| Q 8139: We
have either silver pearl or black pearl granite. There was a scratch
on the surface of 2 of the pieces that they tried to work out and
can no longer get it back to the original polish. This was done on
the top of the granite slab and is now about 8-12" wide from
all that they were trying to do. What can we do to polish this? This
is that last thing to be done in our kitchen and I'm very concerned
that we may have to start over and get more granite??? Thanks for
your fast response. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Michael: Your fabricator was not able to re-polish your stone.
There are probably no more than a couple of dozens (and I’m probably
being optimistic) all throughout the country that could do a decent
job on location. And you’re asking me “What can we do to
polish this? Not much, really. Just use your Yellow Pages (Marble
& Terrazzo Cleaning) and, while keeping you fingers crossed, see
if you’re lucky enough to find one of those 24 guys in your neck
of the wood. The only alternative is the replacement of the slab.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8138: I
have a question if you would be so kind as to reply - I understand
that "Imperial White" of India is not a " true granite."
Is it a good stone to put in a kitchen; I've been told it is prone
to staining. Also, what does "water absorption in weight"
refer to. I see that Imperial White has a higher percentage number
than say, Dakota Mahogany, which I have in my kitchen now. Thank you
for your help. Anna Maude, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Anna: Imperial White is a “sponge”. Here, read this:
“About the sealing issue, here is an excerpt of my follow up
to a thread on the subject of sealing very porous stones that I posted
on a different stone-related forum not too long ago:
“I concur with
Dave. Two applications of an impregnator are not nearly enough for
a "sponge" like Kashmir White. Keep on sealing!! Which
brings up a very important point: I receive literally dozens of
e-mails every day from inquirers asking about the suitability of
one "granite" or another. Many a granite needs to be sealed,
and certain "extreme" one need it real bad.
So the question boils down to: “If they apply an impregnator/sealer
will I have any problem in the future?”
There's no answer to that. In fact, if PROPERLY sealed with the
RIGHT impregnator, the answer would be: “Yes, go ahead and
enjoy your stone!”
But that presumes a "perfect world." And we do not live
in a perfect world, do we?!...
No matter how good an impregnator is, it is just as good as the
operator who applies it. Most of the time, if a stone needs to be
sealed the impregnator has to be applied twice (I consider that
a minimum requirement, unless we're dealing with dense stones such
as honed or tumbled travertine, etc.) But then again, that's only
a rule of thumb, because not all impregnators are the same!
With very porous stones like the one object of this thread, at least
three applications will be necessary.
And now here comes the kicker: all impregnators on the market will
tell you to perform the second application after a couple of hours
or so. My own product reads that on the directions printed on the
bottle, too.
It's a lie.
An interval of at least 24 hours is required for the best performance.
So, why I, Maurizio Bertoli, the inventor of the motto: "Education
before any sale!" ever wrote that on my impregnator/sealer?
Because I was losing sales to the lies that everybody else had printed
on their products, that's why!
How many contractors do you think there are out there that will
take the time to go back to a certain home three time (or more)
in three different days to finish the sealing job??!
So, the contractor goes for the "easy" impregnator that
says that after a couple of hours you can do the second application!
(If they plan to wait THAT long anyway!)
I always try very hard to present myself as a model of integrity
and act upon it, but there's a limit. I consider the lie that I
deliver as self-defense. For integrity sake I can't keep looking
at all the other "salesmen" smiling all the way to the
bank and me - with one of the best products on the market - losing
dealers left and right because I am the only one who printed the
truth on my bottle, can I?...
All in all, I reached the conclusion that, while I always used to
consider a sealing job as a contractor activity, it is much better
if the homeowner is going to do it. At least they can take all the
time the need. After all it's their possession!”
Allow me to tell you,
however, that you’re starting your “stone adventure”
with the wrong foot!
Like most other inquirers
at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color of the “granite”
and/or its physical characteristics. It’s human nature at work,
I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good
choice and then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor
is far more important than the stone itself and should be the only
true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far
more important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories
that get posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they
all stem from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements
about any one particular stone. There may be differences within
the same stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from
one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either
“doctored” (which is bad), or “resined” (which
could be good, but only to a certain extent) by the factory, which
would make a big difference. Even more important, what’s a
good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?! And again:
a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some
“special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8137: I
haven't seen anyone ask about "Luna Nero". Its a pretty
densely grained black granite and I wonder if you have any advice
about using it for my kitchen counters. It does seem like it got just
a little dull when I let lime juice sit on the sample overnight (no
lemons available) but since it is dense I have high hopes for it.
Should I seal it? Reply |
R1:
Dear: I’ve seen the picture of that stone, but I’m not familiar
with it at all. If it left a dull spot that doesn’t come off,
you do NOT want that stone in your kitchen, end of story. Allow me
to tell you that you’re starting your “stone adventure”
with the wrong foot! Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem
mostly interested in the color of the “granite” and/or its
physical characteristics. It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-)
How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and
then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more
important than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding
factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8136: I
have an on-going bet with a friend, but I cannot find any proof. The
bet is that marble is a constant 11 degrees F. cooler than room temperature.
Is this true? Thank you. Diana, Reply |
R1:
Dear Diana: I hope you didn’t bet your last dollar!
You loose! Marble – like any other stone – is plain room
temperature.
(Are you suggesting that if you have a piece of marble in a room at
42 degree, if you put a few drops a water on the marble they will
freeze??!!) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8135: A
HYBRID OF GRANITE AND MARBLE - DO I I NEED YOUR M9? or should I try
the beauty supply version of hydrogen peroxide with what then -- baking
soda? do not have any pool chemicals for the moment- there is a poultice
called glaze n' seal-- no chemical listings on the jar. You didn't
list red wine as organic.. so I couldn't tell
Thanks, Elyse, Reply |
| R1: Dear
Elyse: Candelara?? A hybrid of granite and marble?????... I never
heard of such an animal! :-) Go with the Hydrogen Peroxide. If the
“marble part” of this hybrid thing was also etched by the
acidity of the wine, you will have to re-polish it, too – after
you removed the stain. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8134: When
we look at our new “Madera Gold” granite kitchen top at
a certain angle there appear to be two black hazy lines about ¾”
apart that are two straight to be “natural”. Our first speculation
is that bands used for shipping might have caused it. Regardless,
they do not clean off and the suppliers suggestion was to use a trichloroethylene
containing polishing compound he provided. Any other ideas? Reply |
R1:
Dear Daniel: No, without actually seeing your problem I can’t
speculate. I really don’t know what kind of product the one you
mentioned is, either. My question is: why doesn’t your fabricator
solve the problem for you? They supplied, fabricated and installed
the slab for you, didn’t they? They got paid, too, didn’t
they? So, why should you get involved at using a product you’re
not familiar with and that could produce unwanted results? Who’s
going to be responsible if that product is going to damage the stone
in your inexperienced hands? Think about it!
Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing
day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing
itself and it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8133: We
recently had a marble (carrera, I believe) vanity top cut and fitted
in a guest bath. Our designer then recommended that we have pieces
cut, like a frame, to hold a mirror above the vanity. Of course, this
was several weeks after the vanity was installed and the original
slab no longer available. The frame pieces are a shade or two darker
than the vanity top. Is there a way that I can 'lighten' the marble
a shade or two. Many thanks.Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Janice: Quick answer: NOPE! :-) Now remember, it’s never
too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The
issue of what you’ll be doing day in and day out to your stone
is far more important than the sealing itself and it’s all too
often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8132: Hi,
I was wondering if you could tell me how marble, granite and travertine
compare in price. Is one typically more expensive than the other?
Thanks, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear: There are very expensive marbles and there are inexpensive marbles.
There are very expensive “granites” and inexpensive “granites”.
Travertine is more uniform price-wise. The reasons for those huge
differences in prices? Strictly demand and supply – as always.
Quality has absolutely nothing to do with it. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8131: My
sincere complements on your intelligent and sometimes very witty and
clever responses to questions asked. I was so fascinated with your
remarks, I read all the Q and A's through completely, chuckled frequently
and found out I knew nothing about owning a stone product until now.
Keep up the good work. Now my problem: Three days ago, I had prefabricated
granite kitchen countertops installed. The counter that holds the
sink is discolored around the edge where the sink is. I asked the
installer the reason for this and he said that water is used when
cutting granite and that it got wet and will dry, might take 1 or
2 months. The installer a coat of applied 511 Impregnator upon installation
and told me to apply 5 more coats. The granite is called Golden Garnite.
Will this turn out as predicted or am I added to the list of the unfortunate
ones? Thank you for being there for us, Nicki, USA, Reply |
R1:
Dear Nicki: Why, thank you for your nice words!
Five more coats of impregnator?? WOW!! What kind of crappy stuff is
that?? (BTW, I do know that product: it’s as obsolete as the
calendar of 15 years ago!)
The interesting thing is that your installer applied the sealer without
removing the stain first! WOW, again!! And BTW, it ain’t no water!
That is the stupid Plumber’s Putty that was obviously used to
glue the sink to the bottom of the slab. Bad mistake!! To remove the
stain – which is going to be a very difficult and chancy proposition
anyway – the sink must be removed, the Plumber’s Putty scraped
off, and then you will proceed to poultice that stains with Methylene
Chloride only the gods know how many times before the stain will completely
disappear. Needless to say, the presence of that impregnator/sealer
is not going to make matters any easier!! :-( Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8130: HI!
I’m looking for a granite countertop that is very dark. It needs
to have some orange-red in it. Browns and yellows may be ok but no
pink. Any suggestions? Thank you, Deborah Drake, Reply |
R1:
Dear Deborah: Do browse through the library of granites available
in this website. I’m sure you will find what you’re looking
for. However, allow me to say that it appears to me that like most
other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color
of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8129: I
really hope you can help us...we've just had our kitchen counter installed
in 'Marigold' granite. It looks great with our maple cabinets, but
the surface feels a little grainy. The supplier has explained that
all granite is pitted to a certain extent and the sample we had also
had little nicks in it. But we were expecting our granite counter
to be totally smooth. I asked if we should be applying some type of
sealer, but apparently it's already been sealed. We just want to know
if this is normal or if the stone we have is "defective".
I should also say that the place we got it from is a reputable company,
not a fly by night place, so I'm inclined to believe the guy but my
husband is convinced that the granite is defective and needs to be
replaced. We would really appreciate any feedback you have on this.
Thanks so much, Kerry, Reply |
R1:
Dear Kerry: As you probably noticed, I try to be the consumer’s
advocate all the time. However, in this case your fabricator is right
and DH is wrong. All true granites and the vast majority of commercial
granites have pits throughout their texture. Your sample had them.
Why should you assume that the final product would be any different?
Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing
day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing
itself and it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q 8128: Hello....awesome
site and will be recommending to friends. I'm getting ready to order
granite and have changed my thinking after looking over this site.
Although I want beautiful color I will opt for hardness, quality etc.
Is there anywhere I could find which ones head the list for durability?
I decided to give up on the blacks and go for the whites but don't
know if it's a good choice. Also, I was recommended to use something
called 'Clearvue' on my granite...never windex etc. I've been using
with (I think) great success in my bathroom. Mistake?
Thankyou so much, Carol from New Hampshire, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Carol: You will understand, for what follows, that giving you
a list of good and bad guys wouldn’t make any sense. Like most
other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color
of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far more
important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get
posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they all stem
from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about
any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same
stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle
of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored”
(which is bad), or “resined” (which could be good, but only
to a certain extent) by the factory, which would make a big difference.
Even more important, what’s a good stone in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will
only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!” And while
you are in the “Helpful Hints” section, do spend some time
reading all of the interesting FREE articles you’ll find in there,
especially the one about cleaning stone with glass cleaner and dish
soap! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8127: I
am intending on having honed limestone (blue valley) installed in
a powder room. I love the look but am concerned the vanity top may
not be a good choice for durability. I realize granite is a better
choice and will be using it in my kitchen and two other bathrooms.
What should I know before making a final decison. Thanks for your
help in this decision. Denni, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Denni: In a nutshell: stay away from it! It will etch and the
etch marks (“water stains” and such) will appear whitish.
A real eyesore! Giving away free advice and/or literature is nice
and makes one feel good, but it don't pay no bills! :-( Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8126: Hi,
I’m looking at a granite (?) from Brazil called “Moon White”
for my kitchen counter. Can you please let me know what your opinion
is of this product and the best way to care for it? Thanks. gis, Reply |
R1:
Dear Gis: Never let a stone be the determining factor of your decision!
Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the color of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics.
It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you
that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade
slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone
itself and should be the only true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8125: I
recently visited some friends in Italy who have laid this pink “Graniglia”
stone in their kitchen, which they tell me is a mix of marble and
other stone, has anyone ever heard of it?The problem is whenever something
is spilt on the floor it leaves a stain, I suspect it has not been
sealed properly, can anyone suggest a stone sealer for this particular
stone? Thanks, You Melissa. Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Melissa; “graniglia” is an Italian word. The same stuff
here is called agglomerate tile, or conglomerate tile. It’s a
mix of marble chips and matrix of cement. Being that marble is the
main component it’s sensitive to pH active spill and will etch
(“water stains” and such). No, there’s no special sealer
for that. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8124:
I recently installed honed absolute black granite countertops in my
kitchen, in New York City. I have read through your postings on the
site very thoroughly, and they've been incredibly helpful. I wanted
to verify, though, that I am applying the right solution to my problem.
Based on what you've had to say about honed absolute black, you're
probably shaking your head right now. But, even with all the pitfalls,the
stone really does look great for the most part. So,
I guess I've made my deal with the devil... I found your site because
I was trying to find out what was going on
with my stone. It's a brand new installation, done by a company in
New Jersey, which I believe is quite reputable (Bedrock Granite).
After the 2 guys who installed the countertops were finished (and
applied a sealer-- a Miracle Sealant product -- not sure if it was
the 511 Porous Plus or the Impregnator), they mentioned that some
dull/lighter gray spots on the countertop (near the seam between the
backsplash and the countertop-- where they incidentally applied some
glue to bond the two pieces together) were due to the sealant and
that they would disappear once I wiped the countertop down the next
day with Windex without ammonia. I was skeptical, but they seemed
confident and away they went.
I didn't trust the Windex (even without ammonia). So, I wiped the
areaswith a Stone Care cleaning product. The dull/light spots did
not go away. Day after day, I repeated this process and nothing....
I wasn't sure what was causing this problem. They had surrounded the
countertop/backsplash seam with masking tape before applying the glue,
and I thought maybe the tape had ruined the "darker finish."
But, after reading through your postings and looking closely at the
other granite slab they installed for my bar countertop (which they
did
NOT seal onsite and which has a lighter
gray color -- and actually matches the lighter spots near the countertop/backsplash
seam), I realized that actually what might be causing the problem
is the sealer itself. But, I wanted to confirm this with you. Basically,
from what I've read from your other postings, I think the sealer
that they appliedto the kitchen countertop actually darkened the
stone, but because they avoided the area around the countertop/backsplash
seam (presumably to
avoid smearing the uncured glue), that area still appears light.
So, would the solution most likely be to strip off the sealant,
apply some color enhancer (which I actually have - Stone Care
International'sStone Color Enhancer) and then NOT seal again. The
trick is the last part. The granite is absolute black honed from
Zimbabwe. Is that really safe to leave unsealed in a kitchen application?
I wanted to make sure, because the installer is coming back out
for a service call to solve the problem and I wanted to make sure
I had all the facts. I didn't want the guy to laugh in my face when
I tell him that my countertop doesn't need to be sealed. Thanks
so much for your help. It has already made a huge difference in
an experience that has been pretty unbelievable... Jason, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Jason: And why should I tell you not to use those products and
buy mine instead? I’m not a good “salesman”, you know?
Besides, those products are not bad. So, I think it’s only fair
for you to call that company up and get their free advice. Don’t
you think? At least, that is what I would do. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8123: Help
I got new marble and installer put a wrong sealer on it....it looks
terrible what can we do THANK, Reply |
| R1:
Dear: Installer put a wrong sealer on it”. And which is the right
sealer for marble?? Why should anybody put any sealer on marble to
begin with?? Have your installer come back and take care of the problem
that he so uselessly created. And you don’t want to be around
when he’ll strip the stupid thing off: he’ll need to use
Methylene |
| Q 8122: We
had limestone countertops put in a bathroom; they were apparently
sealed before they were dry, and now we have white streak marks sealed
in where the limestone was wiped before sealing. Any ideas how to
get the sealer off to obtain a consistent color/finish? Thanks for
any help, Charley, Reply |
R1: Dear
Charley: they were apparently sealed before they were dry”. And
when did it ever get wet??
What on earth are you talking about with this entire sealer thing??
:-)
Your vanity top was probably cleaned with some harsh chemical or some
regular household cleaner that etched its surface. Your only option
is to hire a bona fide stone restoration contractor who will lightly
grind (hone) and polish your stone, by abrasion and friction, not
by putting a sealer on it.
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8121:
This section was helpful on your website. Where do I find the "talc"
powder? I think I need that kind of poultice because my "permanent
marker" stained granite tiles are on the backsplash so I need
something that will "stick" to the surface while it works.
I confess, I was an idiot (although at the time I didn't realize it).
I laid a marble floor and used a perm marker to mark where to make
the cuts. It worked and the marker wiped right off. I did the same
thing as I installed my granite tile counter and backsplash and the
Purple (yes, I said purple) perm marker will not come off. I've tried
everything but actually a poultice method. I'm gathering from your
articles that hydrogen peroxide would work best. I'll give it a whirl.
Thanks for your great tips. Tammi, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Tammy: It is not an inorganic stain: it’s a ink stain. Hydrogen
Peroxide has very little chances of working. Where to find “Talc”
powder? Try your supermarket: have you ever heard of baby powder?...
:-)When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of those expensive
“Professional kits” (that no true professional ever uses!)
at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money and get
my comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using inexpensive
and far more effective means that you may already have in your household!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8120: We
recently had granite (Uba Tuba) countertops installed during our kitchen
remodel. I'm very unhappy with the fabtication job as you can see
the lamination seams from across the room. Also, there are some chipped
areas on one of the joints that look like they've been filled with
epoxy. The fabricator is trying to tell me those are problems inherent
with dark granite--particularly Uba Tuba--which flakes very badly.
