Client Spotlight: The Petersons' Kitchen Transformation in Naperville
By Granite Heroes Team · 2025-05-01
When the Petersons' 15-year-old granite countertops looked beyond hope, they called us. Here's how we brought them back.
Client Spotlight: The Petersons' Kitchen Transformation in Naperville When Sarah and Mike Peterson bought their [Naperville](/cities/naperville) home, they loved everything about it—except the kitchen countertops. The Problem Their Black Galaxy granite countertops had seen 15 years of family life: - Oil stains around the stove from years of cooking - Water rings near the sink - Dull patches where cutting boards had worn the finish - Scratches from decades of daily use - Failed DIY sealing that left a blotchy appearance "We were convinced we'd have to replace them," Sarah told us. "Getting a quote for new granite was over $8,000." Our Assessment The good news? Their granite was structurally perfect. All the damage was surface-level—exactly what professional restoration can fix. The Restoration Process Day 1: Deep Cleaning and Stain Removal - Stripped old topical sealer with stone-safe solvents - Applied poultices to oil stains (these need 24-48 hours to work) - Cleaned all surfaces with professional stone cleaner Day 2: Polishing and Sealing - Diamond polished all countertop surfaces - Hand-polished edges and backsplash seams - Applied premium impregnating sealer - Buffed to a mirror finish The Result "It looks better than when we moved in," Mike said. "And it cost us a fraction of replacement." Their investment: Professional restoration at ~15% the cost of replacement. Lessons from This Project 1. Don't assume you need to replace — restoration is almost always an option 2. Sk