Granite countertops are a permanent investment that needs some ongoing maintenance to keep it beautiful. The schedule for resealing granite countertops depends on several factors.
Reapplying sealant at the correct intervals will ensure that the granite remains free of staining and other damage, which could mar the surface. In recent years with the advent of advanced natural stone sealers, the maintenance of granite has become much less demanding.
Standard Sealing Recommendations
Many professionals recommend sealing granite countertops at least once each year. If you cook frequently in your kitchen and use the countertops daily, you might need to reseal the granite even more frequently. This used to be the advice from stone professionals over the years.
With the advancements in Polymers and Nanotechnologies, very effective and long lasting sealers are available for granite stain protection, reducing the need of yearly applications of sealer to the granite countertops.
The way you maintain your granite counter can also have an effect on the frequency of resealing. If you use chemicals on the granite that wear away or weaken the sealant, you will need to reseal more often.
The best and harmless way to clean granite countertops on a regular basis is a mix of warm water with a spoon of mild hand soap.
Factors to Consider
The color of your granite is an important factor that determines the frequency of resealing. Dark granite colors like Black Pearl, Indian Coffee Brown, and Tan Brown tend to be denser than light colored granites. The higher density makes the granite less porous and less at risk for staining. Dark granites also hide small stains and imperfections more readily than lighter granite counters.
Extending the Resealing Period
Some sealants that you can buy will last longer than other sealants. Look for a sealant with advanced chemical technology, which will enable it to form a more permanent bond on the granite.
Long lasting sealants tend to be little more expensive, but they last – often many years or even indefinitely. Our customers had great experience by using Stonetech Bullet Proof Sealant manufactured by DuPont. This is the highest grade sealant, and DuPont indicates that its effects last for at least 3 years on the indoor applications.
You can further extend the effectiveness of the DuPont sealer by using a cleaning liquid called Stonetech Revitalizer made by DuPont. Gallon cans be purchased at a very reasonable price and that will last for 2 to 3 years of regular cleaning usage.
Revitalizer liquid has traces of sealant mixed with it. Every time you are cleaning, you are also replenishing the traces of sealant that are lost by wear and tear.
Some of our customers stopped resealing their granite countertops after usage of Revitalizer over several years.
Testing the Sealant
You can test your granite countertop to determine when it’s time to reseal the surface. Drop a few droplets of plain water onto the granite and watch to see what happens over the next five minutes.
If the water remains in beaded droplets on the surface of the granite, the sealant is protecting the granite. If you return to the counter and find the droplets gone because they absorbed into the granite, it’s time to reseal your counter.
How to Seal a Granite Countertop
Remove everything from the counters when it’s time to seal. Wash the granite with mild dishwashing soap and rinse it well. Wipe down the granite with acetone to remove any cleaning residues, if necessary. Spread or spray on the sealer and allow it to absorb into the granite. After the recommended setting time (15 minutes), wipe away the excess sealer with a clean cloth.
(Watch a video about granite sealing.)
Your granite counters should be ready to use 24 hours after sealing it.
Call us at 314-426-3100 for expert granite advice!