Hello, a few questions, I’ve done a search and as far as I can tell these questions have not been answered. Of course having said that, after I thought I’d researched pretty well, I still have questions…
My husband and I are DIY w/i reason. We’ve put down a ceramic floor in a mudroom and now are tackling a granite tile countertop island. The 12″x12″ tiles are set in adhesive, that claimed it was fine to use w/stone tile also, however, the whole island is now darker. After we set it all I saw a post about sealing the entire tile first, can’t change that now really.
My questions are, will it dry lighter again? completely?
If we put sealer on it now would it stay darker?
Does sealer darken granite and it stays dark, changing the color? (cause we kinda like it better darker now that we see it)
Will the sealer that we use on the countertop tiles seal the grout also or do we need seperate grout sealant?
We still may do the rest of the kitchen in this tile and would like to know the answers before we decide.
Thanks so much, the answers and questions from others have already helped so much, gotta love the internet! Kimberly.
The granite tiles on your benchtop should lighten again as the adhesive fuly cures. Moisture transmission through granite is very slow so it will take a while. With regards to the query do sealers darken stone – it depends!
There are many different sealers out there and there interaction with the stone varies considerably along with their efficacy. Speaking very generally, sealers that resist staining from oil based substances tend to have a greater affect on the appearnce of the stone (this is generally only minor) with some sealers give you a “wet look”. The only way of knowing is by doing a test on a spare granite tile. his is also a good idea to determine how effective the sealer will be at resisting the stains that you feel are most relevant to your situation.
The fact that sealers don’t actually “seal” and only improve the stone’s resistance to staining is another matter. The grout lines could turn out to be the bane of your life. As a DIY job I would ensure I apply extra coats of sealer to these joints as they will have the capacity to absorb a lot more sealer. I would also make sealer application on the joints a yearly job to help keep them clean. Jim Mann (member)