Are there other reasons to not remove the sealant from a granite kitchen counter?
My in-laws have a granite countertop in their new kitchen. Normally, granite is quite heat-resistant, but they found out the hard way that the resin "sealant" that coats it to make it shiny is not. From my perspective, one of the reasons to have a granite countertop is so that you can put pots and pans straight from the oven or stove directly on it, so this is undesireable.
I've done some online reading on granite sealers, and as far as I can tell they're applied for two reasons: (1) to make the granite extra-shiny, and (2) to fill in any natural roughness in the stone that would provide a surface that could stain. However, this granite is a deep mottled reddish-brown, so it's hard for me to regard reason (2) as valid; how would you even see a stain?
Given that, are there other drawbacks to stripping the sealant off the countertops that I might not be anticipating?
(Posting here to ask about culinary drawbacks; for questions about the difficulty of removal and drawbacks for long-term maintenance I'll ask on Home Improvement)
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Can sealer be removed from granite?
ANSWER: A freshly applied granite sealer can be removed, but you'll need to strip it off and that requires a little elbow grease. The longer you wait to remove a sealer, the more difficult it will be.What happens to unsealed granite?
Although granite is known to be a very durable surface that is less porous than marble, unsealed granite will absorb spills, oils and stains. If you are uncertain about whether your granite counters need to be sealed, drop a small amount of water on the surface.Do you need to reseal granite countertops?
Granite is one of the strongest materials on Earth, so is it really necessary to seal granite countertops? Absolutely! Granite that has not been properly sealed can store germs and moisture \u2013 things you don't want on your food preparation surfaces.How long does sealant last on granite?
ANSWER: You should seal granite when needed and not based on some arbitrary schedule. Most (but not all) granite countertops will need sealing upon installation and then resealed every 1 - 5 years depending on the color and porosity of the granite, the quality of the sealer, and proper sealant application.The Truth About Countertop Seams
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