Finish

My Paperstone countertops look as good now as they did when they were installed five years ago because I use this product regularly. Important to use this product, rather than a cooking oil or car wax. Cooking oil can become rancid on the countertop and car wax was not intended for food prep areas. Paperstone Finish works better when warm. I heat up a container of water and put the Paperstone Finish bottle in the container of water for a few minutes. Goes on more like a liquid when you heat it up an you don't have to put in elbow grease working it into the countertop. Make sure the container of water is moderately hot, not boiling. I know from experience that the Paperstone Finish bottle will deform if placed in boiling water..

I purchased this product because Paperstone no longer referred the Oslo clear top coat for the paperstone counter tops. I did not have any left from my last application so I had to use this instead. It appears that they only sell the Oslo top coat in Europe and not the US anymore. This product is more like an oil and it does not protect the surface like the other product from nicks or last as long. You will have to reapply more often, especially if you have a black surface.

Unfortunately, this product doesn't last. It seems impossible to restore PaperStone to its original color and luster. My formerly dark-blue countertops are now dull, grey and water-stained. Even after using their their products to clean and finish -- and even after cleaning, sanding and sealing with Osmo Top Oil, per instructions. Very disappointed. Not sure what I can do except replace the counters -- which is hardly ecological!

If you don't know what PaperStone is, it's a very hard stone-like material made from recycled paper. I was inspired by another post to run my own tests to see what sealant worked best on the PaperStone that we installed in our boat's pilot house. I bought OSMO, PaperStone Finish, and 511 Sealant. I took a piece of scrap and divided it into six sections and sealed two blocks with each sealant. After waiting well beyond the minimum time recommended for drying and applying the recommended number of coats of sealant for each, the OSMO had an edge because it made the Paperstone appear a uniform, darker and slightly luminous finish. The PaperStone Finish was a little darker than the original color, but lacked the depth of the OSMO finished surfaces. The 511 Sealant made no visible changes to the appearance of the PaperStone. Then the attempts to stain/damage the finishes began. I used red wine, balsamic vinegar, mustard, ketchup and sriachi sauce. They all stood up well, with the PaperStone Finish having a slight edge, but they all had some "etching-like" splotches where the mustard had been. The sriachi sauce, wine, vinegar and ketchup had little effect. My partner and I decided to do a second round after using the Bee's Wax Original that the PaperStone website recommended, and we added toothpaste to the mix (we don't plan to brush our teeth in the pilot house; it just had a convenient mix of bleach and abrasives that made it an interesting experiment). After conducting this test, let me be the first one to tell you to NEVER brush your teeth over stone, sealed or not, without meticulously cleaning it up immediately. All of the samples were seriously impacted by the toothpaste. The 511 Sealant and the PaperStone Finish did fare better, but the OSMO was close behind. I have to call it a draw on the basis of staining/damaging the PaperStone. Beyond that, it comes down to your preference for color (darkness, depth, shine). In my book, if you want to seal PaperStone or slate (what PaperStone looks like unfinished) without changing the dry, matte appearance, use 511. If you want to darken the surface a little, but still have it appear kind of dry, use the PaperStone Finish. If, like me, you prefer a smoother, deeper appearance, use the OSMO. For a little extra luminosity, use the Original Bee's Wax spray. Interestingly, the PaperStone website recommends the OSMO, not the PaperStone finish. Hm.

I only buy this now!

I've waxed my soap stone counters, but this product is SO much easier to use. A carpenter friend gave me my first bottle to care for a cutting board he made ... It's a terrific product!

I like the finish. I wished it lasted longer. I did find it buffed out nicer and i think harder when heated before use.

I have a stone bathroom counter top and this is fantastic for cleaning. It doesn't dry out the tile, it's super easy to apply, and a little goes a very long way.