New (used) house - I think I have granite countertops

(Oro Valley, AZ)

Help! I know nothing about granite countertops. It looks to me like mine are actually pieces of granite tile. I know it's not a solid piece. Do I need to treat this any differently? I don't see grout between the pieces. Will a hardware store have what I need to seal the granite or do I need a speciality store?

To Oro Valley, AZ,

Sealing granite is really necessary if you have porous granite. You can tell if it's porous by putting some water on it and seeing if it absorbs into the stone.

It will usually turn a darker color if it's porous. Kind of a rule of thumb is the lighter the color of granite, the less dense it is and thus requiring a penetrating sealer to protect it from staining.

Remember the only reason we seal any natural stone is to protect if from staining. Even if you have a a sealer on the stone, if spills are not cleaned up in a timely manner, they still can be stained.

Don't worry too much, polished granite isn't usually too porous, and if you clean them regularly and clean up spills right away, you should be fine.

If you want piece of mind, look on the internet for a granite sealer, or go to a stone and tile store and ask for a good penetrating sealer for granite. Read the directions thoroughly and you should be okay.

I hope this helps.

Pedro