Polishing Granite Countertops

Granite countertops, being a natural stone, require a little bit of maintenance to stay looking their best. This maintenance to most people is just regular sealing and cleaning of the countertops, but there is more to it if you want your countertops to look absolutely the best that they can. We’re talking about polishing.

There are both wet and dry polishes. The wet is a paste, while the dry is a fine powder. There is debate about which works better, but the truth is that both are great options and will do exactly what you need. Dry polishing is often used for more worn countertops that need more abrasion to restore the surface. Be aware that wet and dry polishing methods require special pads to polish with. You can have a professional do the polishing for you, but many homeowners opt for doing it themselves. 

To start the process you need to very thoroughly clean the countertops, and if there are stains they should be removed. You’ll want to place plastic all over the kitchen and surrounding areas to protect them from the polish that will be thrown from the power tools. When selecting a polish, make sure that you do the correct research to find what polish is going to be best for your countertop color and wear level of the stone. 

When polishing, it’s important to remember that the polish is meant to do the work, so do not put excess pressure on the tools and risk doing damage to the countertop. Go evenly over the whole surface making sure to get even coverage over the whole countertop. Once the countertop is polished to your liking and has been cleaned, it’s time to reseal the countertop to make sure that it stays beautiful and stain-free. If you have any questions about caring for your countertops, or even if you don’t have granite countertops and want to learn more, come in and talk to one of our countertop experts.