The beauty, hardness and utility of granite makes it a highly desirable material for countertops in home design. In addition to its natural strength, granite is a beautiful stone that adds color and warmth to a room. Naturally, once you’ve jumped on the granite band wagon (which we highly recommend you do), you’re going to need to know about keeping that beautiful top looking pristine; just like the day you met.

But when it comes to granite care and maintenance, there are a lot of pre-conceived notions.  So we’re here to bust those granite maintenance myths and get you back to loving and enjoying your natural stone countertop!

Myth: Granite is high maintenance.

Although every stone has it’s ‘breaking point,’ granite is considerably durable in that it’s heat resistant and scratch resistant. You’ll literally break your expensive knives before you damage the surface of your countertop. Additionally, granite countertops can take a bit of a beating from your hot-from-the-oven pots and pans. What ultimately makes granite such a low maintenance countertop option is the sealant that Tithof professionals apply during the final stage of fabrication.

Myth: You have to seal granite annually.

We can’t speak for every natural stone fabricator out there, but at Tithof Tile & Marble we have a warrantied sealant that’s professionally applied during the final stage of fabrication in our shop. The sealant we use is guaranteed by Dry-Treat™, the manufacturer, for 15 years. Yes, you read that right. When your granite top is fabricated and cared for by us, it doesn’t get installed until it’s been sealed. Oh, and we’re not wiping a low-grade sealant on your counter in your driveway, either. The Dry-Treat™ sealant is thoughtfully applied in our fabrication shop before it even goes out the door. Still not sold? Stop in and tour our shop!

Want a little more info on Dry-Treat™? Here’s a quick summary of what makes this sealant work best for your granite countertop:

The special penetrating sealer molecules are hundreds of times smaller than competitor stone sealers and penetrate much deeper into the pore structure, even dense natural stones like granite. Inside the pores our special sealing molecules bond permanently by chemical reactions, creating a substantial, deep oil and water-repellent barrier.


Myth: I have to seal my countertop myself.

For you and your granite countertop’s sake, please don’t try sealing at home. Proper sealant doesn’t come from a spray bottle or a science mixture of strong cleaning chemicals. If you ever have any questions about your sealant, or are worried about scratches and stains, please just give us a call.

Myth: Granite never stains.

Even though we usually think of stone as “hard,” granite it is a porous material. If left unsealed, spills and everyday messes can penetrate the surface. In addition to the professional sealant Tithof applies during the final stage of fabrication, you should be diligent about wiping up red wine, fruit juice and other messes as they occur. If not, the liquid eventually evaporates but a stain could be left behind.

Continue the myth busting by reading some of our customer testimonials or give us a call and we’ll get you set up with an amazingly low maintenance natural stone countertop to enjoy for decades.