There's a huge debate among natural stone professionals as to whether or not natural stone products ever need to be sealed. 

On one side of the debate are those who believe that natural stone is best left unsealed in it's natural state.Their argument is founded in the fact that natural stone can sometimes have any variety of unknown elements embedded in the stone. Their concern is that artificial sealants have the potential to cause an irreversible discoloration of the stone should there be some kind of a reaction when these elements and the sealant come in contact with one another.  

They are confident that because stone was formed over thousands of years in the harshest of elements, it can safely withstand all types of use. Furthermore, they argue, some sealants actually change the stone's natural color and give it more of an artificial look. 

When you consider the many natural stone buildings, monuments and ancient artifacts that have never been sealed and are in amazingly excellent condition despite having been exposed to the elements for years (even centuries) a lot can be said for the argument against sealing natural stone. 

The argument for sealing natural stone rests on the idea that today's world is filled with many harsh cleansers, chemical concoctions and caustic substances that our ancestors never had to contend with. Most of these items have the potential to etch into the stone and/or damage the surface. For those on this side of the debate, sealing natural stone is the first line of defense against these potentially harmful elements.  

Definitely each argument has merit and the 'seal or no seal' decision is something you yourself will have to decide. We, however tend to subscribe to the 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' philosophy and therefore do recommend sealing your natural stone sinks and bathtub. 

To assist with maintaining their beautiful, natural finish, all of our stone sinks and bathtubs are pre-sealed with a penetrating sealant prior to leaving our shop. The sealant is designed to prevent your sink and tub from absorbing items that may cause staining during normal daily use. The sealant does, however, loose its effectiveness over time and needs to be reapplied.

You're probably wondering how often should you apply a new coat of sealant. The answer? On an 'as needed' basis. A good rule of thumb is about once every 15 months, however a simple test will reveal if your sink or bath tub needs to be resealed more or less frequently.

The Test

Notice if water continues to 'bead up' on the surface or immediately soaks into the stone. If it no longer 'beads up' on the surface, it's time to consider resealing your sink and tub. 

Applying the sealant is a very easy and quick process. Just be sure to purchase a high quality penetrating sealer that is appropriate to the type of stone your sink and bath tub are made of.