Installing natural stone countertops throughout your home is a simple way to remodel and elevate the aesthetic of your interior design.
Two of the most popular options out there for natural stone countertops are granite and marble (both of which we offer in various and beautiful designs).
Although they are strong and durable on their own, it is highly recommended to seal natural stone countertops in order to preserve the material’s beauty for as long as possible.
Why Seal Marble and Granite?
Natural stones are porous in nature. When used as the material in countertops, a sealant should be applied to avoid the stone’s staining from water, oils, and other fluids. When your natural stone countertop is correctly sealed, fluids will merely bead on its surface rather than seep into the stone.
Granite and marble add a gorgeous touch to kitchens and bathrooms, but when left unsealed are unfortunately easily prone to staining by fluids like grease, or colored liquids like wine and cranberry juice.
Sealing your natural stone countertops also protects them from etching, caused by the acidity of cleaners and foods like citrus.
The Benefits of Sealing Your Natural Stone Countertops
Once your marble or granite countertops are sealed, you will have a much easier and hassle-free time cleaning them.
Sealing your natural stone countertops will give you an overall, more hygienic surface to use in your house. Remember, natural stone is porous and has a tendency to absorb liquids, and thus bacteria— sealing removes the risk of potentially biohazardous material building up in pores, cracks, and crevices.
When you seal your natural countertops, you ultimately won’t require as many chemicals to efficiently clean them. We definitely don’t recommend using products containing ammonia, bleach, or any other harmful acids— instead, you should stick to the basics of water, mild soap, and countertop cleaning liquids.
Now, since all pieces of natural stone vary in porosity, it’ll be important for you to seal some pieces more frequently than the recommended five years. The easiest way to check if your countertop needs resealing is to dribble a small amount of water on it, and then check to see if the water beads.
If it does, your countertop is fine for the time being. If the soaks in beneath the surface, however, your countertop is due for resealing.
How to Seal Your Granite, Marble, or Other Natural Stone Countertop
While it may seem intimidating, sealing a natural stone countertop is really not difficult. It can be done in approximately 25 minutes if you follow these steps:
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Remove all objects from your countertop. Clean the surface with a fresh washcloth. Make absolutely sure that your surface is clean and dry before you begin the sealing process.
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(Make sure you are wearing gloves for this step) Spray a generous layer of the sealer evenly and uniformly across the countertop. Make sure you don’t miss any spots and that the entirety of the surface is covered with the sealant.
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Wait 15 minutes, and then wipe off any excess sealant. If you find any sort of smudging or spotting on the countertop, spray a minimal amount of sealant on the cloth and them away. This should clear the surface of any imperfections.
Within 24 hours, your countertops should be perfectly sealed. If the prospect of sealing your own natural stone countertops proves to be too anxiety-inducing for you, consider hiring a professional to do the job for you.