Should I believe him or can Uba Tuba be laminated without the seams
showing? Deborah, Reply |
R1:
Dear Deborah: Do you see what I mean when I always say that the selection
of the stone should never be the determining factor, but the fabricator
should! Ubatuba never made anybody unhappy; some “Michelangelo”
handling it did!
At any rate, Ubatuba is one of those stones that allow making laminated
edges virtually invisible. But now that you know that, what are you
going to do? You can’t expect any industry standards being so
particular as to giving you a list of stones in which the lamination
of the edges are more visible than others, can you. Bottom line, either
you can work out something with your “Michelangelo” (and
I honestly I don’t see what), or you’ll have to learn how
to live with your “masterpiece”. Taking him to court –
which would involve a lawyer and an expert testifying about the poor
workmanship of the guy – would probably end up costing you more
than the whole countertop. :-( Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8119: I
just purchased a new home and had Madura Gold Extra granite installed
in the kitchen. The day I received the keys to the house, I discovered
that the counter top had cracked all the way, top to bottom, and diagonally
from each front corner of the gas cook top to the bull nose edge (
the joint is at the middle of the cook top cut out ). The cabinet
beneath the cracked area is buckled directly beneath the granite joint.
Someone has inserted a block of wood in the base cabinet to prop the
counter and cabinet top up, leaving the damage cabinet in place. The
installer says that's the best they can do. I asked if there was any
left over granite ( I purchased four slabs - one was supposed to be
a spare ) to remove the cracked portion and replace the damaged section.
The response was that the back splash would be damaged in removal.
Is this a repairable situation? Is it industry standard to have the
entire kitchen replaced in such a situation? Is Madura Gold Extra
widely available and is it possible to duplicate the colors of the
installed granite? Please offer any suggestions. Thank you. Sincerely,
Spencer, Reply
|
Dear Spencer:
The installer says that's the best they can do.” WOW! I don’t
wanna know what their worst is!! :-)
You don’t need industry standards. All you need is a couple of
pictures to show to a judge! Madura Gold is virtually impossible to
match. Have your lawyer write a “nice” letter to your “Michelangelo”.
Many times it’s all you need! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8118: I
am doing a kitchen remodel. I've acquired some med-large pieces of
various shades of marble. I am considering using these to make a mosaic
marble countertop...would this be advisable. Someone told me that
marble isn't a good product for a countertop - especially if it isnt
all one piece? Reply |
R1:
Dear: It’s a culture issue. All throughout the Mediterranean
basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody
enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone
could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe
and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but
nobody enjoys it! How’s that? For the simple reason that In Southern
Europe they never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished
marble floor, for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface
and then they start using and abusing it. The “worse” it
gets, the better they like it! It’s considered “aging.”
It’s like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean:
a highly sought “lived-in” look. While the looks of an old
pair of jeans is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North
America, too, the same principle does not seem to apply to stone.
Most people over here expect their stone to look like brand-new all
the time, and any “change” is not considered “aging”,
but a damage that needs to be rectified.
Hence the problem. The question now is: regardless of your geographical
location, which one of the two groups do you belong to? :-)Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8117: I
am interested in refinishing a microbiology benchtop that has been
in use for 40 years. I am assuming it is some type of stone (only
because that was what they mainly used in laboratories in those days).
After almost daily cleaning with Lysol (very strong) and Ethanol (70%)
it has completely lost its finish. Is there something that could be
put on the benchtop to reseal? Right now, it is highly absorbent,
not a good thing in a micro lab! Thanks for your thoughts. Michelle,
Reply |
| Dear Michelle:
And since when a disinfectant/cleaner like Lysol is considered a daily
cleaner? Sure, if you look at the TV ads then it may be considered
so, but if you spend a couple of minutes reading the back label of
the product (which is written by the EPA and is the same, word-by-word
for any disinfectant cleaner on the market) you will quickly change
your mind! About your stone related problem, without even knowing
what stone you have it’s impossible for me to come up with an
answer. I do believe, however, that your only option is to hire a
bona fide stone restoration contractor who will lightly grind (hone)
and polish your stone. Now, you’d better watch out! I consider
stone refinishing as the very pinnacle of all the activities related
to stone from a professional point of view. Unfortunately, there are
a lot of quacks on the loose out there! How could you tell a champ
from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation of your local stone
distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator? Hardly! Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8116: I
recently had Venezian Lido (black, textured) granite installed in
my new kitchen. I was told that I could keep the dull finish or enhance
the color to make it a darker black. I was also told that either way
it would "act" like polished granite. I opted for the dull
grayish rustic look that I fell in love with, however, it is driving
me crazy. It doesn't leave fingerprint marks liked the honed granite,
but leaves a mark from just about ANYTHING else.......drips of water
, a wipe of a sponge, etc.. Anytime I wipe something up I just about
have to clean the ENTIRE counter evenly to avoid lines and spots.
Although I did not want a shiny look I am seriously considering enhancing
the stone. Will this solve my problem or lead to others? Help!...Robyn
Jan 05, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Robyn: The application of a good quality stone color enhancer
(like my outlandish MB-6) will minimize the problem. However, the
cleaning of such type of surface will never be easy. It’s the
same problem that you face when cleaning a satin-finish stainless-steel
surface: it’ very difficult to obtain a uniform clean surface
without streaks. My fabulous MB-5 will help minimize that, too, but
don’t expect miracles! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8115: We
have lived in our home for five years. The kitchen floor is a tan,
speckled stone tile. Extra tiles stored in the attic are polished
and shiny as are those under the refrigerator(no traffic). The tiles
in the open areas are dull with no shine. I would like to know the
proper method of cleaning this floor, and if will be possible to get
the shine back. Thank you, Robert, Virginia, Reply |
R1:
Dear Robert: The problem with you people is that you have this nasty
habit of … walking on your floor!! :-)
Of course it will be possible to get the shine back on your stone,
but certainly not by cleaning it!
Your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration contractor
who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone.
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8114: Hello
Maurizio, I recently installed honed absolute black granite countertops
in my kitchen, in New York City. I have read through your postings
on the site very thoroughly, and they've been incredibly helpful.
I wanted to verify, though, that I am applying the right solution
to my problem. Based on what you've had to say about honed absolute
black, you're probably shaking your head right now. But, even with
all the pitfalls, the stone really does look great for the most part.
So, I guess I've made my deal with the devil...
I found your site because I was trying to find out what was going
on with my stone. It's a brand new installation, done by a company
in New Jersey, which I believe is quite reputable (Bedrock Granite).
After the 2 guys who installed the countertops were finished (and
applied a sealer -- a Miracle Sealant product -- not sure if it was
the 511 Porous Plus or the Impregnator), they mentioned that some
dull/lighter gray spots on the countertop (near the seam between the
backsplash and the countertop -- where they incidentally applied some
glue to bond the two pieces together) were due to the sealant and
that they would disappear once I wiped the countertop down the next
day with Windex without ammonia. I was skeptical, but they seemed
confident and away they went. I didn't trust the Windex (even without
ammonia). So, I wiped the areas with a Stone Care cleaning product.
The dull/light spots did not go away. Day after day, I repeated this
process and nothing.... I wasn't sure what was causing this problem.
They had surrounded the countertop/backsplash seam with masking tape
before applying the glue, and I thought maybe the tape had ruined
the "darker finish." But, after reading through your postings
and looking closely at the other granite slab they installed for my
bar countertop (which they did NOT seal onsite and which has a lighter
gray color -- and actually matches the lighter spots near the countertop/backsplash
seam), I realized that actually what might be causing the problem
is the sealer itself. But, I wanted to confirm this with you. Basically,
from what I've read from your other postings, I think the sealer that
they applied to the kitchen countertop actually darkened the stone,
but because they avoided the area around the countertop/backsplash
seam (presumably to avoid smearing the uncured glue), that area still
appears light. So, would the solution most likely be to strip off
the sealant, apply some color enhancer (which I actually have - Stone
Care International's Stone Color Enhancer) and then NOT seal again.
The trick is the last part. The granite is absolute black honed from
Zimbabwe. Is that really safe to leave unsealed in a kitchen application?
I wanted to make sure, because the installer is coming back out for
a service call to solve the problem and I wanted to make sure I had
all the facts. I didn't want the guy to laugh in my face when I tell
him that my countertop doesn't need to be sealed. Thanks so much for
your help. It has already made a huge difference in an experience
that has been pretty unbelievable... Jason, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Jason: You buy products from the competition and then you come
to me for free advice … Mmmm … I don’t mean to be rude,
but I think I’ll pass, thank you. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8113: Hi
I have an opportunity to buy some well priced marble for a patio.
It comes in an antique finish or honed. I am not so sure about the
antique as it looks a little shiny from the very small sample I have
. My question is whether honed marble would be appropriate in an outdoor
space or would it be too slippy? Kind Regards Yvonne Mcclean, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Yvonne: When wet it will be slippery. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q 8112: We
love the way natural granite looks, especially black with iridecence
like Spectrolite. After reading horror stories about bad installations,
we're scared to invest all that money in a large kitchen unless
y'all give us the straight up story. So is Spectrolite good choice
for kitchen counters? If so, exactly how should it be cared for? We
see similar stone names: Arctic Blue, Finlandia Blue etc. Are they
nearly the same in looks and requirements of maintainence? Save us
from silastone! Scott, Reply |
R1:
Dear Scott and Stasia: Spectrolite and Artic Blue or Finlandia Blue
are the same stone with different names. Theoretically is an excellent
stone. Do you know what’s funny? You say: “After reading
horror stories about bad installations, we're scared to invest all
that money in a large kitchen”, but then you get bugged down
about a particular stone! :-)
A stone never made anybody unhappy; a bad fabrication/installation
did!
To further elaborate, it appears to me that like most other inquirers
at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color of the “granite”
and/or its physical characteristics. It’s human nature at work,
I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good
choice and then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor
is far more important than the stone itself and should be the only
true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8111: I
am looking for a matte black finish product for my kitchen countertops.
Would honed granite with a color enhancer do the trick? Would I also
need to seal it? If this is a poor choice, another recommendation
would be helpful. Thanks! Reply |
| R1:
Dear Christina: There are indeed different opinions on the issue of
sealing black hone granite, but there is a unanimous consensus about
the fact that it presents maintenance issues. The problem with honed
black granite is that it is not, well black any more! Most black stones
are but an optical illusion: they become black only when highly polished,
or when wet. (See the back of your slab to see the REAL color of your
stone!) As you take gloss off the stone surface (and honing does just
that) you lose depth of color and the stone turns gray; but when you
wet it ... here it is black again! As you spill oily liquids, or you
simply touch the stone surface with your fingers (perspiration), you're
going to have all sorts of dark surface stains that are a terrible
eyesore. Please notice that I said: SURFACE stains, not imbedded stains.
In fact, you can clean those stains off (though with lots of labor),
while if they were imbedded you would have to poultice them out. If
you apply an impregnator/sealer in the stone you will not solve your
problem one bit: in fact the sealer will only prevent liquids from
being absorbed by the stone (which in the case of black honed granite
is an unlikely event to begin with), not the staining of its surface.
Any solution? Well, yes: you have to give up the gray! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
Q 8110:
Hi, My husband & I are building a home and are planning to have
granite
installed on the island of our kitchen. Do you have any advice for
residential installations? Also, is it necessary to seal it and if
so, what type of product is the best? Can we expect stains to occur
from things like water or wine? Before we purchase the countertop
from our builder, are their any important questions you can suggest?
Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions.
Regards, Cheryl, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Cheryl: Buying granite through a builder is not one my favorite!
All too many times one does not get what one pays for, but what the
builder pays for! About the sealing issue, it all depends on the “granite”.
Many do not need to be sealed at all and could develop problems if
you seal them anyway. Other do need to be sealed with a good-quality
impregnator sealer and, of course, the “bestest” of the
best is my outlandish MB-4 that comes with a 10 warranty (you need
to apply it only every 10-years!). Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8109: Hi!
I am most interested in your reasons why slate floors are not a good
idea. I have not installed one yet but was thinking about it. I see
all those unanswered slate questions on the website and wonder.. Thanks
for responding, Kade, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kade: First off, by saying sate you’re saying absolutely
nothing. There literally hundreds of different types that range from
almost acceptable, to materials that crumble under your feet or get
melted in water. Regardless, even the almost acceptable types scratch
and etch (“water stains”) like crazy and the damages can’t
be repaired because of the natural cleft finish usually slate (whichever
it is) comes in. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8108: We
are putting in a new kitchen, and are looking at granite benchtops.
I am particulary interested in Tan Brown granite which I've gathered
is from India. Could you please let me know if this particular granite
is suitable for this application , and how it compares with other
types, does it need sealing?, etc. Also if there are any other granites
that are similar to Tan Brown that you would reccomend. Have found
your website very comprehensive and very informative, keep up the
good work. Thankyou, Brian.Reply |
| R1:
Dear Brian: Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly
interested in the color of the “granite” and/or its physical
characteristics. It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How
about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and then
you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important
than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8107: We
just moved into a house with granite kitchen countertops (yellow vincenza).
The sink in the kitchen is undermount. The granite around the perimeter
of the sink in 3 or 4 areas appears to be water stained (its much
darker in color to the rest of the granite). The house has been vacant
for awhile, so I believe it has had time to dry. Is there anything
we can do to lighten these areas up? Will resealing it seal in these
dark areas? Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer. Mike,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mike: Trust me: that stain was there ever since the installation!
I’m ready to bet my last $ that’s the plumber’s putty
they used to install the sink to the back of the stone. Considering
that it had ample time to cure, it will be extremely difficult removing
that stain. But first, the sink must be dismounted and all the plumber’s
putty thoroughly removed. Only then will you attempt to remove the
stain. When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of those
expensive “Professional kits” (that no true professional
ever uses!) at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money
and get my comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using
inexpensive and far more effective means that you may already have
in your household! Such impressive piece of literature will also tell
you how to tell stains apart from “stains”, and what to
do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8106: Hello.
I just found your web site and wish I had found it prior to just installing
my new Venetian Gold kitchen countertops. Apparently they are not
truly granite and are more porous than you'd like for a kitchen. The
fabricator sealed them by applying one coat of something. I notice
that the counters show water marks that dry quickly. I also put a
bag of cranberries on the counter and now have a red stain. I've read
how to remove this stain. My question is, should the fabricator come
out and reseal the countertops over a period of days or can I do that
myself? I have purchased Prosoco Standoff SLX100 Water and Oil Repellent.
Is he just using the same thing as I am? Thanks - Linda, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Linda: Clearly your countertop was not sealed properly. But you
have to remove the stain first. When it comes to stain removal, either
you buy one of those expensive “Professional kits” (that
no true professional ever uses!) at a stone retailer near you, or
you can spend less money and get my comprehensive guidelines on how
to remove stains by using inexpensive and far more effective means
that you may already have in your household! Such impressive piece
of literature will also tell you how to tell stains apart from “stains”,
and what to do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8105: my
wife wants a honed carerra marble kitchen countertop everything i've
read says it stains, is there any sealer that will work or should
i convince her she is nuts thanx mark, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mark: It’s a culture issue. All throughout the Mediterranean
basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody
enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone
could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe
and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but
nobody enjoys it! How’s that? For the simple reason that In Southern
Europe they never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished
marble floor, for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface
and then they start using and abusing it. They usually don’t
even bother sealing it with an impregnator. (Most people in that region
don’t even know what a sealer for stone is!) The “worse”
it gets, the better they like it! It’s considered “aging.”
It’s like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean:
a highly sought “lived-in” look. While the looks of an old
pair of jeans is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North
America, too, the same principle does not seem to apply to stone.
Most people over here expect their stone to look like brand-new all
the time, and any “change” is not considered “aging”,
but a damage that needs to be rectified. Hence the problem. The question
now is: regardless of your geographical location, which one of the
two groups do you belong to? :-) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8104: I
have been reading and learning from your web site. It's a wonderful
source. We're redoing our kitchen and have decided on Laurentide.
We can't get any info on it aside from what the supplier has told
us. It passed the lemon test but where can I learn more about it.
Thank you, Lubna, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Lubna: Laurentide is a green Charnockite from Quebec, Canada,
quarried in the valley of the Saint Laurent river (hence the name).
Is a very good stone, but there are many other very good green “granites”
– Charnockite or otherwise – available. What I ma\ean by
that is that one of the most common mistakes made by people shopping
for a granite countertop is use the stone they like as the deciding
factor. A stone will never make you happy or sorry. The fabricator
who’ll handle it will!! What I mean by that is that like most
other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color
of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far more
important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get
posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they all stem
from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about
any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same
stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle
of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored”
(which is bad), or “resined” (which could be good, but only
to a certain extent) by the factory, which would make a big difference.
Even more important, what’s a good stone in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will
only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!” Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8103: I
have quite a bit of metal lab cabinets that have black granite tops.
I assume it is because it was in a lab. It is dull and ,ugly. Can
I restore it to a rich black color and use in my home kitchen? Thank
you, Mike, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mike: Assuming that it’s granite, it could be done, but
the only way to do a decent job is to have the sections of the countertop
taken to a fabrication facility with the equipment for surface polishing.
Considering that’s a lab, are you sure it’s granite and
not soapstone? Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8102: Dear
Sir, We have a beautiful Japanese style black marble sunken tub and
shower. We recently hired a professional to come in and clean and
polish the marble. It looks great when he leaves but after a week,
the bottom floor of the tub and shower develop a white cloudy film
that only goes away when the tub is wet. The walls and steps do not
have a problem, only the floor. He has been back twice, but the problem
still persists. I am desperate...I want my marble to be beautiful
again and I am praying that it is not ruined. Please help. Kindest
regards, Tiffany & Paul Woodard, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Tiffany & Paul: The marble refinisher you hired is probably
very good at re-polishing stone, but he can’t see beyond the
surface of the stone and it cosmetic needs; nor he is able to evaluate
and assess what he sees, which is clearly a structural problem. The
whitish deposit that you have on your tiles is efflorescence –
a mineral salt that’s produced by the stone itself due to a constant
migration of moisture through its core. Translation: you have water
under the floor tiles of your shower stall and tub. If you check your
grout and caulk line you will notice that some of them are open. Solution:
the floor tiles must be ripped out and installed anew. Of course,
such type of installation goes beyond the requirements and specifications
of the installation of a regular dry marble tile floor. Some deficiency
in the installation that could be tolerable and go unnoticed on a
dry floor will become cause of installation failure on a wet one.
