Natural stone maintenance: why it makes a difference

The maintenance of a building element is the most effective and sustainable form of conservation: it is the least expensive from an economic point of view and also the least invasive for the natural stone. If carried out regularly, it helps preserve the characteristics of the cladding, avoiding more complex and invasive corrective interventions. This is why it is important to integrate maintenance not only when damage is evident, but to integrate it right from the design and installation phase, as underlined by the UNI 11714-1:2018 standard.

The UNI EN 13306:2017 standard on maintenance specifies all the necessary actions to maintain or restore an element so that it continues to perform its function. There are three fundamental approaches to maintenance:

• Scheduled maintenance: Planned during the design phase at regular intervals, based on the intended use of the work.
• Preventive maintenance: Essential for reducing the probability of damage, thanks to monitoring and early diagnosis of alterations.
• Corrective maintenance: Carried out after a failure has occurred, to avoid worse consequences.

We understand, therefore, that among these, preventive maintenance is the most strategic and becomes a design requirement—maintainability—as it effectively maintains the functionality and value of the cladding by limiting the onset of defects and reducing the need for invasive interventions in the future. Maintainability must be considered a genuine design requirement. This means choosing materials and construction systems that allow for easy, safe, and long-lasting maintenance.

When we think about maintaining stone cladding, complex interventions or extraordinary restorations often come to mind. In reality, periodic cleaning is one of the simplest—and at the same time most effective—practices for preserving its beauty and functionality over time. When designed with criteria and carried out regularly, cleaning helps to prevent three very common problems:

• the accumulation of surface dirt,
• chemical reactions between water and pollutants,
• the proliferation of biological organisms that can damage the stone.

It is an apparently “trivial” operation, but in reality, it is essential: the durability of the stone material largely depends on its consistency.

Neglecting routine cleaning leads to higher costs in the medium term. More stubborn dirt, in fact, requires more aggressive and therefore more expensive treatments. Conversely, maintaining a regular routine helps to contain expenses: with a few tens of euros and a litre of good quality detergent, you can treat up to 20 m² of surface. Naturally, the coverage varies according to the material’s degree of absorption (outdoors, for example, it is often lower).
A practical tip: do not choose the product at random, but always consult the technical data sheets to ensure it is the right one for your surfaces.

In addition to the technical and economic aspects, there is another factor not to be underestimated: image. A clean and well-maintained building conveys quality, care, and value. And this can also be reflected in the property market: a positive aesthetic perception often corresponds to a higher economic valuation.

The maintenance of natural stone, particularly its periodic cleaning, is not a superfluous cost but a strategic investment. Treating maintenance as a design requirement from the outset, with a focus on a preventive approach, helps to preserve the functionality and beauty of the surfaces over time. This not only reduces the need for expensive and invasive corrective interventions but also protects the property’s economic value by conveying an image of care and quality. In short, looking after stone is always worthwhile, from both a technical and an economic standpoint.