Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
The onyx used for benchtops and bars is banded calcite, not the gemstone, so it etches from acids, scratches easily and is often brittle. Clear protection film shields the polished surface from drinks, citrus and glassware while staying optically clear, so backlit onyx keeps its glow.
Key points
- Architectural onyx is calcite, soft and acid-sensitive.
- Often backed with resin and mesh because it is brittle.
- Backlit bars are exposed to cocktails and constant glassware.
- Optically clear Gloss film keeps translucency intact.
Not the gemstone
The black onyx in jewellery is a form of quartz. The onyx used in interiors is something else: calcite deposited in layers by water in caves and springs, which gives it those translucent bands. It is sometimes sold as "onyx marble". Because of how it forms, slabs can be brittle and are usually reinforced on the back with resin and mesh.
Its softness means a polished onyx top can be scratched by the base of a glass and etched by a single drop of lime. On a backlit piece, those marks catch the light from both sides.
Hospitality onyx
Backlit onyx bars are showpieces in hotels and restaurants, and they are also working surfaces where citrus, wine and cocktails are spilled every night. Our commercial installations are scheduled after hours, so a venue can protect its bar without closing.