the travertine I did.

- DL

[KR]

Yea, using the masking tape is a great idea, wished that is what happened to me. I'm still at a lose as to what to do.

Any thoughts?

KR

[RedRockTile]

Don't feel to bad KR. The first time I worked with granite tiles, I used a sharpie to mark some holes for a faucet. Got everything cut, profiled, polished, and installed - then realized my mistake. :bang: Ended up busting it out and fabricating a new piece. As a last resort, you can always replace it.

[KR]

Sharpie wow! Well two problems where I bought the tile they gave me their last stuff and I've used the last piece completing the job. Other problem there are pencil marks all over the place = all of the edges.

What would be the most effective way to get the pencil marks off - Any thoughts?

KR

[KR]

Happy day! Got the marks all off. Two sales people and a little old lady at Home Depot helped me figure it out - go figure.

Thanks for all your comments.

KR

[doitright]

Hi KR :)

How about sharing your solution with us? :shades:

[KR]

It was simple! Home Depot guy gave me a solution from the same company that makes 511 to help scrub up the surface. It's called Tile & Stone All Purpose Cleaner. The little old lady told me to use the Mr. Clean earser because she uses it all the time on her travertine and it removes everything even pencil. The other sales man told me to use a tooth brush and the Tile and Stone cleaner full strenght to first scrub over the pencil mark. I had to use elbow grease at this point, once I scrubed down to the point that I saw the pencil mark going away I scrubed with the Mr. Clean earser sponge and voila - pencil mark gone. Then I cleaned it with a warm water cloth. My next step will be to go over with the sealer. The areas that I cleaned look great - no marks!

Hope this helps all! As you stated John in a previous reply, "However, we all have our tricks that might work for us, but not someone else. No matter what you do, I suggest TESTing first." My recommendation too!

Good Luck,

KR

[doitright]

Hi KR :)

Thanks for the complete procedure. It may help someone in the future. Just remember where you heard Magic Eraser first! :D

Seriously, you'll want to continue utilizing the Tile & Stone All Purpose Cleaner (diluted) for your ongoing maintenance. This is one of the tile & stone specific neutral cleaners that we're continually preaching about around here. :nod:

[buzzards27]

I didn't see anyone suggest a pencil eraser! Glad you solved the problem.

I did some work for an older lady and she had some cabinets that her carpenter had built her 20 years before and he finished them with several pencil marks. They had always annoyed her and she asked me if I knew how to get them off. I reached in my pocket for a pencil and erased them in about 10 seconds, she said nobody had ever thought of it... go figure.

[doitright]

Hi Al :)

Good point! However, what works on wood may not work on stone, and visa versa. The question about removing pencil marks from stone is not the first one that's been posted here. Erasers have been suggested in the past. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. The pores in stone are much different than the structure of wood fibers. Now seal the stone, and you have a more complex scenario.

A point on your side is that it is easy to overlook a simplistic resolution, and so I thank you for offering that possibly simple solution. :tup2:

[groutkleen]

we use sanded grout to remove pencil marks. Not sure if it still works after it is sealed though. Mix the sanded grout, make it kind of thick, put some on your index finger and scrub off the pencil marks!

[jerrymlr1]

Anyone seen the stone at the San Diego airport? Whoever installed the floor numbered each piece in the bottom right corner with a marker. About a half inch tall and 1 1/2 long. The numbers were in the 10 thousands. Pretty comical. I guess they never came up with a solution to get them off because they were there for years. I think the last time I was there they had new floors though.