If your need more information and precise specification on how to
install a marble floor in a wet environment, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8101: I
am installing a faucet on a corian vanity top. Can I use plumber’s
putty to seal the faucet to the corian? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Charles: I am rumored as knowing a couple of things about natural
stone. I never bothered trying to learn anything about plastic; therefore
I have no answer to your questions. You should ask to the solid plastic
people. (Oops, I meant: “solid surface” – whatever
that means! Same diff anyway!) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8100:We
have a medium gray color granite countertop in our kitchen. Recently,
we were washing a large stoneware serving tray and set it on the countertop
to dry. When we went to put it away the following day we notice a
light spot on the granite exactly where the serving tray had been.
How do I go about returning this area of the granite to its matching
color? Many thanks, John, Reply |
| R1:
Dear John: If it was only water it should come back to its original
color as it dries completely. It may take a few days. If it was something
else instead, you have a stain that needs to be removed. When it comes
to stain removal, either you buy one of those expensive “Professional
kits” (that no true professional ever uses!) at a stone retailer
near you, or you can spend less money and get my comprehensive guidelines
on how to remove stains by using inexpensive and far more effective
means that you may already have in your household! Such impressive
piece of literature will also tell you how to tell stains apart from
“stains”, and what to do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8099: Can
you give your opinion about slate? We're considering it for an outdoor
application. On the patios and barbecue surface as well as a waterfall
feature for the pool. (It would be mostly dry). Is this material a
good choice? We wanted something that wouldn't be slippery when wet.
J in AZ, Reply |
R1:
Dear J in AZ: By saying slate you indicated oh … a couple of
hundred different types of stone, some of which are almost acceptable,
while some others, at the other end of the spectrum, will literally
crumble under your feet, of melt in water! However, even the “best”
slate is, IMHO, only good for roofs, chalk-boards, and pool tables.
End of the list. Oh, I’m sorry, I almost forgot: slates - all
of them – are also good for indoor walls. (Outside of a shower
enclosure, of course.)
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8098: I
have just begun to explore your website, and know that i have many
more weeks of fun reading ahead of me my question is, is "black
galaxy" or "seaweed green" a suitable choice for counter
tops? we will be installing tiles rather than slab, because it is
much cheaper on our budget i read that some granites need to be sealed,
and some don't...so what is the prognosis for both of these granite
types ? thank you very much, and have a great 2005 Bill i, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Bill: Have a great 2005, too! Both stone are two-thumbs-up! As
for the sealing, BG won’t need any. About the SG I don’t
remember, but you can easily find that out by yourself by running
my little lemon juice (and oil) test. Now remember, it’s never
too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The
issue of what you’ll be doing day in and day out to your stone
is far more important than the sealing itself and it’s all too
often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8097:
Hello, my name is Kevin Jerome from New Jersey. Myself and my wife
have a polished surface marble "tile" floor foyer. The marble
tiles are 12 x 12. Over the past approx. 6 years there are sections
of the floor that are now totally "dull" with no shine left,
and there are some stains, and some scratches.
We would like to know which product or product(s) we could use to
"restore" the marble to it's original shiny and clean finish.
I already own an industrial/professional 7" automotive electrical
buffer. I could use this if needed.
We need a product to first "clean the marble" and then we
need a product that will bring back it's initial "shine"
and "high gloss". Please advise which product or product(s)
that we would need to purchase from you and please also advise "step
by step" instructions on how to use each product correctly.
Thank you very much for you help. p.s. The marble is white with grey
veining through it, if that matters :-) It is also "shiny"
or had a very high gloss finish originally. The marbe that we have
on our fireplace is the same as the marble we have on the floor and
the marble on the fireplace is still in brand new condition with a
very high gloss finish. This is what we want our "floor"
marble to look like once again.
WHEN YOU RESPOND, PLEASE INCLUDE A WEBSITE LINK TO YOUR SITE WHERE
WE CAN FIND THE PRODUCTS THAT YOU MENTION WE NEED TO PURCHASE. Or
at least your Home Page website link, so we remember what your website
address is when you respond.
If you do not carry the products that we need, we would greatly appreciate
it, if you could refer us to another website or retail store that
would be able to help us out. We already tried Home Depot and Lowes
and they do not have what we need for our situation. So any suggestions
would be greatly appreciated if you cannot help us directly. Have
a great day and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!!!! Kevin,
Reply |
R1:
Dear Kevin: Happy New Year to you, too!
The reason why your marble is not as shiny as it used to be is very
simple: you people have the nasty habit of walking on your floor!
:-) You don’t have stains: you have etchings (dull “water
spots”) on your floor. It doesn’t need to be cleaned: it
needs to be refinished by grinding, honing and polishing.
You will not find
anything of what you’re looking for at the big box or other
hardware and rental stores, but I do have what you need! I do sell
professional equipment and material to refinish marble floors; the
“basic” setup will set you back at least $3,500.00. What’s
more, while what you need to use can come by truck (or you can come
and pick it up by yourself since I am in NJ, too), knowing what
to do with it does not. But no problem! I have a class on stone
restoration coming up in two weeks out of my state-of-the-art facility
in Philadelphia. It’s a three-day class with lots of hands-on;
I realize that, considering the extreme complexity of this particular
trade, it’s not much, but it will at least teach you the basics.
The cost is $800.00 plus traveling, food and lodging, Maurizio,
Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8096: how
can mastic be removed from unsealed slate? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Jerald: Try with a paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride.
It is a distinct possibility, however, that mastic may have etched
the surface of the stone. The fact that it was not sealed is totally
immaterial. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8095: About
6 months ago, we remodeled our kitchen and installed peacock granite
with an eased edge. Now we have about 20 chips in our granite (all
on the edges) and our dealer says that granite the most he will do
is to patch it. Is it true that the granite is heated when it is cut
and that too much heat will cause this condition? Or did we just receive
inferior goods? Any thoughts? Thanks. Hap, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Hap: The heat generated over the cutting is immaterial. You didn’t
receive inferior goods, either. You just received bad advice. Charnockite
(that is what Verde Peacock is) is prone to chipping due to the natural
structure of that particular stone – which overall is excellent
– and an eased-edge was the last thing that you wanted due to
the possibility of chipping. For stones like VP, the best possible
edge is full Bullnose. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8094: Is
there any way to seal granite in a natural way......or any sealing
product that is not poison and food can be prepared on it????? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Housewife: And since when an impregnator sealer fort stone is
poisonous?? I never heard of such a stupid thing!! Once the resin
that’s sent inside the stone is cured is totally inert. I really
don’t know who gave you that silly idea, but I bet that you among
your cookware you have some coated in Teflon ™!... Now that we
clear that out, the real question is: does you granite really need
to be sealed at all? Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8093: I
have been looking at all of the Q&A's you have on your site, but
do not see much about Carrera marble countertop. Is it a viable solution
in the kitchen? It's just so classic looking and I really dislike
the polished granite vibe. Is it just a complete disaster to do? Jeannette,
Reply |
R1:
Dear Jeanette: It’s a culture issue. All throughout the Mediterranean
basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody
enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone
could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe
and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but
nobody enjoys it! How’s that?
For the simple reason that In Southern Europe they never install a
polished marble countertop (or a polished marble floor, for that matter).
They start from a hone-finished surface and then they start using
and abusing it. The “worse” it gets, the better they like
it! It’s considered “aging.” It’s like a pair
of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean: a highly sought “lived-in”
look. While the looks of an old pair of jeans is very much appreciated
in Northern Europe or in North America, too, the same principle does
not seem to apply to stone. Most people over here expect their stone
to look like brand-new all the time, and any “change” is
not considered “aging”, but a damage that needs to be rectified.
Hence the problem. The question now is: regardless of your geographical
location, which one of the two groups do you belong to? :-) Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8092: Hello
My boss has a huge, beautiful inlaid marble floral design dining room
table. It was made in Italy by Raffaello Romanelli, S.R.I., in Florence.
The artist's name is Scagliola. The table top has become dull. What
short of refinishing could they use to bring out the shine without
damaging the lacquer and the painting? I read just about your entire
website on questions and answers but didn't see a question exactly
like the above.Thank you so very much for any suggestions you may
have. Do you have any idea what this might be? Marsha, Reply |
R1:
Dear Marsha: I may be
wrong, but I believe that the material the table is made of is scagliola.
Which means that it is not the name of the artist. Scagliola is some
sort of “lost art” that only a few can still perform. It
was born at the time of the De Medici in Florence in the 13th century
as an alternative of marble. In other words, “the poor man marble”.
However, as the technology of working scagliola improved over the
generations (scagliola is gypsum mixed with the so called “colla
tedesca” = German glue) it became an art of its own.
Inasmuch I am a profound admirer of scagliola, unfortunately I don’t
know much about the proper restoration procedures to be implemented
on such material. However, if by wetting the damaged part with some
water it (temporarily) disappears, then the product mentioned by Mr.
Romanelli is probably a color enhancer, like my MB-6.
And don’t worry about the lacquer and the painting. There’s
no lacquer on that table and the color in scagliola is solidly mixed
with the material itself. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8091: Hi,
I am hoping you can help me. I purchased a bathroom vanity that has
a black marble top. A bottle of liquid soap sits on top, but not anymore!!
When my children washed their hands they pumped too much soap and
on many occasions left puddles of soap around the base of the container.
Now there are white stains that I cannot clean. Please help, what
can I do. Thank you so much, Denise, Reply |
R1:
Dear Denise: The soap in the bottle was obviously not neutral and
its pH activity etched the surface of your marble. What you have are
not stains, but rather marks of corrosion, that is surface damages.
Your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration contractor
who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone.
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8090:
After reading all the advice you have on your forum I think I am in
trouble with the travertine installation I am doing... I am really
interested in your comments, I hope the situation is not that bad.
Basically, I installed 18x18" travertine tiles on the stairs
in my condo, two 18" tiles split in half cover one step precisely.
I use cement board for backing the tiles up.
The problem is that I butt-joined them. I am about to install the
rest of the travertine in my corridor, and I was thinking of butt-joining
there too. The reason is that first it looks much nicer, second butt-joining
will match the butt-joinied tiles on the stairs. I understand that
this kind of installation is prone to leaks, but then
again it's not a bathroom... I guess what I am asking is, if some
water gets spilled on the floor, would it lead to warping? If a tiny
amount of water gets through the tiles, isn't it going to evaporate,
or would it just accumulate until over time the cement board gets
soaked? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Please help! Thanks, Emil,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Emil: The problem with butt-jointing tiles in a shower stall
is that as soon as the little grout bridging the bevel of the tiles
will come out, water will find its way under the tiles and create
all sorts of problems, which will eventually lead to a total installation
failure. Of cours, this is not the problem in a foyer floor. The little
water that could find its way in between the tiles while, say mopping,
will hardly do any damage. The real problem with butt-jointing a floor
is that the tiles don’t have any support from the grout and chances
are that they will become loose and chip along the edges. The grout
is part of the installation, not a decoration. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8089: We
will be demolishing and rebuilding our home soon (long story) and
I currently have a large grey marble kitchen island - love the color
and veining but hate the etching. Anyway, my question was, if possible
do you think I could use it in my bathroom at countertops instead
with a honed finish? It is a large and expensive piece, I'd hate to
just trash it. Karen, Louisiana, Reply
|
R1:
Dear Karen: Regardless of the soap scum hard to clean, the generic
soap scum remover you used actually damaged your tiles by corroding
them (etching), which is something you already realized.
At this point your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration
contractor who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone. Be
ready to pay big bucks!
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8088: We
recently bought a house which has absolute black granite tile in the
kitchen. We have noticed that the rims of our pots and glasses are
showing on the granite, despite having been cleaned. Please can you
let me know the proper procedure for cleaning these tiles? I also
do not know whether the tile was ever sealed. Do you recommend sealing,
and if so, how often? We obviously need to get the rim marks off before
doing any sealing. Thanks. Diann, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Diann: Unless you think a sealer for stone is something that
gets applied on top of the stone itself – which certainly not
the case – there is not much that a sealer can do with black
granite. Actually I lean toward the theory that those tiles had indeed
been sealed, and the sealer is actually creating the problem. Black
granite should not be sealed, period. At this point you should try
to clean your tiles with a potent paint stripper based on Methylene
Chloride. (Nasty stuff! Keep all your windows and doors open and carefully
follows all precautionary directions printed on the can.) Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8087: My
Church just installed about 10000 sq ft of Gibli. Should we seal it?
And how? With what sealer? It appears to fairly absorbant I'm afraid...help?
God Bless You, Kassem, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kassem: You’d better believe it has to be sealed!! You will
need to apply a good quality impregnating sealer, like my outlandish
MB-4. Consider that you will need to apply the product three times
to insure proper sealing; therefore you will need approximately 40
GL of the stuff to treat 10,000 square feet. It’s expensive,
but it comes with a 10-year warranty, which means that you won’t
have to apply it again for the next 10 years, if the floor is maintained
properly. If you’re interested, I can give you a good price for
40 GL. As you will purchase the stuff, I will be glad to instruct
you on how to apply it easily and effectively over such a large-scale
project. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8086:
I am looking for a sealer to apply to granite kitchen counter tops
that have not been sealed for at least 5 years. We just purchased
this home, and the previous owner had not applied anything.
As far as I can tell, there aren’t any apparent stains, for the
granite is a blend of various tones of black and taupe. I am concerned
about the lack of sealer in the past, and would prefer to “start
off on the right foot” so-to-speak and seal the counters soon.
As well, for ease of application, my preference would be for a paste
sealer, as opposed to a liquid sealer. Is there such a product? Given
what I have stated, which is all I really know, do you have any thoughts
about sealing the counters, and if so, a recommended product? Thank
you so much, Charlene Vigil, Reply |
R1:
Dear Charlene: Pretty confused about sealers, aren’t we?! :-)
First off, if your stone does not need to be sealed, you do NOT want
to seal it. Sealing it anyway would certainly not represent my idea
of “starting with the right foot!” So, the first thing to
do is to find out if your stone – whatever it is – needs
to be sealed at all. Spill some water, let it sit on the stone for
a few minutes, wipe it dry and observe if the areas where the water
has been sitting have become any darker (temporarily). If so, then
you will apply my outlandish MB-4 to your countertop. If not, forget
about the sealing thing altogether!
Having said that, a sealer for stone is a below-surface product: it
only deals with the inner porosity of the stone, and to do that it
MUST be absorbed by the stone. A sealer for stone does NOT coat its
surface; in fact, the most important phase of the application of a
stone sealer is to make sure that every residue of the product is
totally removed from its surface. Hence, there’s no such a thing
like a paste sealer. All in all, if you really want to “start
with the right foot”, you should concern yourself with what you
will be treating your stone on a daily basis, rather that its sealing,
which – if needed at all – is something that one does every
few years. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8085: We
are putting in a new kitchen and are trying to keep the vintage look
of a 1920's bungalow. We like the look of the matt finish and stain
resistance of soapstone. We have read that Italian Sandstone is a
more durable stone. Is this true? Is Sandstone pourus, and can it
be treated with mineral oil to darken like soapstone. You mentioned
in one of your responses that honed granite is higher maintenance
and more prone to stains. Are there other options to consider as an
alternative and what are your feelings about Soapstone for countertops.
Thank you for your time and all the valuable information your site
provides. Reply |
R1:
Dear Alan: Italian Sandstone??... Which one?
Sandstone in general (which is an incredibly wide term! Some of them
are terrible!) is porous and needs to be sealed real bad. The mineral
oil treatment is not advisable with such material, but a stone color
enhancer (like my outlandish MB-6) will make it darker. The mineral
oil treatment on soapstone is not meant to make it darker: it’s
meant to keep it moist (don’t forget that soapstone is talc).
The darkening is only a by-feature. As a mechanic I do like soapstone
better than any other material if you want that particular rustic
look. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8084:We
just have our kitchen counter top installed with light color granite
and marble counter in the bathroom. We did not seal the stone in timely
manner so the granite counter has the streak of darker color all over
the counter especially around the faucets and the sink. Now we are
waiting for the granite to dry in order to put the sealant on. Will
the granite ever to get dry? Which is the fastest way to dry it? I
tried to use the heat gun and did not seem to do any trick! What should
I use to seal under the faucets? I was told by the store to remove
the gaskets and apply the Kwik Seal Plus (kitchen & Bath Adhesive
Caulk ) between the faucet and the granite? Chutima Reply |
| R1:
Dear Chutima: I really don’t understand what you did to your
countertop while sealing it to have all those darker streaks. Besides,
a sealer is not supposed to be applied onto the stone, but inside
it. Considering all the money your fabricator made out of you, I’m
sure they will be more than glad to assist you. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8083: I
have been reading your website and have found it very enlightening.
Unfortunately, I am reading it because I have run into a problem that
many seem to be facing...the dreaded rings left behind due to acidic
juices. I unfortunately was ignorant to the relationship between acidic
juices and granite or the sealer used on the granite (I left some
bottles of beer that had lime in them sit over night instead of cleaning
the area immediately). First off, I would like to know if my stone
type falls into the 2% granite category or the 98% "granite"
category as discussed in R1 of Q2238. The granite that I have purchased
is called Indian Premium Black (also referred to as Absolute Black).
The second question refers to what actually happened with my counter-top.
I know for a fact that the fabricator sealed my counter-tops when
they installed them (not sure what the product was, but can find out).
So according to responses on your site, I am to strip all of the sealer
off of the stone because it is actually the sealer that was affected
by the lime juice? Is this correct? Will that take away some of the
depth/color/shine of the stone? Is it possible to fix the problem
by applying the initial sealer type over the "etched" areas
in an attempt to fill in the rings and then take precaution not to
let things sit on my counters? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Charles, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Charles: Your stone is Dolerite. It’s better than true granite,
if it is what they told you it is. While you actually figured out
the real culprit of your situation, you seem to be quite confused
about the features of a sealer for stone. You’re in direct contact
with me now. Your questions require more attention than usual. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8082: We
want to have granite countertops installed but do not want to outlay
the expense also for new cabinetry. Our current cabinets are "ok"
- but at some point, down the road, we will want to replace. We understand
that we will have to remain within the footing of the current cabinets.
