Granite Sealer

Granite sealer forms a crucial part in the maintenance of granite surfaces. Granite sealers are helpful in preventing stains inside the stone and are therefore, applied on granite countertops. Not all granite sealers are the same as they may vary a lot in quality. When selecting a granite sealer consideration should also be given to the size of your granite stone / countertop on which the sealing is to be done. You should also consider the color as well as the type of granite stone (porosity, range, size etc).

Granite sealing is necessary because some granite may have very small cracks present in them, which might be the result of the natural stresses that took place when it was still a pert of the mountain. These small cracks may at time be very micro in nature making them not be visible. It is even possible that cooking oil, grease, colored fruit juices or anything which has color in it, can penetrate into these minute cracks. This might further result in discoloration of the stone which can then become very difficult to restore the stone to its original color. Sealers thus act as a shield by preventing the stains in the first place from entering the stone. Granite should hence be sealed before putting it to use. If in the case the person is moving to a used house and does not have information on the granite sealing used by earlier occupants, the person must consider that sealing may not have been done at all. Therefore, you must use the best quality granite sealer to seal it yourself.

Granite sealers are applied on the polished surface because it contains less airborne dust. This is why it is necessary for the stone to be polished before applying a granite sealer to it. It is thus considered best to wait till the end of the construction, that is until the final cleaning has been done and the stone is given a polish. In short, granite sealing should be done as soon as it is installed. Extensive care should also be taken when deciding the place where the sealer is to be applied. If the seal is applied in wrong places and the cracks on the stone are still visible then the main purpose of sealing the granite is defeated. It is recommended that sealer be applied to areas which are directly adjacent to sinks, cook tops and faucets which will be installed either under or on the granite.

High quality granite sealers usually give protection for about ten years. The life expectancy of the sealer should be clearly mentioned on the container of the sealer itself. It is advised to re-apply the granite seal well before its expiry date to keep the original color of the granite stone. It is essential to read the user’s manual on how to apply and the place to apply it before using the granite sealer. Therefore, even if the granite stone purchased is of very high quality and the seller provides a lifetime guarantee, it is still very much necessary to apply the granite sealer before using it.

Granite sealers are used to prevent water or any colored liquid from entering the cracks present on granite stone which might lead to discoloration of the stone. Granite sealers are usually easy to work with. However it is still recommended to properly go through the user’s manual before using the granite sealer.

Granite sealers are applied on dry granites. When saying dry it does not mean only wiping the granite countertop with a dry cloth. Water might have penetrated inside the minute cracks. If water is not removed properly from within these cracks, then it might not allow the sealer to penetrate the cracks as well as also staining the stone. Therefore, the main purpose of applying granite sealer lies defeated. It is usually recommended to clean the granite dry using a paper towel and then leave it idle for 24 hours. If possible blow a fan over it for eight hours before applying the granite sealer.

Wet granite usually has a richer color than dry granite. So, therefore one must wait for the granite to have a faded look before applying the sealer. If you are using granite sealer for the first time, then you must apply the sealer to a small area (about four feet) first rather than concentrating on a larger area. This is done to get a first hand experience as well as to avoid small mistakes which might occur while sealing. To apply the sealer, coat the stone using sealer in a consistent layer in such a way that it covers the whole area that you were intending to cover.

The sealant will penetrate deep into the cracks of the stone. Once finished, wipe the whole area and leave it idle for four minutes to let the granite sealer absorb into the stone’s pores. When the sealant has been completely absorbed and dried, apply a thinner second layer. This is done to give added protection to the granite surface which is more exposed to outer materials. The same process is to be repeated until the whole surface (floor / countertop) has been sealed. Once done, allow the granite sealant to dry and absorb for at least two hours before using the granite substances.

