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It is time to seal my granite countertops, I went to home depot and was surprised that there was only 1 sealer and the price was freaking ridiculous! Can anyone recommend a sealer? If so, where should I buy it?
Call a local ceramic tile distributor like DalTile or American Olean Tile. They carry top quality sealers. The price you should pay for a quart of a good quality sealer is from $45 - $65. Cheap sealers have very little acrylic or poly solids in them, and that's what does the actual job of protecting your stone. Dupont makes a good line (Bulletproof) as does Aqua-Mix (Sealers Choice Gold). There are plenty of others out there, but if you buy a cheap one, you will not get the protection you need.
It is time to seal my granite countertops, I went to home depot and was surprised that there was only 1 sealer and the price was freaking ridiculous! Can anyone recommend a sealer? If so, where should I buy it?
Forget Lowes or Home Depot. I just bought a spray on sealer from Lowes and it doesn't do anything but fume up the house.
Forget Lowes or Home Depot. I just bought a spray on sealer from Lowes and it doesn't do anything but fume up the house.
More than likely you bought an oil-base ceramic sealer since the water-base ones usually don't smell too bad. However, the ones usually sold at Home Depot and Lowe's are not of an industrial grade like the ones used by granite-top makers.
That OP can have a local countertop maker reseal the countertop, or to buy an industrial sealer like the ones used by granite-top makers. These sealers are a lot more expensive than the ones found at Lowe's and Home Depot, and usually require the use of a respirator with the proper filters.
How to check if the granite is sealed-
Make sure surface area is clean, dry and free of waxes and coatings.
Apply a drop of water 1 inch in diameter to the stone surface, then allow the water to stand on the stone for 5-30 minutes.
If surface is unsealed, the water will absorb into the stone and darken the surface (absorption speed will depend on porosity of the stone).
If surface is already sealed or if stone is very dense, the water will bead up and stand on the surface.
Since we are talking tile, I need advice. Just had my kitchen backsplash in stalled and am ready to seal the small, natural stone tiles. But..... am I supposed to seal the grout first, separatly and THEN seal the stone a few days later or will the stone sealer also seal the grout? It doesnt say on the directions. I did buy the sealer at Lowes and it was expensive. Is it ok do you think??? thanx
You can seal the stone tile and the grout at the same time. Two coats, at least. Maybe three. Stone tiles and grout are both pretty porous, and the sealer should be a water based penetrating sealer that goes into the tile and grout rather than just coating them. Hence the two or three coats. They can be applied one right after the other, with no down time, or atleast a minimal down time, like 30 - 45 mins. between coats.
You can seal the stone tile and the grout at the same time. Two coats, at least. Maybe three. Stone tiles and grout are both pretty porous, and the sealer should be a water based penetrating sealer that goes into the tile and grout rather than just coating them. Hence the two or three coats. They can be applied one right after the other, with no down time, or atleast a minimal down time, like 30 - 45 mins. between coats.
I have always used solvent based sealers on my granite - they are superior to water based sealers.
Solvent based penetrating sealers have a higher durability because they are able to penetrate deeper within the stone. Water based, on the other hand, cannot penetrate any deeper into the stone than it will absorb.
In the denser stones, a water based sealer will not penetrate as deeply and leave the protection just below the surface. This means there is less protection of the stone over longer periods of time. Stones with a high rate of absorption will take the protective sealers deeper into the stone. A water based penetrating sealer works well with very porous natural stones (not granite).
If you are sealing granite or natural stone kitchen counters, look for an oil repellant impregnator. An oil resistant impregnator will only slow the absorption of oil while an oil repellant impregnator will keep the oil from entering the stone. All of them work well to protect stone. Some repel water better and others oil.
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