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Granite is becoming a very popular stone among homeowners to design their kitchen, bathroom, vanity tops and many more places to say. Granite is something you are seeing on an increasingly frequent basis — this is true all over the world. Granite adds charm and beauty to your home and gives it a sensational look. However, you need to take some preventive measures to keep it beautiful for life long.
It’s a well known saying that Prevention is better than Cure. So, the important point about granite countertop care is prevention- not having anything harmful happen to your Granite Countertop.
Sealers are mainly designed to prevent staining of your stone. And, staining occurs when liquids or other greasy nature substances are absorbed through the natural pores of the stone.
There are basically two types of sealers used for Granite:
1) Penetrating sealers: A sealer that soaks into the stone and fills in any open voids or pores and protects the stone from within. It is also known as impregnator. Impregnators is a “below the surface “sort of sealer and these are mostly made of Silicon, Siloxane, Silane, Acrylics etc. And the carrier in this case would be a petroleum based solvent or water.
This sealer is applied directly to the face of the stone with a soft cloth, sprayer or brush. Protecting the structure of the natural stone, penetrating sealer absorbs into the granite for around 4-5 minutes. When almost dry, spread a little more sealer to the counter and rub with a soft rag. After applying the sealer to one section, wait for two hours and apply a second coat. When choosing your sealer, look for an oil repellent impregnator, which will help stop oil from seeping into the stone.
In this sealer, the stone below the surface will be protected, however, there is no surface protection.
2) Topical sealers: These types of sealers are designed to protect the countertop surface. Topical sealers are usually made from some form of natural wax, acrylic and other plastic compounds. Once you’ve applied a topical sealer, your maintenance work really shifts to the sealer. Topical sealers generally come in two types:
a) Strippable
As it sounds- topical sealers are made to be removed or stripped from the Granite countertop with little work. Before using the sealers, check the label and talk with your Granite dealer before using any product.
b) Permanent
Once you apply a permanent sealer, it becomes difficult to remove. It comprised of solvent-based or water-based polymers, however, most often these are not recommended for granite.
Sealing Tip: While resealing Granite, just make sure that the countertop surface is clean and there is no dirt or debris. Make sure that you seal the areas more often in which you use a lot of water (sink), and areas where there is a lot of oil/grease (stove). The sealant is very durable, but you don’t want to take chances with natural granite counter tops that probably cost you a significant amount of money.
Penetrating natural stone and granite sealers are durable. Sealers require periodic reapplication based on the frequency of deep cleanings, trafficking of the surface and also the brand of sealer used. Some of the manufacturers recommend sealing granite yearly, while others recommend after every three or five years. However, it is important to read the recommendations of the product and consult your Granite dealer for the frequency and type of sealing required.
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