Granite sealer

[umterp1999]

Anyone have any recommendations on granite sealer?  Our counters need sealing.  The stuff we bought for the last time we sealed took basically two days including prep and follow up.  I am looking for something a little quicker/easier.  Also does granite really need to be sealed once a year?

[Spork]

Amazing timing you have.

short answer: I don't know.  I'd like to hear other's input.

long answer: we just bought a product from Lowes (Rock Doctor Granite Sealer).  We saved one of the cutouts for a sink and I just did a test run on the sink cutout.  It's still drying so ... no real data here.

We don't have much granite.  Ours are small remnants we have in bathrooms, so I doubt I can do much damage here.  I don't have a huge kitchen slab.

[dragoncar]

I never understood why granite sealers need to be reapplied?  Don't we have the technology to make it last?

[Spork]

I would guess that's the same reason car wax needs to be re-applied.  Cleaning and normal wear probably pulls it off over time.

My experiments with the Rock Dr. brand are a little inconclusive.  I had no issues with discoloration, but I wouldn't say it beads water either.   Water doesn't soak in... but it also doesn't bead up like a freshly waxed car.

[fiveoh]

Here's what I used last year

http://www.lustroitaliano.com/Lustro-Italiano-Premium-Stone-Sealer-p/848836000708.htm

I got it from amazon but its not available on there. 

Just be warned, the smell is STRONG and it lasts a while.  Also it is a little tough to buff out after you apply it.(you really need to scrub hard)  Once you are done it WILL bead up like a waxed car.  I've had it on for 6 months and it still seems to have a decent seal on it. 

[Gggirl]

Our granite countertops are 6 years old maybe more and we have never re-sealed it.  It looks exactly like it did when it was first installed.  I had heard you are suppose to re-seal but I could not figure out why? 

[Spork]

The story I heard (and I cannot tell you if it is true or false):  Granite is porous and has a mix of other materials in it... lots of little fissures.  I am told the sealing both helps with stains and keeps little bits of water from soaking in and eventually weakening the material.

[fiveoh]

Our granite countertops are 6 years old maybe more and we have never re-sealed it.  It looks exactly like it did when it was first installed.  I had heard you are suppose to re-seal but I could not figure out why?

We have really hard water, so were getting some etching/hard water deposits around the sink.  I re-sealed it to try and keep some of this from happening. 

[PajamaMama]

Our granite installer recommended Hydrex Oil based sealer. He recommended buying it online. He told us that the sealers you buy at a home supply store aren't adequate.  It looks like  it's about 23 dollars for a quart. He just applied it with a rag and then wiped it off. It's been almost a year and still looks good. He recommended resealing every two years or if your doing your dishes and after about twenty minutes the area around the sink looks wet then it's time to reseal. We have a white granite which stains easier.

[daddycute]

Would anyone be so kind to recommend me a good granite sealer? I need to do minor repairs to the countertop.
I don't want to buy without asking anyone for advice. Thanks.

[bigcmaple]

You can try to use granite gold sealer. It works quite well on all sorts of granite countertops. If you need more recommendations, check out the reviews here. http://thereviewgurus.com/reviews/best-granite-sealer/

[Cranky]

I had my granite permanently sealed when it was installed - it's supposed to last 20 years, at which point I think I will not much care.

[rachael talcott]

I have used 511 Seal and Enhance on granite, and it really does appear to have a sealing effect -- water beads up more, and if you put it on an unpolished spot it makes it look wet/polished more or less permanently