StoneTech BulletProof Stone Sealer
StoneTech BulletProof Stone Sealer is the best granite sealer if you are looking for a heavy-duty sealer that should primarily be used upon installation of your stone countertops. It is a water-based solution that covers a lot of space and provides advanced protection against stains that will last for years.
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Why do you need the Best Granite Sealer?
By using the best granite sealer, you can ensure that your stone countertops remain clean and free of dirt and debris. Many people think that cleaning your stone countertops is enough, but the professionals all know that sealing your stone is just as important.
This is especially true on your first installation. A properly sealed countertop will prevent oils, dirt, and stains from seeping through your stone and damaging it. It is the difference between a few years of added life for your stone.
You know when your countertop needs sealing when you drop water on it and it gets absorbed into the stone instead of beading up. By using the best granite sealer, you can fill up the microscopic pores inside your stone so that other harmful substances do not get inside. We will show you some of the best granite sealers we have tested as well as walk you through how to seal granite properly. For our granite cleaner reviews, please visit this page.
Best Granite Sealer Reviews
- Granite Gold Sealer
- Stonetech Bulletproof Stone Sealer (Top Pick)
- Stonecare International Stone Spray-N-Seal
- Tuff Duck Granite, Grout, and Marble Sealer
- Black Diamond Nex-Gen Natural Stone Penetrating Sealer
1. Granite Gold Sealer
The Granite Gold Sealer is the best granite sealer if you choose to use the entire three-part series. The other two solutions are the Granite Gold Cleaner and Granite Gold Polisher. Proper stone care consists of cleaning, polishing, and sealing.
Cleaning your stone removes dirt, bacteria, mildew, and other debris. Polishing your stone countertop adds a protective coating to the surface and gives the stone a glossy shine. Sealing your stone will prevent deep stains and other harmful substances from entering your stone, which could potentially crack it.
Granite Gold Sealer is a water-based solution that comes in a spray bottle. It is easy to use and gentle on your stone. We did find that it has a strong scent, which can be a dealbreaker for some people. We also found that the sealer works best when used with the other Granite Gold products. If used just standalone without the other Granite Gold products, we found it to not be as effective.
We asked some experts who install and seal stone countertops and they all say Granite Gold Sealer is a solid choice must you must use it in conjunction with the cleaner and polisher. Overall, it is a very solid product and the best granite sealer if used correctly.
Pros
- Powerful when used with other Granite Gold products
- A water-based solution that is gentle on your stone
- Easy-to-use spray bottle
Cons
- Strong scent
- Not very effective if used stand-alone
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2. StoneTech BulletProof Stone Sealer
StoneTech BulletProof Stone Sealer is the best granite sealer if you are looking for a heavy-duty sealer that should primarily be used upon installation of your stone countertops. It is a water-based solution that covers a lot of space and provides advanced protection against stains that will last for years.
Since it does come on a large jug, it really is meant for a large-scale project, so ideally installation. This solution is very forgiving and gentle on your granite or marble countertops. You can apply it liberally without having to worry about damaging your stone. While we did wish there would be a spray-on bottle, we understand that it would be awkward with such a big bottle.
The application of the sealer is very simple: you simply clean your stone countertop first and add any polisher or conditioner. Wait for everything to dry first and then apply the sealer straight from the bottle. Then wait again for a few hours for the sealer to react and dry and wipe off any excess liquid. You can then test if you have properly sealed the stone by dropping some water on your countertop and seeing if it beads up.
Out of all the sealers we have tested, we find that StoneTech BulletProof Stone Sealer is the best granite sealer when used standalone. This means using it without using a granite cleaner or polisher beforehand. After performing numerous tests against other competitors, we found StoneTech to be at the head of its pack. It outlasts, dries up faster, and is more gentle than other cleaners. Water beads up every time we applied this sealer, which was not the case with some competitor products.
Pros
- The most powerful sealer that can be used for large projects
- Very gentle to your granite or marble
Cons
- Awkward to handle and not easy to apply
- A bit expensive
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2. Stone Care International Stone Spray-N-Seal
Stone Care Stone Spray-N-Seal is a spray sealer that uses a special blend of polymers to fill in pores and repel oil and stains. It is the best granite sealer if you want to do some routine touch-ups to your stone countertops. Stone Care is a water-based sealer that is pH balanced and does not do too much harm to your stone countertops.
We tested this product extensively with Granite Gold’s sealer and found that are pretty much the same performers, with Stone Care having the slight edge because it smells way more pleasant.
We found that Granite Gold worked better on granite and marble while Stone Care worked better on everything else. However, the difference between the two is still negligible and it just comes down to personal preference. We still give the crown to StoneTech Bulletproof Stone Sealer as it is the superior product and the best granite sealer for initial installations.
Pros
- A versatile sealer that can be used on all stone types
- Pleasant scent
Cons
- Hard to use for large-scale projects
- Dries up slower than other sealers
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3. Tuff Duck Granite, Grout, and Marble Sealer 22 oz Stone Tile
If you want great protection for your granite and marble countertops, you should definitely consider the Tuff Duck Stone Tile Sealer. It is a fast-acting penetrating sealer that does not alter the natural beauty of your granite. The Tuff Duck can give you the proper protection with just a single coat and protect your granite for up to 5 years on interior surfaces.