Question is: how difficult and risky is it to remove granite tops
and then have them reinstalled? Is this something, in general, you
do not recommend or is this ok to do? Thanks for help! I will definitely
try the lemon test! Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Kathy: Depending on the “granite” and th size of the
slabs, it may turn out a very risky proposition, and no fabricator
worth their salt would ever take responsibility if the countertop
will crack over removal and re-installation. It is doable, mind you,
but Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing
day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing
itself and it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8081: I
have granite countertops in the kitchen and bathroom of a new home.
I don't know the name of the granite but it is dark (black with grey
speckles). The surface all over the house is dull. I have used the
Marblelife Granite cleaner and all it seems to do is make it look
beautifully dark but it leaves an oily residue and then any water
that gets on the counter makes it dull again. What do I do? Do I need
to get someone in to refinish the stone? Best, DINA, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Dina: I honestly don’t understand your situation. You mention
something on the line that “The surface all over the house is
dull.” Does that mean that your granite was delivered with a
hone finish? And if so, why would you like to have it shiny now? Could
you please clarify? Better yet: since you bought the cleaner from
my competition, I think it’s only fair that you ask Marble lilfe.
You will find out that they know everything about granite and then
some! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8080: We
are in Staten Island NY -- about 10 years we installed matched slabs
of travertine over a brick fireplace ceiling to floor. On one side
of the fireplace there has developed a crack across the slab about
2 feet up from the raised hearth --is there anything that can be done
to fill the crack and possibly faux paint it to disguise it-- it would
probably have to be a material which could expand and contract-- otherwise
short of removing the entire side slab-- is there anything that can
be done?? Sincerely, Joan, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Joan: Color matching epoxy was the first answer that came to
my mind; but then, you may be right: it would be probably better to
use something flexible. Then the choice is clear: color matching caulk.
It available in many colors and if you do the job right it should
blend in pretty well. Don’t expect an invisible mending, though!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8079: My
wife and I are having a new house built. Our builder has given us
a 4000 dollar allowance for the granite. He did a cost analysis and
said that the installer he works through has 6 colors/grades of Granite
for that price. I have been trying to read up on what to look for
but have been unable to find a definitive answer. COuld you let me
know what I'm looking for, besides color, so I can make a choice that
will make this investment worth it? Thanks for your help. We are going
to look tomorrow so a quick response would be MOST appreciated. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: Unlike most other inquirers at this stage you don’t
seem mostly interested in the color of the “granite” and/or
its physical characteristics. (It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-)).
In fact, how about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice
and then you get a low-grade slab? Truth is: the human factor is far
more important than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding
factor! In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good
and reputable the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone
you’ll end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself.
None of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem
from the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is
why I seldom make final statements about any one particular stone.
There may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either doctored (which is bad), or resined (which
could be good, but only to a certain extent) by the factory, which
would make a big difference. Even more important, what’s a good
stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo?! And again: a reputable
fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some special! Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8078: Hi.
We have a question regarding our blue pearl granite - we just moved
into this house 6 mos ago, and the blue pearl granite was installed
back in 2002. It is beautiful. I was just reading on your site that
you are not supposed to seal this granite. We didnt know that and
we did. What will happen to it? I also noticed a few little "chips"
in certain spots on the countertops - can this be caused from the
sealer??? Can we fix this without a costly repair? Any info is greatly
appreciated - Thanks. Jodi, Reply
|
R1:
Dear Jodi and Tom: Apparently you were lucky enough to have used one
of those impregnator/sealers that are not affected by most household
acids. So, nothing is going to happen. You just wasted time and money.
As for the chips, no, of course, they have nothing to do with the
sealer. And, no you can’t fix them yourself. You will need to
have either your fabricator come back, or a professional stone refinisher.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8077: Dear
Maurizio, I have been reading your answers on Findstone.com and am
really impressed with the wealth of information and depth of the advice
that you have given. Unfortunately, I haven't come across a solution
to the particular problem I am facing in my home right now.
We recently renovated our home and had the living room floor done
in Camillia Pink granite tiles from China. Shortly after moving in,
uneven dark patches started appearing on the floor tiles. Our contractor
believed that it was just moisture and said to give it a couple of
months. 6 months later, the dark patches had spread and our contractor
finally engaged a stone flooring expert to figure out what was wrong.
The flooring expert tested out a small area with hydrogen peroxide
powder but that had no effect. He then tried placing a chemical sheet
(we were not told what chemical it was) and this seemed to work on
the tested area but the dark patches returned within a couple of days.
Finally, the flooring expert tested the tiles with an electronic dampness
detector and confirmed that the staining was due to moisture in the
tiles. He said that he could treat our tiles with the chemical sheet
but he could not guarantee that the staining would not recur if the
source of the moisture was not identified and eliminated. He then
tested our walls and pillars and confirmed that the moisture was not
seeping in from the outside. The only explanation he had was that
the moisture was coming out of the ground.
We are not sure how this could happen since we had seen our contractor
cover the ground with a thick layer of waterproofing material before
laying the granite tiles. Neither our contractor nor the flooring
expert has been able to offer a permanent solution to this problem,
both saying that the problem would just recur even if the tiles were
treated. This is, of course, unacceptable to us and I hope that you
can help us with this extremely unsightly problem. What can we do
to remove the dark patches permanently? Twang, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Twang: Not much, really. I must concur with the floor expert
that you have a recurring case of moisture under those tiles, despite
the water-proofing membrane. Without actually seeing your situation
and removing a couple of tiles, that is the only conclusion that I
can come up with. Sorry. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8076: White
marble counter tops were in the home when we purchased it. we are
very careful with the marble but would like to find the best sealer
to use on natural marble to help on the maintance of the soft porus
finish thanks calvin smith, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Calvin: There’s no such an animal, Calvin. Marble is not
that soft and it is NOT very porous – contrary to widespread
popular misconception. The problem with marble is its inherent sensitivity
to pH active spills. Anything acidic will etch the surface of the
stone on contact (“water stains” or “water rings”),
and no sealer for stone in the entire Milky Way will ever do the firs
thing to prevent that. Chemistry can not solve that problem; only
alchemy could … :-) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8075: We
just had limestone counters installed in the kitchen-our decorator
chose them. Will they stain or scratch? Was this a bad choice? Reply |
R1:
Dear Steve: If you ask me, since I have to draw my conclusions within
the prevalent reality of the environment I operate within (North America)
the answer is: Yes, it was a bad choice. But … the following
copy/past answr I gave a while back to some one else will clear out
better my statement above. It’s a culture issue.
All throughout the Mediterranean basin marble is an very popular stone
as a kitchen countertop and everybody enjoys it. (Limestone is not
so popular, but certain types of limestone could be acceptable in
relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe and all throughout North
America, many like the way it looks, but nobody enjoys it!
How’s that? For the simple reason that In Southern Europe they
never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished marble floor,
for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface and then
they start using and abusing it. The “worse” it gets, the
better they like it! It’s considered “aging.” It’s
like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean: a highly sought
“lived-in” look. While the looks of an old pair of jeans
is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North America, too,
the same principle does not seem to apply to stone. Most people over
here expect their stone to look like brand-new all the time, and any
“change” is not considered “aging”, but a damage
that needs to be rectified. Hence the problem. The question now is:
regardless of your geographical location, which one of the two groups
do you belong to?” :-)
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8074: I
have recently acquired an antique 1880's table with a white marble(grey
veining) top that has several areas that appear to me to have been
lightly etched. Knowing that vinegar and water makes windows smell
odd and is not beneficial to marble, I used a mild soap and water
solution to clean the surface. I was hoping that it might have an
effect on the surface but, other than removing some obvious surface
dirt, that process convinced me that the problem was surface etching.
How do I determine if this particular piece is a candidate for resurfacing?
It is marble typical for the time and application. Bill, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Bill: You did real good not to use vinegar! Well, after so many
years, I would be extremely surprised if your top didn’t need
to be reground and re-polished. Get hold of a bona fide stone restoration
contractor in your neck of the wood. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8073: I
would like to either refinish or have refinished my 15 year old polished
travertine. where to start? Audrey, Reply |
R1:
Dear Audrey: Your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration
contractor who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone. Now,
you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as the very
pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8072: My
husband brought home a table for the kitchen that he bought at an
auction - the problem is I don't know if it is soapstone or limestone
or what, I would like to try to put something on it for protection-
to make it easier to clean. Could you please help me try to figure
out what it is ? It is light gray, absorbs water and the edges have
a tendency to get dirty.
I appreciate any help or thoughts that you can give me. thank you,
Linda, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Linda: The inly thing that I can tell you for sure is that if
it does absorb water it can’t be soapstone. Other than that,
it could be sandstone, limestone, schist … Who knows! If the
edges are smooth you could clean them with sandpaper (it’s not
a typo) and then apply a good quality impregnator/sealer to your table
top like my outlandish MB-4. That will take care of the absorbency
of the stone. After that, you will take good care of your stone with
my incredible MB-5! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8071: We
have countertops of White Kashmire. I noticed a wing sauce (hot tomato
sauce) stain this morning left over from last nights appetizers. I
can't get it to come up. Help! Debbie, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Debbie: When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of
those expensive “Professional kits” (that no true professional
ever uses!) at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money
and get my comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using
inexpensive and far more effective means that you may already have
in your household! Such impressive piece of literature will also tell
you how to tell stains apart from “stains”, and what to
do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8070: Hello:
I am looking for a granite that would combine the colors of Labrador
Antique with the movement of Amber Fantasy or any horizontal, "wave-like"
movement, as opposed to the more speckled look. I would appreciate
any suggestions you might have!! Thank you! C. McMillan, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Catherine: You may want to consider breeding a piece of Labrador
Antique with some Amber Fantasy … Hey, you never know!! :-) Joking
aside, I don’t think that you ever be able to find what you’re
dreaming about. Regardless, it appears to me that like most other
inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color of
the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far more
important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get
posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they all stem
from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about
any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same
stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle
of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored”
(which is bad), or “resined” (which could be good, but only
to a certain extent) by the factory, which would make a big difference.
Even more important, what’s a good stone in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will
only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!”Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
Q 8069: My
gas fireplace is surrounded in what appears to be black slate. On
the slate foot of the fireplace, the smooth stone appears to be stained.
It is marked by a cloudy discoloration. It looks to me like something
such as lighter fluid may have been spilled and absorbed. The stain
was there when I purchased the property.
Can you recommend a product the can restore the slate to is original
dark color? Thank you in advance for any advice you might be able
to provide. Brian Klas, Reply |
R1:
Dear Brian: Remember this: a stain is a discoloration that’s
always darker than the stained material. If it’s a lighter discoloration,
then it’s either a mark of corrosion (acid), or a caustic mark
(alkali – bleach). There’s not one single exception to this
rule! Lighter “stains” are therefore surface damages.
Having said that, this side of a full fledged refinishing procedure
to be carried out by a professional contractor, if your “stains”
“disappear” when you wet them stone, then the application
of my outlandish MB-6, stone color enhancer should do the trick for
you in an easy and convenient way. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8068:
I am having my kitchen redone in February and am replacing my formica
counters with granite. At least that is the plan. Also, I am indecisive
about kitchen flooring. I have three large and heavy dogs who are
quite messy. They like to dump their water dish out on to the floor
while I'm at work. I have a cermic tile floor now and I hate it. I
can't keep it clean at all. I have tentatively selected Baltic Brown
granite counter tops and I
understand that I should make sure the manufature puts a sealer on
it before delivery and that the installers reapply a sealer on site.
What kind of sealer should they be using and how can I tell whether
it was a good sealer? What kinds of problems am I looking at with
this type of counter top other than the repeated sealing in a year
or 2? Is there a better choice that is dark? I was looking at a laminate
wood floor. I like the look of wood but with the dogs dumping water
on it and with their claws I worry about the scratching and buckling
due to the water standing for part of a day
repeatedly. I was also looking at slate flooring but since the kitchen
floor will also be used in the attached family room, I thought a wood
look would be warmer looking. The subfloor is concrete slab. Thanks,
Reply
|
R1:
Dear Sharyn: Please, pretty please, keep me out of the decoration
business! I’m strictly a mechanic specializing in the maintenance
and restoration of stone, period. And as a maintenance man, I can
tell you that you do NOT want slate or wood on your floors!! Considering
the two big dogs and all the only flooring I would consider recommending
is stone look-alike porcelain tiles. As for the Baltic Brown, it seldom
needs to be sealed at all. And, even for “granites” the
do need to be sealed, the once or twice a year thingie is pure hog-wash.
Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the color of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics.
It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you
that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade
slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone
itself and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry
that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator
who’s is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing
is far more important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories
that get posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they
all stem from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements
about any one particular stone. There may be differences within the
same stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one
bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either
“doctored” (which is bad), or “resined” (which
could be good, but only to a certain extent) by the factory, which
would make a big difference. Even more important, what’s a good
stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?! And again: a
reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!”
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8067: I
have just had Irish blue Granite installed. It has two 10 & 12
inch fissures. The installer says not to be concerned. Should I be?
Thanks, PP, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Penn: If I had the slightest idea of what this Irish Blue Granite
looks like, I would probably be able to answer your question! :-)
I never heard of such a stone – at least not under that name.
Therefore I can’t comment on those two fissures. I don’t
even know if such “granite” is prone to fissures. One thing
is for sure: at 10” and 12” are awfully long fissures in
my book! Are you sure they’re fissures and not cracks that the
fabricator is trying to pass as fissures? If they are in the middle
of the slab they may be fissures, but if they star from the edge,
then – most likely – they are cracks. And you do NOT want
those. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8066: I
have selected ouro kiwi for my kitchen countertop. I did the lemon
juice test and it did not absorb the juice at all. Although I have
done much research on granite, I only once saw reference to this color
granite being used by someone once. Is there some reason not to use
this granite, since I rarely ever see it mentioned on any web site?
Also what is the best edge to choose as far as being less susceptible
to chipping, etc? Would you recommend that I use a sealer on this
granite? Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Barbara: I never heard of that particular stone – at least
not under that name. If the lemon juice and cooking oil did not stain
your sample, then it shouldn’t need to be sealed. The only thing
a sealer does is to prevent liquids from being absorbed by the stone
– end of story. The type of edge less prone to chipping is a
full Bullnose edge by a large margin. Having said that, I sure hope
that you selected the right fabricator! The human factor – that
for some reason nobody seems to take into consideration – is
the only one that could cause trouble, not a piece of stone! Besides,
what’s good the best stone in the world in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”? And, believe you me, there are plenty of
those out there! All the gripes about kitchen countertop posted in
this very site and other internet stone forum have all one common
denominator: the fabricator – no exceptions! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8065: We
have a black slate top that sits on a nice wood cabinet. The slate
has a few little scratches that are white. What should we do to bring
the black color back? Thanks, Vickie, Reply |
| R1: Dear
Vickie: Not much, really. Scratches in stone can only be repaired
by grinding the surface of the stone surrounding the scratch, down
to the depth of the scratch itself. This can’t be done on slate
due to the natural-cleft finish it’s popularly delivered with.
That is why I always maintain that slate only belongs on roofs, chalk-boards,
pool tables and walls (outside the shower stall) – end of the
list. In other installation it is just not serviceable. The only hope
you may have is to cover up those scratches with the application of
a good-quality stone color enhancer, like my outlandish MB-6. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8064: My
uba tuba granite counters were installed about 1.5 years ago and were
sealed (impregnator) by the provider. I have recently noticed a lot
of water stains that will not disappear when they dry. There are a
lot of stains particularly where we use our dish rack and coffee maker
(high traffic area). What would be the best solution to our problem.
Linda from London, Canada, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Linda from London, ON: I know exactly what your problem is and
I do have the final solution for you. I also know that your fabricator
is the sole cause of your problem. Considering the kind of money they
made out of you, I think it’s only fair that you give them a
chance to rectify the situation they created. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8063: Hi,
We are having a new home built. We chose a "drop in stove".
The counter tops are Butterfly Green Granite. With the installation,
should the granite to cut around the stove or will there be a granite
strip behind the stove to fill in the gap between the stove and wall?
I was wondering the proper way of installation. Thank you so much
for your help! I will look forward to hearing from you. Happy New
year! Diane, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Diane: The best way would be to have a stove cut-out with the
two strips before and behind the stove top properly rodded. Now remember,
it’s never too early to think about the proper maintenance of
your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing day in and day
out to your stone is far more important than the sealing itself and
it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8062: We
recently installed about 800 square feet of irregular shaped slate
slabs. Our mason was not careful and we have a large number of areas
where the mortar is on the surface of the stone and needs to be removed.
What is the best and easiest way to remove the mortar stains? Thank
you in advance for your help! Boyd, Reply |
| R1: Dear
Boyd: You could try renting a professional floor machine with a heavy-duty
scrubbing brush and my MB-3 – soap scun remover. It’s excellent
at removing grout film residue, too. However, if the mortar film is
too thick it won’t work completely. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8061: How
to clean stains from a marble sink top where a candle has burst causing
burn marks? Thanks, Greta, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Greta: I need to see a couple of pictures of your countertop
to be able to come up with a solution. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8060:
Hi, I recently purchased 12"x12"
marble tiles to put on my counter top, but everybody says not to because
it breaks to easily and it soaks up stains? Is this true, since it
is not a slab but tiles how will the counter top hold up??? I tested
by accident of course a piece of marble and a piece of tile and "oops"
dropped both of them from about a foot and a half to two feet off
the ground to see what would hold up better and the tile shattered
and the marble broke in 3 peices so you tell me. Please get back to
me ASAP before I install the much needed counter top. Thanks, Ashley
, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Ashley: DON’T!! Forget about the fragility of the marble
(all stones are fragile). You just do NOT want polished marble in
your kitchen – end of story! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8139: We
have either silver pearl or black pearl granite. There was a scratch
on the surface of 2 of the pieces that they tried to work out and
can no longer get it back to the original polish. This was done on
the top of the granite slab and is now about 8-12" wide from
all that they were trying to do. What can we do to polish this? This
is that last thing to be done in our kitchen and I'm very concerned
that we may have to start over and get more granite??? Thanks for
your fast response. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Michael: Your fabricator was not able to re-polish your stone.
