Natural stone countertops such as limestone and granite countertops are porous by nature and they need to be sealed in order to be made waterproof. Here are some ways by which you can seal limestone countertops.

Does Your Limestone Countertop Need Sealing?

Before getting into the basics, it’s important to know your countertops first. You want to take a look at your countertops and see whether it needs sealing or not. This can be done by examining your countertop surface or with a water test.

For the water drop test, you will need to put a couple of drops of water on top of the surface of the limestone countertop. You need to see the countertop sucking the water off in a matter of minutes. If the water is completely soaked up by the countertop, then you need to get it sealed, because seepage of moisture will lead to internal damage to the stone. If the water drops are still on the surface of the countertops, then there is no need to seal the stone.

Limestone is naturally water-resistant and non-porous, but some limestone countertops are different from others, so you need to see which type of stone you have. This is why this water drop test is an amazing way to see whether your countertops need sealing or not. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to seal your countertops, if they end up failing the water test and need to be sealed.

6 Steps To Seal A Limestone Countertop

Here are the steps you need to follow if you want to seal a limestone countertop.

  1. Clean the surface of the countertop first. You need to make sure that there isn’t any dried food, debris, or any kind of residue on the countertop, otherwise, the whole sealing process will be for nothing.
  2. Get your sealant ready. You will need to see what type of sealant you need for your countertops. If you have colored limestone, then there are different sealants available for that. Otherwise, if you have a light-colored or muted limestone countertop, then a normal clear sealant is good to use.
  3. Apply the sealant in a thin layer and spread it evenly with a brush. Try to do this step quickly as the sealant can dry quickly.
  4. Use as many layers of a sealant as you want. Anywhere from 2 to 3 coats are sufficient for a limestone countertop to be waterproof.
  5. Let the sealant dry for the allocated time. This will take anywhere from 12 to 26 hours. Try to give the sealant a lot of time to settle and get dry before you do anything else.
  6. Once the sealant is dried, you can use a wet washcloth and run it over the surface of the countertop. Just make sure that the washcloth is not too wet. The majority of the water should be wrung out from the cloth. There you go! Your countertops are now sealed and good to go.

For Colored Countertops

For colored countertops, there might be a different type of sealant you want to try. There are sealants that have color-enhancing properties to them and you should go for that if you want the countertops to be shiny and lustrous after the application. They are readily available in the market and you can get them in a lot of colors. You will be sealing and waterproofing your countertops as well as giving your countertops an enhanced color and shine.

Other Ways To Protect Your Countertops

Here are some tips which will protect your countertops from water damage.

  • Try to clean spills right away. If you spill any liquid on the limestone countertop, then clean it up with a rag right away. This will prevent stains from occurring and you will also lessen the damage to the countertops.
  • Make sure there are no dried food crumbs on the countertop. Clean it up right away.
  • Clean your countertops regularly to maintain their clean and shiny look for years to come.

Conclusion

There you have it! Sealing countertops is great because it increases the shelf life of a stone and the damage is almost next to none. You can do it yourself or let granite contractors Rockville seal your kitchen countertops.