To find out if the floor has been properly sealed, one just needs to follow a simple procedure. Once the sealant has been absorbed, spill water on the sealed surface. After about half an hour wipe it off using a paper cloth. If the stone which was sealed does not darken, then sealing has been done successfully. One must also remember to reseal the surface every six months to protect the granite surface from porous liquids. It must be kept in mind that small mistakes made while sealing can cause the granite to lose its design as well as still leaving cracks within the granite surface. Therefore, it is advised to consult a specialist before applying the granite sealer. If the person is using the sealer for the first time then it would be a good idea to watch a live demo on how to apply the sealer.

To clean granite an individual has to follow the following instructions:-

One has to remove everything from the granite surface and thereby make the granite sealer or any other cleaner which you have
One should clean the granite using soap and water. After that if nothing comes out from the granite counter then one should try to scrape it off with a hob scraper or fine steel wool as these are sharp materials which can aid in cleaning the granite counter.
After the first two processes one should make sure granite surfaces are cleaned and are ready to be sealed. One should always seal the granite countertops according to the manufacturer’s description.

Whenever you use anything to clean the granite sealer it should always be water and mild soap or a proper granite sealer cleaner. The person who is removing everything from the granite worktops should use gloves with solvent granite sealers or silicone or even marble cleaners. One should always be careful when using blades or sharp knives to scrape off things from the granite surface.

It is vital to note that granite work surfaces have been around for thousands of years and these sealers are relatively new and provide minimum protection against water diffusion in the granite worktop. The darker stone does not usually require any sealer. In simple it can be said granite worktop sealing can at times prove to be more harmful than good.

If anyone is going to seal granite countertops the following steps will help in doing so:-

You should apply a sealer to the counter top using a clean white rag; one can also use a brush instead of a rag.
After the first stage you need to let the sealer absorb into the stone for approximately 20-25 minutes
When the sealer is almost dry you should then apply a little more sealer onto the granite and rub it in with a clean dry rag
Repeat on the next section of stone until the entire counter top is sealed
After completing the entire process above one should wait for at least two hours and then apply the second application. The wait time depends on the brand of sealer, temperature, etc.

The sealer works best in a small area of 4-5 square feet. You should also remember never to use a permanent sealer as you may need to seal and reseal the granite counter top after every six months to a year.

After spending so much money on buying a granite countertop it needs to be well cared for. Using a sealer for the granite countertop is one of the best steps in doing so. Usage of a granite sealer must be compared to the use of urethane on hardwood. Using a granite countertop sealer can thus never be compromised for a granite countertop.

It is important to use a sealer on the granite countertop. The stones may be different but the process of finishing granite remains the same. It is a well known fact that granite is obtained from the mountains so these stones are inherently known to have fissures or cracks. These cracks do not seem to harm the countertop. But when this granite is used for cooking purposes then a lot of undesirable material creeps into the fixtures. So if anyone is cooking something and oil comes through these cracks it can cause further irreversible damage to the countertops.

Granite countertop sealers are of different colours, it is a natural stone which is made up of different interconnected mineral crystals. Therefore, the mineralogy is greatly different from one granite piece to another, and this mineralogy difference generates the almost infinite colour varieties of granite along with the size of crystals and its porosity. Coloured fruit juices, grease, cooking oils, marker pens, fats or anything which has colour provides a chance of it seeping into the small cracks and fissures of the granite stone. Due to this there can be serious discolouration in the granite stone which would be very hard to remove. A sealer acts as a shield and prevents strains from entering into the granite stone.

The granite must be sealed before it is used, granite sealers are applied on the granite stones to the refined surface of the granite when there is little airborne dust. It is recommended that you apply the sealer immediately to the areas adjacent to sinks, cook tops would be fixed under or on the granite. One should make sure to apply granite sealer on both the rough cut edges, holes and also on the polished surface of granite where the different fixtures would be installed.

A good quality granite sealer will provide a long period of life for your granite. Some of them also provide protection for over 10 years. It is said to apply sealer in dry conditions because if any cracks are wet then the sealer will be unable to enter those cracks in the granite stone. After cleaning the granite keep it in under fan for at least 24 hours to make it completely dry. If using a buffing machine then make sure that it is orbital.