There are probably no more than a couple of dozens (and I’m probably
being optimistic) all throughout the country that could do a decent
job on location. And you’re asking me “What can we do to
polish this? Not much, really. Just use your Yellow Pages (Marble
& Terrazzo Cleaning) and, while keeping you fingers crossed, see
if you’re lucky enough to find one of those 24 guys in your neck
of the wood. The only alternative is the replacement of the slab.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8138: I
have a question if you would be so kind as to reply - I understand
that "Imperial White" of India is not a " true granite."
Is it a good stone to put in a kitchen; I've been told it is prone
to staining. Also, what does "water absorption in weight"
refer to. I see that Imperial White has a higher percentage number
than say, Dakota Mahogany, which I have in my kitchen now. Thank you
for your help. Anna Maude, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Anna: Imperial White is a “sponge”. Here, read this:
“About the sealing issue, here is an excerpt of my follow up
to a thread on the subject of sealing very porous stones that I posted
on a different stone-related forum not too long ago:
“I concur with
Dave. Two applications of an impregnator are not nearly enough for
a "sponge" like Kashmir White. Keep on sealing!! Which
brings up a very important point: I receive literally dozens of
e-mails every day from inquirers asking about the suitability of
one "granite" or another. Many a granite needs to be sealed,
and certain "extreme" one need it real bad.
So the question boils down to: “If they apply an impregnator/sealer
will I have any problem in the future?”
There's no answer to that. In fact, if PROPERLY sealed with the
RIGHT impregnator, the answer would be: “Yes, go ahead and
enjoy your stone!”
But that presumes a "perfect world." And we do not live
in a perfect world, do we?!...
No matter how good an impregnator is, it is just as good as the
operator who applies it. Most of the time, if a stone needs to be
sealed the impregnator has to be applied twice (I consider that
a minimum requirement, unless we're dealing with dense stones such
as honed or tumbled travertine, etc.) But then again, that's only
a rule of thumb, because not all impregnators are the same!
With very porous stones like the one object of this thread, at least
three applications will be necessary.
And now here comes the kicker: all impregnators on the market will
tell you to perform the second application after a couple of hours
or so. My own product reads that on the directions printed on the
bottle, too.
It's a lie.
An interval of at least 24 hours is required for the best performance.
So, why I, Maurizio Bertoli, the inventor of the motto: "Education
before any sale!" ever wrote that on my impregnator/sealer?
Because I was losing sales to the lies that everybody else had printed
on their products, that's why!
How many contractors do you think there are out there that will
take the time to go back to a certain home three time (or more)
in three different days to finish the sealing job??!
So, the contractor goes for the "easy" impregnator that
says that after a couple of hours you can do the second application!
(If they plan to wait THAT long anyway!)
I always try very hard to present myself as a model of integrity
and act upon it, but there's a limit. I consider the lie that I
deliver as self-defense. For integrity sake I can't keep looking
at all the other "salesmen" smiling all the way to the
bank and me - with one of the best products on the market - losing
dealers left and right because I am the only one who printed the
truth on my bottle, can I?...
All in all, I reached the conclusion that, while I always used to
consider a sealing job as a contractor activity, it is much better
if the homeowner is going to do it. At least they can take all the
time the need. After all it's their possession!”
Allow me to tell you,
however, that you’re starting your “stone adventure”
with the wrong foot!
Like most other inquirers
at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color of the “granite”
and/or its physical characteristics. It’s human nature at work,
I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good
choice and then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor
is far more important than the stone itself and should be the only
true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far
more important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories
that get posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they
all stem from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements
about any one particular stone. There may be differences within
the same stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from
one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either
“doctored” (which is bad), or “resined” (which
could be good, but only to a certain extent) by the factory, which
would make a big difference. Even more important, what’s a
good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?! And again:
a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some
“special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8137: I
haven't seen anyone ask about "Luna Nero". Its a pretty
densely grained black granite and I wonder if you have any advice
about using it for my kitchen counters. It does seem like it got just
a little dull when I let lime juice sit on the sample overnight (no
lemons available) but since it is dense I have high hopes for it.
Should I seal it? Reply |
R1:
Dear: I’ve seen the picture of that stone, but I’m not familiar
with it at all. If it left a dull spot that doesn’t come off,
you do NOT want that stone in your kitchen, end of story. Allow me
to tell you that you’re starting your “stone adventure”
with the wrong foot! Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem
mostly interested in the color of the “granite” and/or its
physical characteristics. It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-)
How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and
then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more
important than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding
factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8136: I
have an on-going bet with a friend, but I cannot find any proof. The
bet is that marble is a constant 11 degrees F. cooler than room temperature.
Is this true? Thank you. Diana, Reply |
R1:
Dear Diana: I hope you didn’t bet your last dollar!
You loose! Marble – like any other stone – is plain room
temperature.
(Are you suggesting that if you have a piece of marble in a room at
42 degree, if you put a few drops a water on the marble they will
freeze??!!) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8135: A
HYBRID OF GRANITE AND MARBLE - DO I I NEED YOUR M9? or should I try
the beauty supply version of hydrogen peroxide with what then -- baking
soda? do not have any pool chemicals for the moment- there is a poultice
called glaze n' seal-- no chemical listings on the jar. You didn't
list red wine as organic.. so I couldn't tell
Thanks, Elyse, Reply |
| R1: Dear
Elyse: Candelara?? A hybrid of granite and marble?????... I never
heard of such an animal! :-) Go with the Hydrogen Peroxide. If the
“marble part” of this hybrid thing was also etched by the
acidity of the wine, you will have to re-polish it, too – after
you removed the stain. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8134: When
we look at our new “Madera Gold” granite kitchen top at
a certain angle there appear to be two black hazy lines about ¾”
apart that are two straight to be “natural”. Our first speculation
is that bands used for shipping might have caused it. Regardless,
they do not clean off and the suppliers suggestion was to use a trichloroethylene
containing polishing compound he provided. Any other ideas? Reply |
R1:
Dear Daniel: No, without actually seeing your problem I can’t
speculate. I really don’t know what kind of product the one you
mentioned is, either. My question is: why doesn’t your fabricator
solve the problem for you? They supplied, fabricated and installed
the slab for you, didn’t they? They got paid, too, didn’t
they? So, why should you get involved at using a product you’re
not familiar with and that could produce unwanted results? Who’s
going to be responsible if that product is going to damage the stone
in your inexperienced hands? Think about it!
Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing
day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing
itself and it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8133: We
recently had a marble (carrera, I believe) vanity top cut and fitted
in a guest bath. Our designer then recommended that we have pieces
cut, like a frame, to hold a mirror above the vanity. Of course, this
was several weeks after the vanity was installed and the original
slab no longer available. The frame pieces are a shade or two darker
than the vanity top. Is there a way that I can 'lighten' the marble
a shade or two. Many thanks.Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Janice: Quick answer: NOPE! :-) Now remember, it’s never
too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The
issue of what you’ll be doing day in and day out to your stone
is far more important than the sealing itself and it’s all too
often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8132: Hi,
I was wondering if you could tell me how marble, granite and travertine
compare in price. Is one typically more expensive than the other?
Thanks, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear: There are very expensive marbles and there are inexpensive marbles.
There are very expensive “granites” and inexpensive “granites”.
Travertine is more uniform price-wise. The reasons for those huge
differences in prices? Strictly demand and supply – as always.
Quality has absolutely nothing to do with it. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8131: My
sincere complements on your intelligent and sometimes very witty and
clever responses to questions asked. I was so fascinated with your
remarks, I read all the Q and A's through completely, chuckled frequently
and found out I knew nothing about owning a stone product until now.
Keep up the good work. Now my problem: Three days ago, I had prefabricated
granite kitchen countertops installed. The counter that holds the
sink is discolored around the edge where the sink is. I asked the
installer the reason for this and he said that water is used when
cutting granite and that it got wet and will dry, might take 1 or
2 months. The installer a coat of applied 511 Impregnator upon installation
and told me to apply 5 more coats. The granite is called Golden Garnite.
Will this turn out as predicted or am I added to the list of the unfortunate
ones? Thank you for being there for us, Nicki, USA, Reply |
R1:
Dear Nicki: Why, thank you for your nice words!
Five more coats of impregnator?? WOW!! What kind of crappy stuff is
that?? (BTW, I do know that product: it’s as obsolete as the
calendar of 15 years ago!)
The interesting thing is that your installer applied the sealer without
removing the stain first! WOW, again!! And BTW, it ain’t no water!
That is the stupid Plumber’s Putty that was obviously used to
glue the sink to the bottom of the slab. Bad mistake!! To remove the
stain – which is going to be a very difficult and chancy proposition
anyway – the sink must be removed, the Plumber’s Putty scraped
off, and then you will proceed to poultice that stains with Methylene
Chloride only the gods know how many times before the stain will completely
disappear. Needless to say, the presence of that impregnator/sealer
is not going to make matters any easier!! :-( Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8130: HI!
I’m looking for a granite countertop that is very dark. It needs
to have some orange-red in it. Browns and yellows may be ok but no
pink. Any suggestions? Thank you, Deborah Drake, Reply |
R1:
Dear Deborah: Do browse through the library of granites available
in this website. I’m sure you will find what you’re looking
for. However, allow me to say that it appears to me that like most
other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color
of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8129: I
really hope you can help us...we've just had our kitchen counter installed
in 'Marigold' granite. It looks great with our maple cabinets, but
the surface feels a little grainy. The supplier has explained that
all granite is pitted to a certain extent and the sample we had also
had little nicks in it. But we were expecting our granite counter
to be totally smooth. I asked if we should be applying some type of
sealer, but apparently it's already been sealed. We just want to know
if this is normal or if the stone we have is "defective".
I should also say that the place we got it from is a reputable company,
not a fly by night place, so I'm inclined to believe the guy but my
husband is convinced that the granite is defective and needs to be
replaced. We would really appreciate any feedback you have on this.
Thanks so much, Kerry, Reply |
R1:
Dear Kerry: As you probably noticed, I try to be the consumer’s
advocate all the time. However, in this case your fabricator is right
and DH is wrong. All true granites and the vast majority of commercial
granites have pits throughout their texture. Your sample had them.
Why should you assume that the final product would be any different?
Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing
day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing
itself and it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q 8128: Hello....awesome
site and will be recommending to friends. I'm getting ready to order
granite and have changed my thinking after looking over this site.
Although I want beautiful color I will opt for hardness, quality etc.
Is there anywhere I could find which ones head the list for durability?
I decided to give up on the blacks and go for the whites but don't
know if it's a good choice. Also, I was recommended to use something
called 'Clearvue' on my granite...never windex etc. I've been using
with (I think) great success in my bathroom. Mistake?
Thankyou so much, Carol from New Hampshire, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Carol: You will understand, for what follows, that giving you
a list of good and bad guys wouldn’t make any sense. Like most
other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color
of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far more
important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get
posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they all stem
from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about
any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same
stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle
of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored”
(which is bad), or “resined” (which could be good, but only
to a certain extent) by the factory, which would make a big difference.
Even more important, what’s a good stone in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will
only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!” And while
you are in the “Helpful Hints” section, do spend some time
reading all of the interesting FREE articles you’ll find in there,
especially the one about cleaning stone with glass cleaner and dish
soap! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8127: I
am intending on having honed limestone (blue valley) installed in
a powder room. I love the look but am concerned the vanity top may
not be a good choice for durability. I realize granite is a better
choice and will be using it in my kitchen and two other bathrooms.
What should I know before making a final decison. Thanks for your
help in this decision. Denni, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Denni: In a nutshell: stay away from it! It will etch and the
etch marks (“water stains” and such) will appear whitish.
A real eyesore! Giving away free advice and/or literature is nice
and makes one feel good, but it don't pay no bills! :-( Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8126: Hi,
I’m looking at a granite (?) from Brazil called “Moon White”
for my kitchen counter. Can you please let me know what your opinion
is of this product and the best way to care for it? Thanks. gis, Reply |
R1:
Dear Gis: Never let a stone be the determining factor of your decision!
Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the color of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics.
It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you
that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade
slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone
itself and should be the only true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8125: I
recently visited some friends in Italy who have laid this pink “Graniglia”
stone in their kitchen, which they tell me is a mix of marble and
other stone, has anyone ever heard of it?The problem is whenever something
is spilt on the floor it leaves a stain, I suspect it has not been
sealed properly, can anyone suggest a stone sealer for this particular
stone? Thanks, You Melissa. Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Melissa; “graniglia” is an Italian word. The same stuff
here is called agglomerate tile, or conglomerate tile. It’s a
mix of marble chips and matrix of cement. Being that marble is the
main component it’s sensitive to pH active spill and will etch
(“water stains” and such). No, there’s no special sealer
for that. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8124:
I recently installed honed absolute black granite countertops in my
kitchen, in New York City. I have read through your postings on the
site very thoroughly, and they've been incredibly helpful. I wanted
to verify, though, that I am applying the right solution to my problem.
Based on what you've had to say about honed absolute black, you're
probably shaking your head right now. But, even with all the pitfalls,the
stone really does look great for the most part. So,
I guess I've made my deal with the devil... I found your site because
I was trying to find out what was going on
with my stone. It's a brand new installation, done by a company in
New Jersey, which I believe is quite reputable (Bedrock Granite).
After the 2 guys who installed the countertops were finished (and
applied a sealer-- a Miracle Sealant product -- not sure if it was
the 511 Porous Plus or the Impregnator), they mentioned that some
dull/lighter gray spots on the countertop (near the seam between the
backsplash and the countertop-- where they incidentally applied some
glue to bond the two pieces together) were due to the sealant and
that they would disappear once I wiped the countertop down the next
day with Windex without ammonia. I was skeptical, but they seemed
confident and away they went.
I didn't trust the Windex (even without ammonia). So, I wiped the
areaswith a Stone Care cleaning product. The dull/light spots did
not go away. Day after day, I repeated this process and nothing....
I wasn't sure what was causing this problem. They had surrounded the
countertop/backsplash seam with masking tape before applying the glue,
and I thought maybe the tape had ruined the "darker finish."
But, after reading through your postings and looking closely at the
other granite slab they installed for my bar countertop (which they
did
NOT seal onsite and which has a lighter
gray color -- and actually matches the lighter spots near the countertop/backsplash
seam), I realized that actually what might be causing the problem
is the sealer itself. But, I wanted to confirm this with you. Basically,
from what I've read from your other postings, I think the sealer
that they appliedto the kitchen countertop actually darkened the
stone, but because they avoided the area around the countertop/backsplash
seam (presumably to
avoid smearing the uncured glue), that area still appears light.
So, would the solution most likely be to strip off the sealant,
apply some color enhancer (which I actually have - Stone Care
International'sStone Color Enhancer) and then NOT seal again. The
trick is the last part. The granite is absolute black honed from
Zimbabwe. Is that really safe to leave unsealed in a kitchen application?
I wanted to make sure, because the installer is coming back out
for a service call to solve the problem and I wanted to make sure
I had all the facts. I didn't want the guy to laugh in my face when
I tell him that my countertop doesn't need to be sealed. Thanks
so much for your help. It has already made a huge difference in
an experience that has been pretty unbelievable... Jason, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Jason: And why should I tell you not to use those products and
buy mine instead? I’m not a good “salesman”, you know?
Besides, those products are not bad. So, I think it’s only fair
for you to call that company up and get their free advice. Don’t
you think? At least, that is what I would do. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8123: Help
I got new marble and installer put a wrong sealer on it....it looks
terrible what can we do THANK, Reply |
| R1:
Dear: Installer put a wrong sealer on it”. And which is the right
sealer for marble?? Why should anybody put any sealer on marble to
begin with?? Have your installer come back and take care of the problem
that he so uselessly created. And you don’t want to be around
when he’ll strip the stupid thing off: he’ll need to use
Methylene |
| Q 8122: We
had limestone countertops put in a bathroom; they were apparently
sealed before they were dry, and now we have white streak marks sealed
in where the limestone was wiped before sealing. Any ideas how to
get the sealer off to obtain a consistent color/finish? Thanks for
any help, Charley, Reply |
R1: Dear
Charley: they were apparently sealed before they were dry”. And
when did it ever get wet??
What on earth are you talking about with this entire sealer thing??
:-)
Your vanity top was probably cleaned with some harsh chemical or some
regular household cleaner that etched its surface. Your only option
is to hire a bona fide stone restoration contractor who will lightly
grind (hone) and polish your stone, by abrasion and friction, not
by putting a sealer on it.
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8121:
This section was helpful on your website. Where do I find the "talc"
powder? I think I need that kind of poultice because my "permanent
marker" stained granite tiles are on the backsplash so I need
something that will "stick" to the surface while it works.
I confess, I was an idiot (although at the time I didn't realize it).
I laid a marble floor and used a perm marker to mark where to make
the cuts. It worked and the marker wiped right off. I did the same
thing as I installed my granite tile counter and backsplash and the
Purple (yes, I said purple) perm marker will not come off. I've tried
everything but actually a poultice method. I'm gathering from your
articles that hydrogen peroxide would work best. I'll give it a whirl.
Thanks for your great tips. Tammi, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Tammy: It is not an inorganic stain: it’s a ink stain. Hydrogen
Peroxide has very little chances of working. Where to find “Talc”
powder? Try your supermarket: have you ever heard of baby powder?...
:-)When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of those expensive
“Professional kits” (that no true professional ever uses!)
at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money and get
my comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using inexpensive
and far more effective means that you may already have in your household!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8120: We
recently had granite (Uba Tuba) countertops installed during our kitchen
remodel. I'm very unhappy with the fabtication job as you can see
the lamination seams from across the room. Also, there are some chipped
areas on one of the joints that look like they've been filled with
epoxy. The fabricator is trying to tell me those are problems inherent
with dark granite--particularly Uba Tuba--which flakes very badly.
Should I believe him or can Uba Tuba be laminated without the seams
showing? Deborah, Reply |
R1:
Dear Deborah: Do you see what I mean when I always say that the selection
of the stone should never be the determining factor, but the fabricator
should! Ubatuba never made anybody unhappy; some “Michelangelo”
handling it did!