However, for exterior surfaces that have more exposure to UV light, you can only get up to 3 years. You get about 800 square feet of coverage with this product, so more than enough for all of the stone around your house.
This sealer is quite versatile, as it works for stone tiles, marble, granite, slate, concrete, and many other stones. One bottle contains 22 ounces but you can buy the one-gallon jug as well if you want to save costs. It is a non-acidic formula that has a powerful active ingredient that penetrates deep into the pores of your granite.
The company claims that the active ingredient is twice as powerful as its competitors like Stonetech. We cannot confirm this, but what we can tell you is that it works just as well as most of the granite sealers we tested.
Because it is a water based sealer, it works great on natural stones such as granite and marble without damaging them. The Tuff Duck also does wonders on more porous stone surfaces such as travertine, terrazzo, sandstone, limestone, and slate. In our labs, we tested this product against very tough oil spills and it definitely keeps all liquids, dirt, and debris out of your granite countertops. It also passes the water bead test with ease.
The most common issue associated with the Tuff Duck is that it can give off a bad odor. It may be a good idea to wear a mask while applying this sealer. Most users also praised the Tuff Duck Stone Tile Sealer for being easy to apply and having good durability. We can fully vouch for this. And as an added bonus, the Tuff Duck sealer can also be used to seal the grout.
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4. Black Diamond Nex-Gen Natural Stone Penetrating Sealer
When it comes to long-term granite protection, the Black Diamond Nex-gen natural stone sealer is a wise choice. What we like most about this product is that it is non-toxic and does not have too much of an odor. Most competitors on the market produce huge amounts of fumes and bad odors when applying you need to wear a mask. Luckily, with the Black Diamond Nex-Gen, you are in the clear.
This product helps protect your granite against all sorts of damage. With proper application, you can protect your granite countertops or floor from oil, coffee spills, wine, grease, food, germs, and bacteria. It is a water-based sealer that can be used in both interior and exterior conditions. It has a much longer shelf life and durability indoors vs outdoors.
The Black Diamond Nex-Gen is a penetrating sealer, so it digs deep into the crevices and pores of your granite and ensures those cracks are sealed. It passes the water bead test easily. In our lab, we applied this sealer on some granite and through all sorts of things at it, including oil, water, grease, and dirt. We even left the junk there overnight and wiped it off the next morning. Surprisingly, there were no streak marks and no stains.
All we can say about these results is that it definitely works. Many users we have talked to also claim the same thing. Most people agree that one of the best features of the Black Diamond Nex-Gen is its ease of application. You simply spray it on, let it penetrate for a few hours, and then wipe off the excess. There are also all sorts of sizes to choose from. Finally, you are not limited to just granite. The Black Diamond next-gen seals grout, tile, brick, block, and slate floors as well.
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5. Why do you need to seal your stone countertop?
Most rocks found in nature have pores in them. These pores are normally empty pockets of air, but they are also collectors of dirt and debris. When you use stone countertops in the kitchen or bathroom, you are exposing these rocks to lots of dirt particles. In these high-traffic areas, many liquids are spilled, food particles are left lying around, and dirt collects. Â If these things are not cleaned, they can leave stains on your granite countertops. And if you leave dirt and other substances around long enough, gravity will eventually pull them into the stone where they will be trapped and could permanently damage or discolor your stone.
This is where the best granite sealer comes in handy. A sealer has particles dissolved in a liquid and this liquid fills up inside the pores of rocks and stone. Eventually, the liquid will evaporate, leaving behind the solid deposits which will completely fill up these tiny pores in the stone. However, these small sealer particles will wear down and you will need to put on a new sealant.
A properly sealed stone countertop should pass the water drop test and not let any liquid seep through. Also, note that a sealed countertop does not mean it is scratch resistant. Scratch resistance is more of a job for a stone polisher or conditioner. Conditioning a stone countertop involves spreading a thin protective coating over the stone and giving it a nice shiny finish. This is similar to applying a transparent film cover for your iPhone.
The Water Drop Test
The water bead test is the best way to find out if your stone is properly sealed or not. It is also a good way to check the porosity and density. Oftentimes, density is directly related to porosity, as some dense stones have fewer holes in them. Granite and marble are two such stones with high porosity and thus need to be sealed.
To perform the water bead test, follow these instructions:
- Drop some water on your stone countertop
- If it beads up and remains there for 5 minutes, great, you are done and the stone is either properly sealed or not porous.
- If the water beads up initially but then seeps into your stone within 5 minutes, you know that either you have little sealant left or your stone is just too porous to be 100% sealed.
- You know you will need to apply a sealant as soon as possible if the water does not bead up but instead darkens and soaks into your stone immediately
How to Seal
- Make sure your stone countertop is cleaned initially. You should be using a pH-balanced solution that does not react negatively with your stone.
- Condition and polish your countertops ideally using a separate solution. Try to avoid 2 in 1 cleaners and conditioners if you have time
- Seal the stone countertop by pouring the best granite sealer or spraying it on. You want to wait a while for it to fully react and dry out. Then you should wipe it clean with a dry cloth. The cloth shouldn’t have too many dies on it or you risk the chance of staining your stone with the dye on the cloth.