good sealing job

On July 7, 2004 a homeowner posted a thread on the natural-stone.com forum about some problems developing to a sealed “granite” countertop.

The homeowner was reporting some extensive staining occurring to his newly installed “Kashmir White” countertop that had been reportedly sealed with a stone impregnator by the fabricator/installer. David Lauder from the UK had answered the thread stating that one or two applications of an impregnator/sealer to such a “sponge” wasn’t certainly enough. The following is the edited version (by the author himself) of the follow-up of our own Maurizio Bertoli:

“I concur with David. Two applications of an impregnator are often not nearly enough for a "sponge" like Kashmir White. Keep on sealing!!

Which brings up a very important point: I receive literally dozens of e-mails every month from inquirers asking about the suitability of one "granite" or another. Many a granite needs to be sealed, and certain "extreme" ones need it real bad.

So the question boils down to: “If they apply an impregnator/sealer will I have any problem in the future?”

There's no answer to that. In fact, if properly sealed with the right impregnator, the answer would be: “Yes, go ahead and enjoy your stone!”

But that presumes a "perfect world." And we do not live in a perfect world, do we?!...

No matter how good an impregnator is, it is just as good as the operator who applies it. Most of the time, if a stone needs to be sealed the impregnator has to be applied twice (I consider that a minimum requirement, unless we're dealing with dense stones such as honed or tumbled travertine, etc.) But then again, that's only a rule of thumb, because not all impregnators are the same!

With very porous stones like the one object of this thread, at least three applications will be necessary.

And now here comes the kicker: all impregnators on the market will tell you to perform the second application after a couple of hours or so. Also my own product indicates that on the directions printed on the bottle.

It's a lie!

An interval of at least 24 hours is required for the best performance.

So, why I, Maurizio Bertoli, the inventor of the motto: "Education before any sale!" ever wrote that on my impregnator/sealer? Because I was losing sales to the lies that everybody else had printed on their products; that's why!

How many contractors do you think there are out there that will take the time to go back to a certain home three times (or maybe more) in three different days to finish the sealing job??!

So, the contractor goes for the "easy" impregnator that says that after a couple of hours you can do the second application! (If they plan to wait that long anyway!)

I always try very hard to present myself as a model of integrity and act upon it, but there's a limit. I consider the lie that I deliver as self-defense. For integrity sake I can't keep watching all the "salesmen" out there smiling all the way to the bank and me - with one of the best products on the market - losing dealers left and right because I am the only one who printed the truth on my bottle, can I?...

All in all, I reached the conclusion that, while I always used to consider a sealing job as a contractor's activity, it is much better if the homeowner is going to do it. At least they can take all the time that is needed. After all it's their possession!