At any rate, Ubatuba is one of those stones that allow making laminated
edges virtually invisible. But now that you know that, what are you
going to do? You can’t expect any industry standards being so
particular as to giving you a list of stones in which the lamination
of the edges are more visible than others, can you. Bottom line, either
you can work out something with your “Michelangelo” (and
I honestly I don’t see what), or you’ll have to learn how
to live with your “masterpiece”. Taking him to court –
which would involve a lawyer and an expert testifying about the poor
workmanship of the guy – would probably end up costing you more
than the whole countertop. :-( Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8119: I
just purchased a new home and had Madura Gold Extra granite installed
in the kitchen. The day I received the keys to the house, I discovered
that the counter top had cracked all the way, top to bottom, and diagonally
from each front corner of the gas cook top to the bull nose edge (
the joint is at the middle of the cook top cut out ). The cabinet
beneath the cracked area is buckled directly beneath the granite joint.
Someone has inserted a block of wood in the base cabinet to prop the
counter and cabinet top up, leaving the damage cabinet in place. The
installer says that's the best they can do. I asked if there was any
left over granite ( I purchased four slabs - one was supposed to be
a spare ) to remove the cracked portion and replace the damaged section.
The response was that the back splash would be damaged in removal.
Is this a repairable situation? Is it industry standard to have the
entire kitchen replaced in such a situation? Is Madura Gold Extra
widely available and is it possible to duplicate the colors of the
installed granite? Please offer any suggestions. Thank you. Sincerely,
Spencer, Reply
|
Dear Spencer:
The installer says that's the best they can do.” WOW! I don’t
wanna know what their worst is!! :-)
You don’t need industry standards. All you need is a couple of
pictures to show to a judge! Madura Gold is virtually impossible to
match. Have your lawyer write a “nice” letter to your “Michelangelo”.
Many times it’s all you need! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8118: I
am doing a kitchen remodel. I've acquired some med-large pieces of
various shades of marble. I am considering using these to make a mosaic
marble countertop...would this be advisable. Someone told me that
marble isn't a good product for a countertop - especially if it isnt
all one piece? Reply |
R1:
Dear: It’s a culture issue. All throughout the Mediterranean
basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody
enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone
could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe
and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but
nobody enjoys it! How’s that? For the simple reason that In Southern
Europe they never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished
marble floor, for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface
and then they start using and abusing it. The “worse” it
gets, the better they like it! It’s considered “aging.”
It’s like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean:
a highly sought “lived-in” look. While the looks of an old
pair of jeans is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North
America, too, the same principle does not seem to apply to stone.
Most people over here expect their stone to look like brand-new all
the time, and any “change” is not considered “aging”,
but a damage that needs to be rectified.
Hence the problem. The question now is: regardless of your geographical
location, which one of the two groups do you belong to? :-)Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8117: I
am interested in refinishing a microbiology benchtop that has been
in use for 40 years. I am assuming it is some type of stone (only
because that was what they mainly used in laboratories in those days).
After almost daily cleaning with Lysol (very strong) and Ethanol (70%)
it has completely lost its finish. Is there something that could be
put on the benchtop to reseal? Right now, it is highly absorbent,
not a good thing in a micro lab! Thanks for your thoughts. Michelle,
Reply |
| Dear Michelle:
And since when a disinfectant/cleaner like Lysol is considered a daily
cleaner? Sure, if you look at the TV ads then it may be considered
so, but if you spend a couple of minutes reading the back label of
the product (which is written by the EPA and is the same, word-by-word
for any disinfectant cleaner on the market) you will quickly change
your mind! About your stone related problem, without even knowing
what stone you have it’s impossible for me to come up with an
answer. I do believe, however, that your only option is to hire a
bona fide stone restoration contractor who will lightly grind (hone)
and polish your stone. Now, you’d better watch out! I consider
stone refinishing as the very pinnacle of all the activities related
to stone from a professional point of view. Unfortunately, there are
a lot of quacks on the loose out there! How could you tell a champ
from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation of your local stone
distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator? Hardly! Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8116: I
recently had Venezian Lido (black, textured) granite installed in
my new kitchen. I was told that I could keep the dull finish or enhance
the color to make it a darker black. I was also told that either way
it would "act" like polished granite. I opted for the dull
grayish rustic look that I fell in love with, however, it is driving
me crazy. It doesn't leave fingerprint marks liked the honed granite,
but leaves a mark from just about ANYTHING else.......drips of water
, a wipe of a sponge, etc.. Anytime I wipe something up I just about
have to clean the ENTIRE counter evenly to avoid lines and spots.
Although I did not want a shiny look I am seriously considering enhancing
the stone. Will this solve my problem or lead to others? Help!...Robyn
Jan 05, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Robyn: The application of a good quality stone color enhancer
(like my outlandish MB-6) will minimize the problem. However, the
cleaning of such type of surface will never be easy. It’s the
same problem that you face when cleaning a satin-finish stainless-steel
surface: it’ very difficult to obtain a uniform clean surface
without streaks. My fabulous MB-5 will help minimize that, too, but
don’t expect miracles! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8115: We
have lived in our home for five years. The kitchen floor is a tan,
speckled stone tile. Extra tiles stored in the attic are polished
and shiny as are those under the refrigerator(no traffic). The tiles
in the open areas are dull with no shine. I would like to know the
proper method of cleaning this floor, and if will be possible to get
the shine back. Thank you, Robert, Virginia, Reply |
R1:
Dear Robert: The problem with you people is that you have this nasty
habit of … walking on your floor!! :-)
Of course it will be possible to get the shine back on your stone,
but certainly not by cleaning it!
Your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration contractor
who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone.
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8114: Hello
Maurizio, I recently installed honed absolute black granite countertops
in my kitchen, in New York City. I have read through your postings
on the site very thoroughly, and they've been incredibly helpful.
I wanted to verify, though, that I am applying the right solution
to my problem. Based on what you've had to say about honed absolute
black, you're probably shaking your head right now. But, even with
all the pitfalls, the stone really does look great for the most part.
So, I guess I've made my deal with the devil...
I found your site because I was trying to find out what was going
on with my stone. It's a brand new installation, done by a company
in New Jersey, which I believe is quite reputable (Bedrock Granite).
After the 2 guys who installed the countertops were finished (and
applied a sealer -- a Miracle Sealant product -- not sure if it was
the 511 Porous Plus or the Impregnator), they mentioned that some
dull/lighter gray spots on the countertop (near the seam between the
backsplash and the countertop -- where they incidentally applied some
glue to bond the two pieces together) were due to the sealant and
that they would disappear once I wiped the countertop down the next
day with Windex without ammonia. I was skeptical, but they seemed
confident and away they went. I didn't trust the Windex (even without
ammonia). So, I wiped the areas with a Stone Care cleaning product.
The dull/light spots did not go away. Day after day, I repeated this
process and nothing.... I wasn't sure what was causing this problem.
They had surrounded the countertop/backsplash seam with masking tape
before applying the glue, and I thought maybe the tape had ruined
the "darker finish." But, after reading through your postings
and looking closely at the other granite slab they installed for my
bar countertop (which they did NOT seal onsite and which has a lighter
gray color -- and actually matches the lighter spots near the countertop/backsplash
seam), I realized that actually what might be causing the problem
is the sealer itself. But, I wanted to confirm this with you. Basically,
from what I've read from your other postings, I think the sealer that
they applied to the kitchen countertop actually darkened the stone,
but because they avoided the area around the countertop/backsplash
seam (presumably to avoid smearing the uncured glue), that area still
appears light. So, would the solution most likely be to strip off
the sealant, apply some color enhancer (which I actually have - Stone
Care International's Stone Color Enhancer) and then NOT seal again.
The trick is the last part. The granite is absolute black honed from
Zimbabwe. Is that really safe to leave unsealed in a kitchen application?
I wanted to make sure, because the installer is coming back out for
a service call to solve the problem and I wanted to make sure I had
all the facts. I didn't want the guy to laugh in my face when I tell
him that my countertop doesn't need to be sealed. Thanks so much for
your help. It has already made a huge difference in an experience
that has been pretty unbelievable... Jason, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Jason: You buy products from the competition and then you come
to me for free advice … Mmmm … I don’t mean to be rude,
but I think I’ll pass, thank you. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8113: Hi
I have an opportunity to buy some well priced marble for a patio.
It comes in an antique finish or honed. I am not so sure about the
antique as it looks a little shiny from the very small sample I have
. My question is whether honed marble would be appropriate in an outdoor
space or would it be too slippy? Kind Regards Yvonne Mcclean, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Yvonne: When wet it will be slippery. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q 8112: We
love the way natural granite looks, especially black with iridecence
like Spectrolite. After reading horror stories about bad installations,
we're scared to invest all that money in a large kitchen unless
y'all give us the straight up story. So is Spectrolite good choice
for kitchen counters? If so, exactly how should it be cared for? We
see similar stone names: Arctic Blue, Finlandia Blue etc. Are they
nearly the same in looks and requirements of maintainence? Save us
from silastone! Scott, Reply |
R1:
Dear Scott and Stasia: Spectrolite and Artic Blue or Finlandia Blue
are the same stone with different names. Theoretically is an excellent
stone. Do you know what’s funny? You say: “After reading
horror stories about bad installations, we're scared to invest all
that money in a large kitchen”, but then you get bugged down
about a particular stone! :-)
A stone never made anybody unhappy; a bad fabrication/installation
did!
To further elaborate, it appears to me that like most other inquirers
at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color of the “granite”
and/or its physical characteristics. It’s human nature at work,
I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good
choice and then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor
is far more important than the stone itself and should be the only
true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8111: I
am looking for a matte black finish product for my kitchen countertops.
Would honed granite with a color enhancer do the trick? Would I also
need to seal it? If this is a poor choice, another recommendation
would be helpful. Thanks! Reply |
| R1:
Dear Christina: There are indeed different opinions on the issue of
sealing black hone granite, but there is a unanimous consensus about
the fact that it presents maintenance issues. The problem with honed
black granite is that it is not, well black any more! Most black stones
are but an optical illusion: they become black only when highly polished,
or when wet. (See the back of your slab to see the REAL color of your
stone!) As you take gloss off the stone surface (and honing does just
that) you lose depth of color and the stone turns gray; but when you
wet it ... here it is black again! As you spill oily liquids, or you
simply touch the stone surface with your fingers (perspiration), you're
going to have all sorts of dark surface stains that are a terrible
eyesore. Please notice that I said: SURFACE stains, not imbedded stains.
In fact, you can clean those stains off (though with lots of labor),
while if they were imbedded you would have to poultice them out. If
you apply an impregnator/sealer in the stone you will not solve your
problem one bit: in fact the sealer will only prevent liquids from
being absorbed by the stone (which in the case of black honed granite
is an unlikely event to begin with), not the staining of its surface.
Any solution? Well, yes: you have to give up the gray! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
Q 8110:
Hi, My husband & I are building a home and are planning to have
granite
installed on the island of our kitchen. Do you have any advice for
residential installations? Also, is it necessary to seal it and if
so, what type of product is the best? Can we expect stains to occur
from things like water or wine? Before we purchase the countertop
from our builder, are their any important questions you can suggest?
Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions.
Regards, Cheryl, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Cheryl: Buying granite through a builder is not one my favorite!
All too many times one does not get what one pays for, but what the
builder pays for! About the sealing issue, it all depends on the “granite”.
Many do not need to be sealed at all and could develop problems if
you seal them anyway. Other do need to be sealed with a good-quality
impregnator sealer and, of course, the “bestest” of the
best is my outlandish MB-4 that comes with a 10 warranty (you need
to apply it only every 10-years!). Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8109: Hi!
I am most interested in your reasons why slate floors are not a good
idea. I have not installed one yet but was thinking about it. I see
all those unanswered slate questions on the website and wonder.. Thanks
for responding, Kade, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kade: First off, by saying sate you’re saying absolutely
nothing. There literally hundreds of different types that range from
almost acceptable, to materials that crumble under your feet or get
melted in water. Regardless, even the almost acceptable types scratch
and etch (“water stains”) like crazy and the damages can’t
be repaired because of the natural cleft finish usually slate (whichever
it is) comes in. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8108: We
are putting in a new kitchen, and are looking at granite benchtops.
I am particulary interested in Tan Brown granite which I've gathered
is from India. Could you please let me know if this particular granite
is suitable for this application , and how it compares with other
types, does it need sealing?, etc. Also if there are any other granites
that are similar to Tan Brown that you would reccomend. Have found
your website very comprehensive and very informative, keep up the
good work. Thankyou, Brian.Reply |
| R1:
Dear Brian: Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly
interested in the color of the “granite” and/or its physical
characteristics. It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How
about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and then
you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important
than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding factor!
In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable
the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone you’ll
end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None
of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem from
the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I
seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There
may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or
“resined” (which could be good, but only to a certain extent)
by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important,
what’s a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?!
And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs,
not some “special!” Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8107: We
just moved into a house with granite kitchen countertops (yellow vincenza).
The sink in the kitchen is undermount. The granite around the perimeter
of the sink in 3 or 4 areas appears to be water stained (its much
darker in color to the rest of the granite). The house has been vacant
for awhile, so I believe it has had time to dry. Is there anything
we can do to lighten these areas up? Will resealing it seal in these
dark areas? Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer. Mike,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mike: Trust me: that stain was there ever since the installation!
I’m ready to bet my last $ that’s the plumber’s putty
they used to install the sink to the back of the stone. Considering
that it had ample time to cure, it will be extremely difficult removing
that stain. But first, the sink must be dismounted and all the plumber’s
putty thoroughly removed. Only then will you attempt to remove the
stain. When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of those
expensive “Professional kits” (that no true professional
ever uses!) at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money
and get my comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using
inexpensive and far more effective means that you may already have
in your household! Such impressive piece of literature will also tell
you how to tell stains apart from “stains”, and what to
do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8106: Hello.
I just found your web site and wish I had found it prior to just installing
my new Venetian Gold kitchen countertops. Apparently they are not
truly granite and are more porous than you'd like for a kitchen. The
fabricator sealed them by applying one coat of something. I notice
that the counters show water marks that dry quickly. I also put a
bag of cranberries on the counter and now have a red stain. I've read
how to remove this stain. My question is, should the fabricator come
out and reseal the countertops over a period of days or can I do that
myself? I have purchased Prosoco Standoff SLX100 Water and Oil Repellent.
Is he just using the same thing as I am? Thanks - Linda, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Linda: Clearly your countertop was not sealed properly. But you
have to remove the stain first. When it comes to stain removal, either
you buy one of those expensive “Professional kits” (that
no true professional ever uses!) at a stone retailer near you, or
you can spend less money and get my comprehensive guidelines on how
to remove stains by using inexpensive and far more effective means
that you may already have in your household! Such impressive piece
of literature will also tell you how to tell stains apart from “stains”,
and what to do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8105: my
wife wants a honed carerra marble kitchen countertop everything i've
read says it stains, is there any sealer that will work or should
i convince her she is nuts thanx mark, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mark: It’s a culture issue. All throughout the Mediterranean
basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody
enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone
could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe
and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but
nobody enjoys it! How’s that? For the simple reason that In Southern
Europe they never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished
marble floor, for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface
and then they start using and abusing it. They usually don’t
even bother sealing it with an impregnator. (Most people in that region
don’t even know what a sealer for stone is!) The “worse”
it gets, the better they like it! It’s considered “aging.”
It’s like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean:
a highly sought “lived-in” look. While the looks of an old
pair of jeans is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North
America, too, the same principle does not seem to apply to stone.
Most people over here expect their stone to look like brand-new all
the time, and any “change” is not considered “aging”,
but a damage that needs to be rectified. Hence the problem. The question
now is: regardless of your geographical location, which one of the
two groups do you belong to? :-) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8104: I
have been reading and learning from your web site. It's a wonderful
source. We're redoing our kitchen and have decided on Laurentide.
We can't get any info on it aside from what the supplier has told
us. It passed the lemon test but where can I learn more about it.
Thank you, Lubna, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Lubna: Laurentide is a green Charnockite from Quebec, Canada,
quarried in the valley of the Saint Laurent river (hence the name).
Is a very good stone, but there are many other very good green “granites”
– Charnockite or otherwise – available. What I ma\ean by
that is that one of the most common mistakes made by people shopping
for a granite countertop is use the stone they like as the deciding
factor. A stone will never make you happy or sorry. The fabricator
who’ll handle it will!! What I mean by that is that like most
other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color
of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far more
important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get
posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they all stem
from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about
any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same
stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle
of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored”
(which is bad), or “resined” (which could be good, but only
to a certain extent) by the factory, which would make a big difference.
Even more important, what’s a good stone in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will
only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!” Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8103: I
have quite a bit of metal lab cabinets that have black granite tops.
I assume it is because it was in a lab. It is dull and ,ugly. Can
I restore it to a rich black color and use in my home kitchen? Thank
you, Mike, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mike: Assuming that it’s granite, it could be done, but
the only way to do a decent job is to have the sections of the countertop
taken to a fabrication facility with the equipment for surface polishing.
Considering that’s a lab, are you sure it’s granite and
not soapstone? Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8102: Dear
Sir, We have a beautiful Japanese style black marble sunken tub and
shower. We recently hired a professional to come in and clean and
polish the marble. It looks great when he leaves but after a week,
the bottom floor of the tub and shower develop a white cloudy film
that only goes away when the tub is wet. The walls and steps do not
have a problem, only the floor. He has been back twice, but the problem
still persists. I am desperate...I want my marble to be beautiful
again and I am praying that it is not ruined. Please help. Kindest
regards, Tiffany & Paul Woodard, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Tiffany & Paul: The marble refinisher you hired is probably
very good at re-polishing stone, but he can’t see beyond the
surface of the stone and it cosmetic needs; nor he is able to evaluate
and assess what he sees, which is clearly a structural problem. The
whitish deposit that you have on your tiles is efflorescence –
a mineral salt that’s produced by the stone itself due to a constant
migration of moisture through its core. Translation: you have water
under the floor tiles of your shower stall and tub. If you check your
grout and caulk line you will notice that some of them are open. Solution:
the floor tiles must be ripped out and installed anew. Of course,
such type of installation goes beyond the requirements and specifications
of the installation of a regular dry marble tile floor. Some deficiency
in the installation that could be tolerable and go unnoticed on a
dry floor will become cause of installation failure on a wet one.
