The granite countertops have probably been the most beautiful part of your kitchen for the last couple of years, however, if you’ve noticed that they seem dull, chipped, and scratched recently – even if you’ve cleaned them regularly – it might be time for you to think about restoring the material to its former glory.
But, granite is quite expensive, hence, will restoring it be expensive as well? To be completely honest, it’ll depend on the damage done and the material you’ll need to use. Luckily, we’ve created a 2024 guide that’ll help you understand how much money you’ll require for restoring your granite countertops:
First Things First – How Much Will it Cost?
Before we take a look at some other things that you need to know, it’s important for you to learn that restoring granite countertops might require you to pay from $200 to $1.200.
After all, it’ll cost you from $2 to $9 per square foot of the sealing, but again, it’ll depend on the damage done, as well as what you need to do to restore it. If restored and then maintained properly, you’ll increase its lifespan, meaning that it could last for over 80 years.
If you want to restore the countertops in your kitchen, you should know that you won’t need to call a professional – unless it’s extremely damaged and needs replacing. Hence, you could purchase a repair kit that costs anywhere from $40 to $110. Nonetheless, this is still extremely cheap, especially when you consider the fact that installing new granite countertops will cost approximately $3.500 to $6.500.
What Are The Most Common Problems That Require Restoration?
You now know what expenses you might have, you should also learn that there are some common problems that’ll require immediate repairs and restoration, especially since it’ll prevent the surfaces from getting damaged even more. Hence, before you choose to do anything to the elements and surfaces in your kitchen, check them and see whether or not there are any of the following problems with them:
1. Cracks And Chips
The most common issue that many homeowners experience is cracks and chips on the surface of the granite. This can occur quite often, especially if you’re a bit negligent at times, resulting in you hitting the surface with a hard or heavy item such as an iron pot or skillet.
2. Dulling
Another thing that you might have done by mistake is exposing the granite surface to cleaners that contain some form of acid. Now, you should know, even natural ones can contain lemon extract or vinegar – which can damage the countertops – hence, you must ensure that you use ones that are manufactured for granite materials.
3. Marring
Although this natural stone is heat-resistant and won’t get damaged if you place a hot skillet or pot on it once or twice, if you continually expose it to extremely hot temperatures, marring will occur. This can require professional assistance, but it’ll depend on the extent of the damage.
4. Stains
If you didn’t want to seal the surfaces before when you initially installed the elements in your kitchen, one of the main problems that you’ll experience is staining. This is one of the main – and most important – reasons why you must use granite counter top sealing products.
What Should I Do?
By now, you might have already figured out what issues you have with your granite countertop. The next thing that you need to learn is when and how you can take care of some of the problems we mentioned above. Hence, no matter what issue you’re experiencing, here is what you can do:
1. Resealing The Surfaces
If you cannot restore how the elements look by polishing and cleaning them, you’ll need to reseal the surfaces. Now, keep in mind, the product you choose to use will entirely depend on your preferences, however, you must do a test to determine whether it’s really necessary. How can you do this? By placing a bit of water on the material. If it was absorbed, you’ll have to reseal. One of the things experts recommend using is a stone sealing product.
It’ll penetrate the material, it’ll keep all the bacteria and stains away from the surface, and it’ll also make it easier for you to clean and wipe off food residue from the countertops.
Keep in mind, before you apply any product to it, you must entirely clean the surfaces.
Besides this, ensure that the elements are dry before applying the sealing product. This will most likely cost you anywhere from $300 to $450.
2. Repairs That Need to Be Done
If you’ve noticed smaller scratches on your granite countertops, you could try filling them in with some epoxy or resin that’ll match the color of the surface. You can purchase the substance you’ll require from a home improvement shop. After you’re done applying it, you must ensure that it’s properly and entirely dry, and then sand the area. Additionally, if there are larger cracks or scratches, you might have to call a professional to help you.
3. Refinishing is Also an Option
In some cases, people might have done everything to care for their granite countertops, including polishing, sealing, and fixing the surfaces. However, if it cannot be fixed or restored, it might be time for you to entirely replace them. This can, of course, be quite expensive – costing from $50 to $250 per square foot. Naturally, if you don’t want to spend that much money, you’ll have to consider using another refinishing option.
Conclusion
As we mentioned at the beginning of our article, granite is an extremely expensive material. Even if you take care of it, it still might show the signs of aging or stains might have appeared, and if so, one of the aforementioned restoration options might help you restore the granite countertops to their former glory.
Our 2024 guide has probably shed some light on everything that you should do in order to restore the central elements in your kitchen, and if you’ve now learned what you should do, don’t waste time. Instead, head to a home improvement store, get everything you need, and start restoring!
