Sealing Granite

 

MIKE: We just had a contractor install about 100 square feet of long, white granite which seems to be slightly porous.

 

TOM: (overlapping voices) OK.

 

MIKE: The install price was around $3,500 so we got a pretty good investment.

 

TOM: Yeah, you do.

 

MIKE: We thought that the seal they recommended to put on every six months would protect the finish and after we use it we find out it (inaudible at 0:05:08.4) water and other liquids; it could stain our granite.

 

LESLIE: And you’re getting discoloration.

 

MIKE: So we’re really kind of nervous, you know. We’re looking for a permanent solution that’s friendly with the homeowner as far as to install. I know the price – we were getting a quote on lifetime sealant. If they install it was like $7 a square foot, so there’s another $500 investment going.

 

TOM: Yeah. You know, granite – people buy granite; it’s very popular and I think there’s a misconception out there that it’s maintenance-free or low-maintenance. While it’s incredibly durable, it’s a heck of a lot of maintenance; in fact, it’s probably one of the most maintenance-intensive countertop projects out there. And Leslie, you’ve had a lot of experience with that. I think the word is that you’ve got to seal that stuff pretty much everyday before you go to work, ay?

 

LESLIE: Absolutely. Well, no.

 

TOM: (chuckling) Almost as much.

 

LESLIE: It’s once a year. You do want to make sure that you seal your granite once a year only because general wear and tear; cleaning, if you clean it with an improper product that’s not made for granite, does tend to wear more at the sealant on it. So once a year you want to give it a good cleaning and then put the sealant on it and, basically, you’ll notice that it’s time or that it’s long overdue for a sealant. When you get – when they cut the sheets of granite and make it almost like, you know, a sliver of granite that’s an inch-and-a-half or an inch and three-quarters thick – like a sheet – there are dips and divots where, you know, the natural stone has sort of popped in and out or pieces that didn’t make it through the cut. So then they put this resin coating, the sealant on top, and that’s why you get some areas that just look like a clear pool; you know, where there’s no color; where you see that indented into your granite but it’s a smooth surface.

So you’ll notice it’s time to resurface when that area that was filled with the resin is gone and this happens a lot on the edges; especially if you go with a more decorative edge like an ogee rather than, you know, a squared-off edge. So you want to make sure that you do seal it annually. There’s a great website called Stonecare.com. Go through all of their granite products – they have cleansers, they have sealants, they have maintenance products – and just make sure that you use the right products for the granite in your cleaning and in your sealing and it’ll last as long as Mother Nature intended.

 

TOM: Mike, I hope that helps you out. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.