If your need more information and precise specification on how to
install a marble floor in a wet environment, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8101: I
am installing a faucet on a corian vanity top. Can I use plumber’s
putty to seal the faucet to the corian? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Charles: I am rumored as knowing a couple of things about natural
stone. I never bothered trying to learn anything about plastic; therefore
I have no answer to your questions. You should ask to the solid plastic
people. (Oops, I meant: “solid surface” – whatever
that means! Same diff anyway!) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8100:We
have a medium gray color granite countertop in our kitchen. Recently,
we were washing a large stoneware serving tray and set it on the countertop
to dry. When we went to put it away the following day we notice a
light spot on the granite exactly where the serving tray had been.
How do I go about returning this area of the granite to its matching
color? Many thanks, John, Reply |
| R1:
Dear John: If it was only water it should come back to its original
color as it dries completely. It may take a few days. If it was something
else instead, you have a stain that needs to be removed. When it comes
to stain removal, either you buy one of those expensive “Professional
kits” (that no true professional ever uses!) at a stone retailer
near you, or you can spend less money and get my comprehensive guidelines
on how to remove stains by using inexpensive and far more effective
means that you may already have in your household! Such impressive
piece of literature will also tell you how to tell stains apart from
“stains”, and what to do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8099: Can
you give your opinion about slate? We're considering it for an outdoor
application. On the patios and barbecue surface as well as a waterfall
feature for the pool. (It would be mostly dry). Is this material a
good choice? We wanted something that wouldn't be slippery when wet.
J in AZ, Reply |
R1:
Dear J in AZ: By saying slate you indicated oh … a couple of
hundred different types of stone, some of which are almost acceptable,
while some others, at the other end of the spectrum, will literally
crumble under your feet, of melt in water! However, even the “best”
slate is, IMHO, only good for roofs, chalk-boards, and pool tables.
End of the list. Oh, I’m sorry, I almost forgot: slates - all
of them – are also good for indoor walls. (Outside of a shower
enclosure, of course.)
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8098: I
have just begun to explore your website, and know that i have many
more weeks of fun reading ahead of me my question is, is "black
galaxy" or "seaweed green" a suitable choice for counter
tops? we will be installing tiles rather than slab, because it is
much cheaper on our budget i read that some granites need to be sealed,
and some don't...so what is the prognosis for both of these granite
types ? thank you very much, and have a great 2005 Bill i, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Bill: Have a great 2005, too! Both stone are two-thumbs-up! As
for the sealing, BG won’t need any. About the SG I don’t
remember, but you can easily find that out by yourself by running
my little lemon juice (and oil) test. Now remember, it’s never
too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The
issue of what you’ll be doing day in and day out to your stone
is far more important than the sealing itself and it’s all too
often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8097:
Hello, my name is Kevin Jerome from New Jersey. Myself and my wife
have a polished surface marble "tile" floor foyer. The marble
tiles are 12 x 12. Over the past approx. 6 years there are sections
of the floor that are now totally "dull" with no shine left,
and there are some stains, and some scratches.
We would like to know which product or product(s) we could use to
"restore" the marble to it's original shiny and clean finish.
I already own an industrial/professional 7" automotive electrical
buffer. I could use this if needed.
We need a product to first "clean the marble" and then we
need a product that will bring back it's initial "shine"
and "high gloss". Please advise which product or product(s)
that we would need to purchase from you and please also advise "step
by step" instructions on how to use each product correctly.
Thank you very much for you help. p.s. The marble is white with grey
veining through it, if that matters :-) It is also "shiny"
or had a very high gloss finish originally. The marbe that we have
on our fireplace is the same as the marble we have on the floor and
the marble on the fireplace is still in brand new condition with a
very high gloss finish. This is what we want our "floor"
marble to look like once again.
WHEN YOU RESPOND, PLEASE INCLUDE A WEBSITE LINK TO YOUR SITE WHERE
WE CAN FIND THE PRODUCTS THAT YOU MENTION WE NEED TO PURCHASE. Or
at least your Home Page website link, so we remember what your website
address is when you respond.
If you do not carry the products that we need, we would greatly appreciate
it, if you could refer us to another website or retail store that
would be able to help us out. We already tried Home Depot and Lowes
and they do not have what we need for our situation. So any suggestions
would be greatly appreciated if you cannot help us directly. Have
a great day and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!!!! Kevin,
Reply |
R1:
Dear Kevin: Happy New Year to you, too!
The reason why your marble is not as shiny as it used to be is very
simple: you people have the nasty habit of walking on your floor!
:-) You don’t have stains: you have etchings (dull “water
spots”) on your floor. It doesn’t need to be cleaned: it
needs to be refinished by grinding, honing and polishing.
You will not find
anything of what you’re looking for at the big box or other
hardware and rental stores, but I do have what you need! I do sell
professional equipment and material to refinish marble floors; the
“basic” setup will set you back at least $3,500.00. What’s
more, while what you need to use can come by truck (or you can come
and pick it up by yourself since I am in NJ, too), knowing what
to do with it does not. But no problem! I have a class on stone
restoration coming up in two weeks out of my state-of-the-art facility
in Philadelphia. It’s a three-day class with lots of hands-on;
I realize that, considering the extreme complexity of this particular
trade, it’s not much, but it will at least teach you the basics.
The cost is $800.00 plus traveling, food and lodging, Maurizio,
Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8096: how
can mastic be removed from unsealed slate? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Jerald: Try with a paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride.
It is a distinct possibility, however, that mastic may have etched
the surface of the stone. The fact that it was not sealed is totally
immaterial. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8095: About
6 months ago, we remodeled our kitchen and installed peacock granite
with an eased edge. Now we have about 20 chips in our granite (all
on the edges) and our dealer says that granite the most he will do
is to patch it. Is it true that the granite is heated when it is cut
and that too much heat will cause this condition? Or did we just receive
inferior goods? Any thoughts? Thanks. Hap, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Hap: The heat generated over the cutting is immaterial. You didn’t
receive inferior goods, either. You just received bad advice. Charnockite
(that is what Verde Peacock is) is prone to chipping due to the natural
structure of that particular stone – which overall is excellent
– and an eased-edge was the last thing that you wanted due to
the possibility of chipping. For stones like VP, the best possible
edge is full Bullnose. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8094: Is
there any way to seal granite in a natural way......or any sealing
product that is not poison and food can be prepared on it????? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Housewife: And since when an impregnator sealer fort stone is
poisonous?? I never heard of such a stupid thing!! Once the resin
that’s sent inside the stone is cured is totally inert. I really
don’t know who gave you that silly idea, but I bet that you among
your cookware you have some coated in Teflon ™!... Now that we
clear that out, the real question is: does you granite really need
to be sealed at all? Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8093: I
have been looking at all of the Q&A's you have on your site, but
do not see much about Carrera marble countertop. Is it a viable solution
in the kitchen? It's just so classic looking and I really dislike
the polished granite vibe. Is it just a complete disaster to do? Jeannette,
Reply |
R1:
Dear Jeanette: It’s a culture issue. All throughout the Mediterranean
basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody
enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone
could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe
and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but
nobody enjoys it! How’s that?
For the simple reason that In Southern Europe they never install a
polished marble countertop (or a polished marble floor, for that matter).
They start from a hone-finished surface and then they start using
and abusing it. The “worse” it gets, the better they like
it! It’s considered “aging.” It’s like a pair
of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean: a highly sought “lived-in”
look. While the looks of an old pair of jeans is very much appreciated
in Northern Europe or in North America, too, the same principle does
not seem to apply to stone. Most people over here expect their stone
to look like brand-new all the time, and any “change” is
not considered “aging”, but a damage that needs to be rectified.
Hence the problem. The question now is: regardless of your geographical
location, which one of the two groups do you belong to? :-) Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8092: Hello
My boss has a huge, beautiful inlaid marble floral design dining room
table. It was made in Italy by Raffaello Romanelli, S.R.I., in Florence.
The artist's name is Scagliola. The table top has become dull. What
short of refinishing could they use to bring out the shine without
damaging the lacquer and the painting? I read just about your entire
website on questions and answers but didn't see a question exactly
like the above.Thank you so very much for any suggestions you may
have. Do you have any idea what this might be? Marsha, Reply |
R1:
Dear Marsha: I may be
wrong, but I believe that the material the table is made of is scagliola.
Which means that it is not the name of the artist. Scagliola is some
sort of “lost art” that only a few can still perform. It
was born at the time of the De Medici in Florence in the 13th century
as an alternative of marble. In other words, “the poor man marble”.
However, as the technology of working scagliola improved over the
generations (scagliola is gypsum mixed with the so called “colla
tedesca” = German glue) it became an art of its own.
Inasmuch I am a profound admirer of scagliola, unfortunately I don’t
know much about the proper restoration procedures to be implemented
on such material. However, if by wetting the damaged part with some
water it (temporarily) disappears, then the product mentioned by Mr.
Romanelli is probably a color enhancer, like my MB-6.
And don’t worry about the lacquer and the painting. There’s
no lacquer on that table and the color in scagliola is solidly mixed
with the material itself. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8091: Hi,
I am hoping you can help me. I purchased a bathroom vanity that has
a black marble top. A bottle of liquid soap sits on top, but not anymore!!
When my children washed their hands they pumped too much soap and
on many occasions left puddles of soap around the base of the container.
Now there are white stains that I cannot clean. Please help, what
can I do. Thank you so much, Denise, Reply |
R1:
Dear Denise: The soap in the bottle was obviously not neutral and
its pH activity etched the surface of your marble. What you have are
not stains, but rather marks of corrosion, that is surface damages.
Your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration contractor
who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone.
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8090:
After reading all the advice you have on your forum I think I am in
trouble with the travertine installation I am doing... I am really
interested in your comments, I hope the situation is not that bad.
Basically, I installed 18x18" travertine tiles on the stairs
in my condo, two 18" tiles split in half cover one step precisely.
I use cement board for backing the tiles up.
The problem is that I butt-joined them. I am about to install the
rest of the travertine in my corridor, and I was thinking of butt-joining
there too. The reason is that first it looks much nicer, second butt-joining
will match the butt-joinied tiles on the stairs. I understand that
this kind of installation is prone to leaks, but then
again it's not a bathroom... I guess what I am asking is, if some
water gets spilled on the floor, would it lead to warping? If a tiny
amount of water gets through the tiles, isn't it going to evaporate,
or would it just accumulate until over time the cement board gets
soaked? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Please help! Thanks, Emil,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Emil: The problem with butt-jointing tiles in a shower stall
is that as soon as the little grout bridging the bevel of the tiles
will come out, water will find its way under the tiles and create
all sorts of problems, which will eventually lead to a total installation
failure. Of cours, this is not the problem in a foyer floor. The little
water that could find its way in between the tiles while, say mopping,
will hardly do any damage. The real problem with butt-jointing a floor
is that the tiles don’t have any support from the grout and chances
are that they will become loose and chip along the edges. The grout
is part of the installation, not a decoration. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8089: We
will be demolishing and rebuilding our home soon (long story) and
I currently have a large grey marble kitchen island - love the color
and veining but hate the etching. Anyway, my question was, if possible
do you think I could use it in my bathroom at countertops instead
with a honed finish? It is a large and expensive piece, I'd hate to
just trash it. Karen, Louisiana, Reply
|
R1:
Dear Karen: Regardless of the soap scum hard to clean, the generic
soap scum remover you used actually damaged your tiles by corroding
them (etching), which is something you already realized.
At this point your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration
contractor who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone. Be
ready to pay big bucks!
Now, you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as
the very pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8088: We
recently bought a house which has absolute black granite tile in the
kitchen. We have noticed that the rims of our pots and glasses are
showing on the granite, despite having been cleaned. Please can you
let me know the proper procedure for cleaning these tiles? I also
do not know whether the tile was ever sealed. Do you recommend sealing,
and if so, how often? We obviously need to get the rim marks off before
doing any sealing. Thanks. Diann, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Diann: Unless you think a sealer for stone is something that
gets applied on top of the stone itself – which certainly not
the case – there is not much that a sealer can do with black
granite. Actually I lean toward the theory that those tiles had indeed
been sealed, and the sealer is actually creating the problem. Black
granite should not be sealed, period. At this point you should try
to clean your tiles with a potent paint stripper based on Methylene
Chloride. (Nasty stuff! Keep all your windows and doors open and carefully
follows all precautionary directions printed on the can.) Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8087: My
Church just installed about 10000 sq ft of Gibli. Should we seal it?
And how? With what sealer? It appears to fairly absorbant I'm afraid...help?
God Bless You, Kassem, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kassem: You’d better believe it has to be sealed!! You will
need to apply a good quality impregnating sealer, like my outlandish
MB-4. Consider that you will need to apply the product three times
to insure proper sealing; therefore you will need approximately 40
GL of the stuff to treat 10,000 square feet. It’s expensive,
but it comes with a 10-year warranty, which means that you won’t
have to apply it again for the next 10 years, if the floor is maintained
properly. If you’re interested, I can give you a good price for
40 GL. As you will purchase the stuff, I will be glad to instruct
you on how to apply it easily and effectively over such a large-scale
project. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8086:
I am looking for a sealer to apply to granite kitchen counter tops
that have not been sealed for at least 5 years. We just purchased
this home, and the previous owner had not applied anything.
As far as I can tell, there aren’t any apparent stains, for the
granite is a blend of various tones of black and taupe. I am concerned
about the lack of sealer in the past, and would prefer to “start
off on the right foot” so-to-speak and seal the counters soon.
As well, for ease of application, my preference would be for a paste
sealer, as opposed to a liquid sealer. Is there such a product? Given
what I have stated, which is all I really know, do you have any thoughts
about sealing the counters, and if so, a recommended product? Thank
you so much, Charlene Vigil, Reply |
R1:
Dear Charlene: Pretty confused about sealers, aren’t we?! :-)
First off, if your stone does not need to be sealed, you do NOT want
to seal it. Sealing it anyway would certainly not represent my idea
of “starting with the right foot!” So, the first thing to
do is to find out if your stone – whatever it is – needs
to be sealed at all. Spill some water, let it sit on the stone for
a few minutes, wipe it dry and observe if the areas where the water
has been sitting have become any darker (temporarily). If so, then
you will apply my outlandish MB-4 to your countertop. If not, forget
about the sealing thing altogether!
Having said that, a sealer for stone is a below-surface product: it
only deals with the inner porosity of the stone, and to do that it
MUST be absorbed by the stone. A sealer for stone does NOT coat its
surface; in fact, the most important phase of the application of a
stone sealer is to make sure that every residue of the product is
totally removed from its surface. Hence, there’s no such a thing
like a paste sealer. All in all, if you really want to “start
with the right foot”, you should concern yourself with what you
will be treating your stone on a daily basis, rather that its sealing,
which – if needed at all – is something that one does every
few years. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8085: We
are putting in a new kitchen and are trying to keep the vintage look
of a 1920's bungalow. We like the look of the matt finish and stain
resistance of soapstone. We have read that Italian Sandstone is a
more durable stone. Is this true? Is Sandstone pourus, and can it
be treated with mineral oil to darken like soapstone. You mentioned
in one of your responses that honed granite is higher maintenance
and more prone to stains. Are there other options to consider as an
alternative and what are your feelings about Soapstone for countertops.
Thank you for your time and all the valuable information your site
provides. Reply |
R1:
Dear Alan: Italian Sandstone??... Which one?
Sandstone in general (which is an incredibly wide term! Some of them
are terrible!) is porous and needs to be sealed real bad. The mineral
oil treatment is not advisable with such material, but a stone color
enhancer (like my outlandish MB-6) will make it darker. The mineral
oil treatment on soapstone is not meant to make it darker: it’s
meant to keep it moist (don’t forget that soapstone is talc).
The darkening is only a by-feature. As a mechanic I do like soapstone
better than any other material if you want that particular rustic
look. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8084:We
just have our kitchen counter top installed with light color granite
and marble counter in the bathroom. We did not seal the stone in timely
manner so the granite counter has the streak of darker color all over
the counter especially around the faucets and the sink. Now we are
waiting for the granite to dry in order to put the sealant on. Will
the granite ever to get dry? Which is the fastest way to dry it? I
tried to use the heat gun and did not seem to do any trick! What should
I use to seal under the faucets? I was told by the store to remove
the gaskets and apply the Kwik Seal Plus (kitchen & Bath Adhesive
Caulk ) between the faucet and the granite? Chutima Reply |
| R1:
Dear Chutima: I really don’t understand what you did to your
countertop while sealing it to have all those darker streaks. Besides,
a sealer is not supposed to be applied onto the stone, but inside
it. Considering all the money your fabricator made out of you, I’m
sure they will be more than glad to assist you. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8083: I
have been reading your website and have found it very enlightening.
Unfortunately, I am reading it because I have run into a problem that
many seem to be facing...the dreaded rings left behind due to acidic
juices. I unfortunately was ignorant to the relationship between acidic
juices and granite or the sealer used on the granite (I left some
bottles of beer that had lime in them sit over night instead of cleaning
the area immediately). First off, I would like to know if my stone
type falls into the 2% granite category or the 98% "granite"
category as discussed in R1 of Q2238. The granite that I have purchased
is called Indian Premium Black (also referred to as Absolute Black).
The second question refers to what actually happened with my counter-top.
I know for a fact that the fabricator sealed my counter-tops when
they installed them (not sure what the product was, but can find out).
So according to responses on your site, I am to strip all of the sealer
off of the stone because it is actually the sealer that was affected
by the lime juice? Is this correct? Will that take away some of the
depth/color/shine of the stone? Is it possible to fix the problem
by applying the initial sealer type over the "etched" areas
in an attempt to fill in the rings and then take precaution not to
let things sit on my counters? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Charles, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Charles: Your stone is Dolerite. It’s better than true granite,
if it is what they told you it is. While you actually figured out
the real culprit of your situation, you seem to be quite confused
about the features of a sealer for stone. You’re in direct contact
with me now. Your questions require more attention than usual. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8082: We
want to have granite countertops installed but do not want to outlay
the expense also for new cabinetry. Our current cabinets are "ok"
- but at some point, down the road, we will want to replace. We understand
that we will have to remain within the footing of the current cabinets.
Question is: how difficult and risky is it to remove granite tops
and then have them reinstalled? Is this something, in general, you
do not recommend or is this ok to do? Thanks for help! I will definitely
try the lemon test! Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Kathy: Depending on the “granite” and th size of the
slabs, it may turn out a very risky proposition, and no fabricator
worth their salt would ever take responsibility if the countertop
will crack over removal and re-installation. It is doable, mind you,
but Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing
day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing
itself and it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8081: I
have granite countertops in the kitchen and bathroom of a new home.
