Sealing The Granite Slab For A Leak Proof Counter

Granite is a natural stone made up of different interlocking mineral crystals. Some pieces of granite also have small cracks from the natural stress on the stone caused during the process of quarrying.

It is the naturally porous quality of granite slabs that lead to granite absorbing liquids and developing a dull look. It is to protect against this situations that sealants are used on granite kitchen countertops.

There are a variety of sealants that can be used to protect the surface of granite countertops. Granite should be sealed before it is used as a kitchen countertop. However, this does not mean that the granite slabs need to be sealed the day that the stone was installed. But as far as possible, care should be taken to ensure that there is very little airborne dust when granite sealers are applied to the stone's polished surfaces.

There are some areas of the granite kitchen counter that homeowners need to be especially careful of. Granite slabs near faucets, cook tops and sinks need to be sealed very quickly. Otherwise, the counter could lose its shine very quickly.

The reason that granite slabs need to be sealed is that fruit juices, cooking oils, grease and fats could seep into the small fissures of the granite and could result in discoloration of the granite or dullness of the stone.

Most granite countertop installers will add a coat of sealant and wax the slabs as the last step of the granite countertop installation. At that time, homeowners can find out about the kinds of sealant that can be used on the granite slabs.

An individual who is moving into a home that already has a granite countertop but is not sure if the sealant still protects the surface of the granite slabs can conduct a simple test to find out. All that an individual needs to do is apply warm water to the surface of the stone. If the stone turns darker, moisture is penetrating the stone and a new coat of sealer needs to be applied.

High-quality granite sealers have a long life. Some sealants can provide protection to granite countertops for up to 10 years. The life expectancy of the sealer is normally clearly marked on the product label. So any home owner, who added a coat of sealant to a granite countertop should be able to tell for how long it will last.