Kitchen countertops, Kitchen Islands, Vanity tops, outdoor countertops and more.

Common Questions: 

  • How often should I seal my countertops? And, What does it cost to have my countertops sealed? 
  • How can I tell if the installer/contractor sealed my countertops? 
  • I had my marble countertops sealed. Why are they staining? 
  • Does your company offer countertop services? 

Should I seal my countertops? 

The question of sealing is hard to answer. The simple answer is yes. All stone can benefit from being sealed. But, it’s a good idea to look at the benefits and limitations of sealers to make an informed decision. 

Limitations of sealers


Sealers do not actually seal stone to make it waterproof or prevent acid etching on calcium based stones such as marble, limestone, travertine, and some quartz. Sealers used on countertops are designed to absorb (penetrate) into a stone’s surface and fill the microscopic pores within the stone to stop water and oils from absorbing into the stone. If a stone is properly sealed, the sealer will slow or significantly reduce the rate at which water and oil can penetrate a stone. However, if water or oil is allowed to sit on a sealed stone, it can over time penetrate the voids in the sealer.

Sealing stone properly


How the stone is sealed can have a significant effect on how the sealer will perform. This is because most stone countertops come from the quarry with a very low porosity. Due to this low porosity, many experts will advise that the countertops do not need to be sealed. Thus, in order to seal a stone properly, it is very important to soak the surface of the stone with the sealant. In most cases, this can take about 20 minutes of allowing the sealer to dwell on the surface of the stone. 

Additionally, not all sealers are the same. Sealers come in various forms just like buying milk at the store. I think of some sealers like skim milk. These sealers are better at absorbing into dense countertops. Some sealers are like half and half and are better at sealing stones like slate, Lueders limestone or concrete countertops. Trust a professional like Bizaillion to recommend the right sealer for your stone countertop or floor. 

Benefits of sealer


Most stone that comes from the quarry is very dense and has a very low absorption rate. For example, you can spill water on most stone countertops and wipe it off with no fear of any of the liquid absorbing into the stone. The primary purpose of a sealer is that it fills the micro pores to slow down the absorption rate even more than your counters have now. The benefits of this are particularly noticeable around sinks cooking areas. With many years of use on countertops, some will experience water or oils darkening their stone around the sinks, around the range, or where people spend most of their time cooking or making coffee. Sealing will not prevent these eyesores entirely, but they will significantly reduce the chances of it happening. 

The other significant benefit of sealing is with regards to bacteria. In a kitchen, many times bacteria can seep into a porous stone and grow. Bacteria from raw meats and other foods can cause health concerns. Sealing will not allow these bacterias to absorb into the stone, thus, allowing one to clean a countertop surface with soap and water to remove any bacteria.

Acid etching on countertops 

One of the primary reasons people request to have their countertops sealed is because they are getting acid etching stains. People will commonly refer to these as “water spots,” “drip stains” and “rings”. Most people do not understand why they get these if they have had their countertops sealed. They will commonly state, “the sealer the contractor put on my countertops was not installed correctly. I am still getting water stains. They look like drops of water on my countertops. I need to get them sealed.” These water spots are from something acidic coming in contact with the calcium in the stone. It is worth noting that sealers can not prevent acid etching. Acid etching is a chemical reaction. The reaction occurs at the surface of the stone. The only way to prevent acid etching is to prevent acidic liquids from coming into contact with the stone. 

Most clients will swear to me that the water spots on their countertops were created from just water. I find this to be highly unlikely as I have never actually seen water alone etch marble. It’s more than likely that some kind of soap or something else in the water has caused the water to be slightly acidic, thus causing the etching to occur.  Most likely, the cause can be from: 

  • Lemons or limes, 
  • Wine or other alcohol 
  • Vinegar (either in food or from being used to clean) 
  • Soaps containing citric acids
  • Fruits and vegetables 
  • Soft drinks 

How can I tell if my counters have been sealed? 

This is a good question that I get asked frequently. There really is no way to know if they have been sealed, however it never hurts to add more sealer to a countertop. One way to determine if counters can benefit from having more sealer applied is to do the following: allow a glass of Ice water to stand on a countertop for a period of time. The glass will sweat and water will collect at the bottom of the glass. When you remove the glass and wipe up the water, and there is a dark spot left behind from the water glass, it is likely that your countertop is not sealed.  If a water spot is left behind, then the countertop could benefit from more sealer being applied. 

One thing to note: Sealer will never completely prevent water from ever penetrating into the stone. Sealers slow down the absorption rate of water. Due to the hydrostatic pressure, if water is allowed to sit long enough, it will eventually penetrate. 

The bottom line is that sealers are designed to slow water from absorbing into a stone, thus giving people time to wipe up a spill. If water is allowed to sit on a countertop without drying for several days, eventually, the counters can show signs of darkening. 

I had my marble countertops sealed, why are they staining? 

When I get this question, I always ask them to describe the stains to me. 98% of the time, they describe etching. Most people do not realize how sensitive marble is to etching. And even more people do not realize how many everyday products are acidic. Especially, facial care products, bathroom cleaning products, and other cleaners. I recommend people to look at the list of ingredients on the back of their products. Look for the word acid. This does not always mean the product is acid. But, more times than not, it will mean that the product contains some type of acidic ingredient. Some products have another neutralizing ingredient that offsets the presence of the acidic ingredient. You can find non-acidic cleaning products made specifically for cleaning stone surfaces at many retailers. 

Does your company offer countertop services? 

Yes, we do offer countertop services. We are a stone restoration company. Basically, we put stone back to the way it looked when it left the quarry. When stone comes from the quarry, they use a series of methods to achieve a polished look on the surface of the stone. This usually includes a diamond-honing process. Natural stone comes out of the earth looking very raw. Think of a tree being processed to wood for use in building a home. We use the same methods and processes to restore stone. The only difference is that we use smaller machines and equipment to do this process in a home.

When we encounter a stone, we always try to find a part of the stone that has not been worn or damaged to get an idea of what the stone looked like from the quarry so we can return it to its original appearance. However, we have clients who want to change the appearance of their stone surface. Some want more shine and some may want less. Our specialized equipment and resurfacing process allow us to give the stone the look you desire. We work on the following types of stone surfaces: 

  • Granite 
  • Marble 
  • Limestone 
  • Quartzite 
  • Quartz 
  • Onyx 
  • Soapstone 
  • Outdoor grill area countertops

Trust Your Countertops to the Experts at Bizaillion

Our team would be honored to bring your floors and countertops back to life! Reach out and request a quote to get started. We can’t wait to make your countertops beautiful.