I don't know the name of the granite but it is dark (black with grey
speckles). The surface all over the house is dull. I have used the
Marblelife Granite cleaner and all it seems to do is make it look
beautifully dark but it leaves an oily residue and then any water
that gets on the counter makes it dull again. What do I do? Do I need
to get someone in to refinish the stone? Best, DINA, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Dina: I honestly don’t understand your situation. You mention
something on the line that “The surface all over the house is
dull.” Does that mean that your granite was delivered with a
hone finish? And if so, why would you like to have it shiny now? Could
you please clarify? Better yet: since you bought the cleaner from
my competition, I think it’s only fair that you ask Marble lilfe.
You will find out that they know everything about granite and then
some! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8080: We
are in Staten Island NY -- about 10 years we installed matched slabs
of travertine over a brick fireplace ceiling to floor. On one side
of the fireplace there has developed a crack across the slab about
2 feet up from the raised hearth --is there anything that can be done
to fill the crack and possibly faux paint it to disguise it-- it would
probably have to be a material which could expand and contract-- otherwise
short of removing the entire side slab-- is there anything that can
be done?? Sincerely, Joan, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Joan: Color matching epoxy was the first answer that came to
my mind; but then, you may be right: it would be probably better to
use something flexible. Then the choice is clear: color matching caulk.
It available in many colors and if you do the job right it should
blend in pretty well. Don’t expect an invisible mending, though!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8079: My
wife and I are having a new house built. Our builder has given us
a 4000 dollar allowance for the granite. He did a cost analysis and
said that the installer he works through has 6 colors/grades of Granite
for that price. I have been trying to read up on what to look for
but have been unable to find a definitive answer. COuld you let me
know what I'm looking for, besides color, so I can make a choice that
will make this investment worth it? Thanks for your help. We are going
to look tomorrow so a quick response would be MOST appreciated. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: Unlike most other inquirers at this stage you don’t
seem mostly interested in the color of the “granite” and/or
its physical characteristics. (It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-)).
In fact, how about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice
and then you get a low-grade slab? Truth is: the human factor is far
more important than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding
factor! In an industry that’s virtually unregulated, how good
and reputable the fabricator who’s is going to process the stone
you’ll end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself.
None of the horror stories that get posted in this very site stem
from the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is
why I seldom make final statements about any one particular stone.
There may be differences within the same stone (and I’m not talking
about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs
may have also been either doctored (which is bad), or resined (which
could be good, but only to a certain extent) by the factory, which
would make a big difference. Even more important, what’s a good
stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo?! And again: a reputable
fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some special! Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8078: Hi.
We have a question regarding our blue pearl granite - we just moved
into this house 6 mos ago, and the blue pearl granite was installed
back in 2002. It is beautiful. I was just reading on your site that
you are not supposed to seal this granite. We didnt know that and
we did. What will happen to it? I also noticed a few little "chips"
in certain spots on the countertops - can this be caused from the
sealer??? Can we fix this without a costly repair? Any info is greatly
appreciated - Thanks. Jodi, Reply
|
R1:
Dear Jodi and Tom: Apparently you were lucky enough to have used one
of those impregnator/sealers that are not affected by most household
acids. So, nothing is going to happen. You just wasted time and money.
As for the chips, no, of course, they have nothing to do with the
sealer. And, no you can’t fix them yourself. You will need to
have either your fabricator come back, or a professional stone refinisher.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8077: Dear
Maurizio, I have been reading your answers on Findstone.com and am
really impressed with the wealth of information and depth of the advice
that you have given. Unfortunately, I haven't come across a solution
to the particular problem I am facing in my home right now.
We recently renovated our home and had the living room floor done
in Camillia Pink granite tiles from China. Shortly after moving in,
uneven dark patches started appearing on the floor tiles. Our contractor
believed that it was just moisture and said to give it a couple of
months. 6 months later, the dark patches had spread and our contractor
finally engaged a stone flooring expert to figure out what was wrong.
The flooring expert tested out a small area with hydrogen peroxide
powder but that had no effect. He then tried placing a chemical sheet
(we were not told what chemical it was) and this seemed to work on
the tested area but the dark patches returned within a couple of days.
Finally, the flooring expert tested the tiles with an electronic dampness
detector and confirmed that the staining was due to moisture in the
tiles. He said that he could treat our tiles with the chemical sheet
but he could not guarantee that the staining would not recur if the
source of the moisture was not identified and eliminated. He then
tested our walls and pillars and confirmed that the moisture was not
seeping in from the outside. The only explanation he had was that
the moisture was coming out of the ground.
We are not sure how this could happen since we had seen our contractor
cover the ground with a thick layer of waterproofing material before
laying the granite tiles. Neither our contractor nor the flooring
expert has been able to offer a permanent solution to this problem,
both saying that the problem would just recur even if the tiles were
treated. This is, of course, unacceptable to us and I hope that you
can help us with this extremely unsightly problem. What can we do
to remove the dark patches permanently? Twang, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Twang: Not much, really. I must concur with the floor expert
that you have a recurring case of moisture under those tiles, despite
the water-proofing membrane. Without actually seeing your situation
and removing a couple of tiles, that is the only conclusion that I
can come up with. Sorry. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8076: White
marble counter tops were in the home when we purchased it. we are
very careful with the marble but would like to find the best sealer
to use on natural marble to help on the maintance of the soft porus
finish thanks calvin smith, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Calvin: There’s no such an animal, Calvin. Marble is not
that soft and it is NOT very porous – contrary to widespread
popular misconception. The problem with marble is its inherent sensitivity
to pH active spills. Anything acidic will etch the surface of the
stone on contact (“water stains” or “water rings”),
and no sealer for stone in the entire Milky Way will ever do the firs
thing to prevent that. Chemistry can not solve that problem; only
alchemy could … :-) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8075: We
just had limestone counters installed in the kitchen-our decorator
chose them. Will they stain or scratch? Was this a bad choice? Reply |
R1:
Dear Steve: If you ask me, since I have to draw my conclusions within
the prevalent reality of the environment I operate within (North America)
the answer is: Yes, it was a bad choice. But … the following
copy/past answr I gave a while back to some one else will clear out
better my statement above. It’s a culture issue.
All throughout the Mediterranean basin marble is an very popular stone
as a kitchen countertop and everybody enjoys it. (Limestone is not
so popular, but certain types of limestone could be acceptable in
relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe and all throughout North
America, many like the way it looks, but nobody enjoys it!
How’s that? For the simple reason that In Southern Europe they
never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished marble floor,
for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface and then
they start using and abusing it. The “worse” it gets, the
better they like it! It’s considered “aging.” It’s
like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean: a highly sought
“lived-in” look. While the looks of an old pair of jeans
is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North America, too,
the same principle does not seem to apply to stone. Most people over
here expect their stone to look like brand-new all the time, and any
“change” is not considered “aging”, but a damage
that needs to be rectified. Hence the problem. The question now is:
regardless of your geographical location, which one of the two groups
do you belong to?” :-)
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8074: I
have recently acquired an antique 1880's table with a white marble(grey
veining) top that has several areas that appear to me to have been
lightly etched. Knowing that vinegar and water makes windows smell
odd and is not beneficial to marble, I used a mild soap and water
solution to clean the surface. I was hoping that it might have an
effect on the surface but, other than removing some obvious surface
dirt, that process convinced me that the problem was surface etching.
How do I determine if this particular piece is a candidate for resurfacing?
It is marble typical for the time and application. Bill, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Bill: You did real good not to use vinegar! Well, after so many
years, I would be extremely surprised if your top didn’t need
to be reground and re-polished. Get hold of a bona fide stone restoration
contractor in your neck of the wood. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8073: I
would like to either refinish or have refinished my 15 year old polished
travertine. where to start? Audrey, Reply |
R1:
Dear Audrey: Your only option is to hire a bona fide stone restoration
contractor who will lightly grind (hone) and polish your stone. Now,
you’d better watch out! I consider stone refinishing as the very
pinnacle of all the activities related to stone from a professional
point of view. Unfortunately, there are a lot of quacks on the loose
out there!
How could you tell a champ from a chomp? Could you trust the recommendation
of your local stone distributor, or contractor, or your interior decorator?
Hardly! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8072: My
husband brought home a table for the kitchen that he bought at an
auction - the problem is I don't know if it is soapstone or limestone
or what, I would like to try to put something on it for protection-
to make it easier to clean. Could you please help me try to figure
out what it is ? It is light gray, absorbs water and the edges have
a tendency to get dirty.
I appreciate any help or thoughts that you can give me. thank you,
Linda, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Linda: The inly thing that I can tell you for sure is that if
it does absorb water it can’t be soapstone. Other than that,
it could be sandstone, limestone, schist … Who knows! If the
edges are smooth you could clean them with sandpaper (it’s not
a typo) and then apply a good quality impregnator/sealer to your table
top like my outlandish MB-4. That will take care of the absorbency
of the stone. After that, you will take good care of your stone with
my incredible MB-5! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8071: We
have countertops of White Kashmire. I noticed a wing sauce (hot tomato
sauce) stain this morning left over from last nights appetizers. I
can't get it to come up. Help! Debbie, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Debbie: When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of
those expensive “Professional kits” (that no true professional
ever uses!) at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money
and get my comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using
inexpensive and far more effective means that you may already have
in your household! Such impressive piece of literature will also tell
you how to tell stains apart from “stains”, and what to
do about the latter! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8070: Hello:
I am looking for a granite that would combine the colors of Labrador
Antique with the movement of Amber Fantasy or any horizontal, "wave-like"
movement, as opposed to the more speckled look. I would appreciate
any suggestions you might have!! Thank you! C. McMillan, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Catherine: You may want to consider breeding a piece of Labrador
Antique with some Amber Fantasy … Hey, you never know!! :-) Joking
aside, I don’t think that you ever be able to find what you’re
dreaming about. Regardless, it appears to me that like most other
inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the color of
the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It’s
human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you that a
certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab?
Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself
and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry that’s
virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who’s
is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing is far more
important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get
posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they all stem
from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about
any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same
stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle
of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored”
(which is bad), or “resined” (which could be good, but only
to a certain extent) by the factory, which would make a big difference.
Even more important, what’s a good stone in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will
only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!”Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
Q 8069: My
gas fireplace is surrounded in what appears to be black slate. On
the slate foot of the fireplace, the smooth stone appears to be stained.
It is marked by a cloudy discoloration. It looks to me like something
such as lighter fluid may have been spilled and absorbed. The stain
was there when I purchased the property.
Can you recommend a product the can restore the slate to is original
dark color? Thank you in advance for any advice you might be able
to provide. Brian Klas, Reply |
R1:
Dear Brian: Remember this: a stain is a discoloration that’s
always darker than the stained material. If it’s a lighter discoloration,
then it’s either a mark of corrosion (acid), or a caustic mark
(alkali – bleach). There’s not one single exception to this
rule! Lighter “stains” are therefore surface damages.
Having said that, this side of a full fledged refinishing procedure
to be carried out by a professional contractor, if your “stains”
“disappear” when you wet them stone, then the application
of my outlandish MB-6, stone color enhancer should do the trick for
you in an easy and convenient way. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8068:
I am having my kitchen redone in February and am replacing my formica
counters with granite. At least that is the plan. Also, I am indecisive
about kitchen flooring. I have three large and heavy dogs who are
quite messy. They like to dump their water dish out on to the floor
while I'm at work. I have a cermic tile floor now and I hate it. I
can't keep it clean at all. I have tentatively selected Baltic Brown
granite counter tops and I
understand that I should make sure the manufature puts a sealer on
it before delivery and that the installers reapply a sealer on site.
What kind of sealer should they be using and how can I tell whether
it was a good sealer? What kinds of problems am I looking at with
this type of counter top other than the repeated sealing in a year
or 2? Is there a better choice that is dark? I was looking at a laminate
wood floor. I like the look of wood but with the dogs dumping water
on it and with their claws I worry about the scratching and buckling
due to the water standing for part of a day
repeatedly. I was also looking at slate flooring but since the kitchen
floor will also be used in the attached family room, I thought a wood
look would be warmer looking. The subfloor is concrete slab. Thanks,
Reply
|
R1:
Dear Sharyn: Please, pretty please, keep me out of the decoration
business! I’m strictly a mechanic specializing in the maintenance
and restoration of stone, period. And as a maintenance man, I can
tell you that you do NOT want slate or wood on your floors!! Considering
the two big dogs and all the only flooring I would consider recommending
is stone look-alike porcelain tiles. As for the Baltic Brown, it seldom
needs to be sealed at all. And, even for “granites” the
do need to be sealed, the once or twice a year thingie is pure hog-wash.
Like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the color of the “granite” and/or its physical characteristics.
It’s human nature at work, I reckon!:-) How about if I tell you
that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade
slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone
itself and should be the only true deciding factor! In an industry
that’s virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator
who’s is going to process the stone you’ll end up choosing
is far more important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories
that get posted in this very site stem from the stone itself: they
all stem from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements
about any one particular stone. There may be differences within the
same stone (and I’m not talking about looks, here!) from one
bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either
“doctored” (which is bad), or “resined” (which
could be good, but only to a certain extent) by the factory, which
would make a big difference. Even more important, what’s a good
stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?! And again: a
reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!”
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8067: I
have just had Irish blue Granite installed. It has two 10 & 12
inch fissures. The installer says not to be concerned. Should I be?
Thanks, PP, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Penn: If I had the slightest idea of what this Irish Blue Granite
looks like, I would probably be able to answer your question! :-)
I never heard of such a stone – at least not under that name.
Therefore I can’t comment on those two fissures. I don’t
even know if such “granite” is prone to fissures. One thing
is for sure: at 10” and 12” are awfully long fissures in
my book! Are you sure they’re fissures and not cracks that the
fabricator is trying to pass as fissures? If they are in the middle
of the slab they may be fissures, but if they star from the edge,
then – most likely – they are cracks. And you do NOT want
those. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8066: I
have selected ouro kiwi for my kitchen countertop. I did the lemon
juice test and it did not absorb the juice at all. Although I have
done much research on granite, I only once saw reference to this color
granite being used by someone once. Is there some reason not to use
this granite, since I rarely ever see it mentioned on any web site?
Also what is the best edge to choose as far as being less susceptible
to chipping, etc? Would you recommend that I use a sealer on this
granite? Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Barbara: I never heard of that particular stone – at least
not under that name. If the lemon juice and cooking oil did not stain
your sample, then it shouldn’t need to be sealed. The only thing
a sealer does is to prevent liquids from being absorbed by the stone
– end of story. The type of edge less prone to chipping is a
full Bullnose edge by a large margin. Having said that, I sure hope
that you selected the right fabricator! The human factor – that
for some reason nobody seems to take into consideration – is
the only one that could cause trouble, not a piece of stone! Besides,
what’s good the best stone in the world in the hands of some
“Michelangelo”? And, believe you me, there are plenty of
those out there! All the gripes about kitchen countertop posted in
this very site and other internet stone forum have all one common
denominator: the fabricator – no exceptions! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8065: We
have a black slate top that sits on a nice wood cabinet. The slate
has a few little scratches that are white. What should we do to bring
the black color back? Thanks, Vickie, Reply |
| R1: Dear
Vickie: Not much, really. Scratches in stone can only be repaired
by grinding the surface of the stone surrounding the scratch, down
to the depth of the scratch itself. This can’t be done on slate
due to the natural-cleft finish it’s popularly delivered with.
That is why I always maintain that slate only belongs on roofs, chalk-boards,
pool tables and walls (outside the shower stall) – end of the
list. In other installation it is just not serviceable. The only hope
you may have is to cover up those scratches with the application of
a good-quality stone color enhancer, like my outlandish MB-6. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8064: My
uba tuba granite counters were installed about 1.5 years ago and were
sealed (impregnator) by the provider. I have recently noticed a lot
of water stains that will not disappear when they dry. There are a
lot of stains particularly where we use our dish rack and coffee maker
(high traffic area). What would be the best solution to our problem.
Linda from London, Canada, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Linda from London, ON: I know exactly what your problem is and
I do have the final solution for you. I also know that your fabricator
is the sole cause of your problem. Considering the kind of money they
made out of you, I think it’s only fair that you give them a
chance to rectify the situation they created. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8063: Hi,
We are having a new home built. We chose a "drop in stove".
The counter tops are Butterfly Green Granite. With the installation,
should the granite to cut around the stove or will there be a granite
strip behind the stove to fill in the gap between the stove and wall?
I was wondering the proper way of installation. Thank you so much
for your help! I will look forward to hearing from you. Happy New
year! Diane, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Diane: The best way would be to have a stove cut-out with the
two strips before and behind the stove top properly rodded. Now remember,
it’s never too early to think about the proper maintenance of
your stone. The issue of what you’ll be doing day in and day
out to your stone is far more important than the sealing itself and
it’s all too often neglected. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8062: We
recently installed about 800 square feet of irregular shaped slate
slabs. Our mason was not careful and we have a large number of areas
where the mortar is on the surface of the stone and needs to be removed.
What is the best and easiest way to remove the mortar stains? Thank
you in advance for your help! Boyd, Reply |
| R1: Dear
Boyd: You could try renting a professional floor machine with a heavy-duty
scrubbing brush and my MB-3 – soap scun remover. It’s excellent
at removing grout film residue, too. However, if the mortar film is
too thick it won’t work completely. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8061: How
to clean stains from a marble sink top where a candle has burst causing
burn marks? Thanks, Greta, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Greta: I need to see a couple of pictures of your countertop
to be able to come up with a solution. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8060:
Hi, I recently purchased 12"x12"
marble tiles to put on my counter top, but everybody says not to because
it breaks to easily and it soaks up stains? Is this true, since it
is not a slab but tiles how will the counter top hold up??? I tested
by accident of course a piece of marble and a piece of tile and "oops"
dropped both of them from about a foot and a half to two feet off
the ground to see what would hold up better and the tile shattered
and the marble broke in 3 peices so you tell me. Please get back to
me ASAP before I install the much needed counter top. Thanks, Ashley
, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Ashley: DON’T!! Forget about the fragility of the marble
(all stones are fragile). You just do NOT want polished marble in
your kitchen – end of story! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
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