We saved up the cash to have granite countertops installed around our kitchen perimeter last June. {We outfitted the island with butcher block to save money and add warmth.} We’ve been living with the granite for a year now and absolutely love it. So easy to clean daily, love the simple look and profile of it, and the durability is amazing. I have set hot pans on it and cut directly on it without leaving any stains or scratches. When we had the granite installed, I asked a lot of questions about maintenance. The installer, who also happened to be the company’s owner, told me the countertops would only need to be sealed once a year to protect against stains and moisture penetration. He said to just ask for ‘granite sealer’ at Home Depot or Lowe’s and use it to seal the granite annually. When I was at Home Depot a few weeks ago, I remembered we were coming up on our one year granite anniversary, so I picked up some Stone Care International Sealer which was recommended to me by the countertop salesperson. It cost me $10. I finally got around to sealing the granite myself this morning and it was surprisingly easy.
Following the directions on the label, I cleaned the granite last night with my regular Mrs. Meyer’s/water cleaning solution and let it dry thoroughly overnight. The sealer instructions said to allow for at least 6-12 hours of drying time. Obviously, you don’t want to seal water into the granite. This morning I cleared the countertops, emptied the sink and wrapped the kitchen faucet and stovetop with plastic wrap to avoid getting the sealer on anything that I didn’t really want/need to be sealed.
I used the cover of one my kids’ coloring books as a splash guard of sorts to keep stray sprays from getting on the surrounding backsplash, appliances and cabinets.
The instructions are to shake the sealer bottle well, spray the granite thoroughly and evenly, wait 3-5 minutes for the first coat to penetrate then spray again and wait another 30 minutes.
Thirty minutes after the second coat had been sprayed, you are to wipe away any excess sealer.
I did all this and discovered that my granite seemed to have been sealed pretty well the first time {by the installer} because the sealer I was using wasn’t soaking in too much. While there was definitely less wet sealer on the surface after waiting 30 minutes, there was still excess which I wiped away with a microfiber cloth. Still, I did notice an improved luster in the granite. It’s one of those things that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t sealed it and seen the difference.
If you are thinking of having granite countertops installed or already have them in your kitchen and want to DIY the sealing of it, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Ask your installer how often they recommend sealing the granite.
- Seal granite countertops in the morning after they’ve had adequate time to dry after a routine cleaning.
- Granite sealer has a distinct odor. It’s not strong but opening windows and running a fan {I used my oven hood vent} help to air things out.
- Use plastic wrap, thick paper or other barriers to protect non-granite surfaces from getting spritzed with sealer solution. I found the spray bottle I used to have a concentrated spray stream, meaning it didn’t mist out all over the place which was nice. The sealer can be used on other stone surfaces as well, including ceramic which is what our backsplash is made of. However, I really like the color of our backsplash the way it is, so I didn’t want to get any sealer on it and risk changing the look of it. You can always test a small area before committing to sealing the entire surface.
- Let the granite cure for 24-48 hours after sealing. There are no particulars about what to do during this curing time on the label, but I plan to avoid getting liquids and cleaners on the granite for at least 24 hours.
So, there you have it – Granite Sealing 101. I have to admit that the idea of having to seal granite once a year seemed mid-maintenance {not high or low maintenance but somewhere in between} and a tad inconvenient to me at first. But after sealing my granite countertops today, I’ll say it’s really not that bad at all. It took me less than an hour start to finish, including wait time, and I’ll just be extra careful of spills and cleaners for the next 24 hours. Oh, and I don’t think I used even 1/10th of the bottle of sealer, so that $10 is going far.
Do you have stone countertops that require special sealing maintenance? Or has the thought of sealing granite annually turned you off from taking the granite plunge? Do you prefer other surfaces for kitchen countertops that require less maintenance?
images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
DIY