Do You Really Need To Seal Granite Countertops Every 6 To 12 Months?

If Your Remodeler Does Not Professionally Seal Your Countertops During Installation, The Answer Is Likely “Yes.”

But When You Choose A Remodeler Who Applies Commercial-Grade Sealer, Your Countertops Are Protected For Up To 15 YEARS.

Beautiful but high-maintenance. That’s what some Kansas City homeowners think about granite countertops… and it’s enough to make some shy away from granite altogether. Especially if they have families and know their counters will be subjected to plenty of use and abuse.

But here’s the truth: When installed by a professional remodeler, granite is as low-maintenance as almost any countertop material.

Before we get to that, let’s talk about the biggest concern you probably have about granite: staining. Granite is a porous material. If you spill a substance on an unsealed granite countertop—and don’t wipe it right away—that substance will seep into the pours of the granite.

Once that happens, it can then become next to impossible to remove the stain. And all that money you invested in those once stunning, “make-your-neighbors-jealous” countertops? Wasted. (The internet has a variety of home remedies for getting stains out of granite countertops, but we’ve never seen one that completely works.)

The most common solution homeowners use to prevent granite stains is to buy an over-the-counter sealer. These sealers typically come in spray bottles and must be applied at least once a year. This is an “okay” temporary fix, but let’s face it: with 7,459 things going on in your life, how long will it be until you forget an application?

You often have to apply retail sealers at least once a year.

So… Is There A Convenient, No-Maintenance Solution To Protect Your Granite Countertops? Yes!

It all comes down to the remodeler you choose.

Experienced Kansas City kitchen and bathroom remodelers know to use professional-grade commercial sealer DURING installation of your granite countertops. These sealants go deep into the pours of the granite and last MUCH longer than sealers available in stores. While over-the-counter sealers last about a year (if you’re lucky), professional-grade granite sealers provide up to 15 YEARS of heavy-duty protection. This saves you a ton of time, provides you with true peace of mind, and ensures your countertops retain that new “first-day-installation” beauty years down the line.

At Jericho Home Improvements, we apply a commercial-grade 15-year impregnating sealer on all new granite tops. This sealer delivers the best stain and moisture protection on the market to keep your granite countertops as low-maintenance as possible. Our customers LOVE our granite-sealing process because they don’t have to worry about stains, water damage, or resealing… period.

Already Have Granite Countertops? Do The “Water-Drop” Test…

Do you have granite countertops and want to know if (and how often) you need to seal them? Perform this simple test…

• Drip water (about three inches in diameter) on a few spots of your countertops. Don’t worry—water does not permanently stain granite!
• If a spot darkens immediately, that means the granite instantly absorbed the water. This indicates there is ZERO protection in the pores of the granite. Apply a sealer immediately, and do so at least once per year.
• If a spot darkens within five minutes, you need to reseal your countertops every three or so years.
• If it takes 10 to 15 minutes for a spot to darken, you only need to apply a single layer of sealant. You can go many years between applications.
• If a spot doesn’t darken after 30 minutes (meaning the granite doesn’t absorb the water), congrats! Your countertops are fully protected, so you don’t need to apply sealant.

If you discover you need to apply sealant after performing this test, keep a few things in mind…

1. Use an impregnating sealer. These sealers go deep into the granite’s pours, “filling” the pours so no water can penetrate.
2. Certain areas of a granite countertop may be more porous than others. Perform the “water-drop test” on different areas of your counter to determine if you need to seal.
3. ALWAYS clean spills on your countertops ASAP. Even if your counters are sealed, why take any chances?

For more details about our special 15-year granite-sealing process, click here and get in touch. We would be honored to hear from you. And if you’d like to know more about our superior attention to detail regarding kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Kansas City, visit our Workmanship page.