Most of my clients want granite countertops, when they begin thinking about remodeling their kitchen. Hi kitchen fans, Susan Serra, CKD, here, talking about granite countertops and their maintenance. The concept of having granite countertops in a new kitchen has evolved over the years from being a luxury item to nearly a given!
A common thought about granite countertops is that they are indestructible, a no brainer, end of story. I wouldn’t go down that road, if I were you! I know from experience, and from some of my clients’ heartbreaks (when they didn’t listen to me!)

First off, granite is NOT as indestructible as one might think. Here’s what I do to try to determine what the properties are of granite. I often take my clients out to the granite yard, and we look for granite to coordinate with the cabinetry, flooring, the whole look. I try to get as large of a sample, or samples, as possible (you have to beg and plead a little for a big sample!)

Sample in hand, I advise my clients to do the following: apply a variety of food substances to the granite sample and let them sit overnight. I advise using substances like coffee, balsamic vinegar, oil, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, wine, and lemon juice. I want them applied in separate areas on the sample. I specifically choose substances that are either darkly colored, acidic, colorful, and oily. It helps to take note of which samples were placed where on the sample. From this experiment you will see the absorptive properties of the stone for these tough food substances. And, the point is, some stones are far more, and yes, I mean far more, absorptive than others.

Once you know how or if your granite is more or less absorptive, and some are very dense and do not show stains at all, you know what you are working with in terms of durability. In all cases, I recommend a sealer for the granite. The problem is, one does not always know when the sealer is wearing through, opening up your granite to staining.  And, every family creates different wear patterns on their countertops. Very generally speaking, after applying your sealer, test it with water. The water should bead up. Once water stops beading up, will be one indication that your sealer is wearing through.

Here is some excellent information from apartment therapy on granite maintenance that bears repeating, and a follow up post on apartment therapy as well. For questions, go to Stonepowerhouse forum. They have ALL the answers. Few posts, I see, they must have just redone their forums,  but, I’ve used this forum for years, and it’s where the pros hang out.

After you have all your information on the stone you have selected, enjoy its natural beauty!