Do I Have to Seal My Granite Counters Again?

You just bought some granite countertops for the kitchen in your St Paul home. All sorts of tales have been told about granite countertops and their need to be resealed every so often or annually or who knows how often. So you begin to wonder. You have family, friends and neighbors who have granite countertops in their homes, you have asked so many of them whether they have theirs resealed or not. Mom says no, a best friend says yes. What should you do?

The great bulk of manufacturers of granite slabs seal their granite prior to them being fashioned into what they ultimately will be used for. One type of granite may be more porous than another type of granite. A general thought amongst proprietors in the industry is that sealing will not have to occur on a regular schedule. 

Indicators emerge when resealing is called for, however. Watch for the after effect of when you place a glass upon your granite countertop and a water ring is left behind. Another widely spotted reason to have your granite counters resealed is water beading—if it ceases or no longer happens—it is likely that a resealing is needed. These are the two easiest to spot tests that you can conduct to indicate whether there is a need for resealing.

Maintain and clean your granite counters often. Manage spills or staining occurrences right away. If a spill occurs—even if it is just water—sop it up immediately. Potential staining type spills or other such messes will help prevent some headache, money and difficulty down the road. 

Other things that may concern you regarding your granite counters needn’t. Granite is heat resistant, place any super-hot pan or pot just off of the stove and no damage is done. 

It all boils down to the type of granite you purchase—some types will never once require a resealing. Some will. Nonetheless, all of the fabricated granite from Minneapolis Granite is sealed during that very process, at the very least. 

Always remember the simple water test. If it beads, no worries. If beading no longer occurs, your granite counters need to be resealed—this being a sign that the water is being absorbed into the counters themselves. 

If you are looking for granite for your St Paul home, call Minneapolis Granite at 612-822-3135 or contact us for a Free Estimate.

How to Prep Your Kitchen for Your Granite Countertop Installation

Chaos is the norm during a kitchen renovation. You are working with contractors, plumbers, electricians and granite kitchen countertop installers. If you are prepared well for the installation itself, it can be a pain-free process. The pros at Minneapolis Granite, St Paul granite counter fabricators and installers, know this only too well. Careful as can be with your kitchen and all of its wares, we aim to minimize the hassle you face while enduring the remodeling process, as well as getting the job done right, on-time and not beyond budget.  

Keep your day open when we come to install your granite countertops. Installing granite countertops typically takes anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on the scope of the job. You will want to be present just in case any of the team doing your overall remodel has any questions for you. Last second decisions and adjustments are needed from time to time and they will require your approval.
You will want to remove all damageable items from your kitchen before the installation process begins (pictures, wall hangings, throw rugs, dishes, &tc.). After all, some mishaps cannot be prevented. We want to be sure that none of your personal belongings are damaged while we are there and installing your new granite countertops.

Make sure your sink is there and ready to be installed, but keep in mind we are not plumbers, so any plumbing work that needs to be done should be completed by a licensed plumber. The same goes for any electrical work, and we cannot install any appliances either. Please give it at least 24 hours before you have a plumber hook up your sink in order to allow the silicone to dry.

It is of paramount importance that you advise any of the other workers taking part in your kitchen remodeling to not use your new granite countertops as work benches. Keep all paint, glue or any other harmful material as far away from them as is possible—even if protective covering has been placed over them—it is not worth the risk. Materials such as the aforementioned can harm your granite counters, causing irreversible damage. It is better to be safe than sorry and just not allow anyone to use them for anything besides preparing and serving food.

If you would like more information on granite for your St Paul home, call Minneapolis Granite at 612-822-3135, or you can contact us to get a Free Estimate.