Q
6967: We just remodeled our kitchen and I chose a honed absolute black
granite as my counter top. A friend of mine has it and I have admired
it. (I know there is a bit more upkeep with the honed finish....that
doesn't bother me.) I
just had it installed and I am finding several problems. The day they
installed it, after they left, I noticed some darker circular marks
on the top that wouldn't wipe off. Second, there was a circle spot-12"
in diameter where it appears duller (like something was laid there
and it dulled the finish). Thirdly, the the island piece is a lot
grayer than the perimeter stone. (They said it all came from the same
slab, but the island is noticeably duller almost like it has a gray
film on it.) The edges everywhere are blotchy going from dull black
to solid black. And where the seams are there are hand prints that
I can't get up.
I called the installer, he came out and said that he couldn't get
up the circular marks nor the dull 12" circle spot. He says that
the island is duller
because "that's just the way natural stone goes". And as
for the hand
prints, which I believe is silicone residue...he wants to think about
it. His final comment to me was, "you did know that honed stones
are risky when you ordered it."
Wow, I guess I don't know. Is he right? Are these my problems? Or
was it not honed correctly? (I did overhear one of the installers
say that they had never in the 15 years of business make a honed stone
counter before..YIKES). Would you mind e-mailing me back and addressing
my problems. They are coming back next week, and I'm afraid I don't
have enough expertise to talk smartly about my concerns. Could you
give me some responses to each of these problems, if you can. Thank
you so much. Becky, sept 21, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Becky: In a nutshell: you don’t have to accept any of the
excuses they gave you. Having said that, Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q
6966: My
husband and I are installing Jerusalem Gold Tumbled 12 x 12 as flooring
for our master bath. We both fell in love with the beautiful colors.
However we are at a lost on how to bring the colors out. When they
get wet the colors are incredible but as soon as the dry the get opaque.
Please advice on what to do or use to bring the colors and brilliance
out. My husband thought of asking the contractor working on our crema
marfil floor to polish it but it doesn't sound right. We need to finish
the bathroom asap, please advice. Irmarie, sept
21, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Irmarie: That’s an easy one! A good-quality stone color
enhancer like my outlandish MB-6 will do the trick for you in no time!!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 6965:
I have installed Limestone in my Bathroom shower walls, grey (dark
grey), 24X24 butt joint on diagonal - grout. They are stained - sealed
- looks a mess - how do I get it to look uniform? Please advise. Thanks,
George, Reply |
| R1:
First of all they need cleaning with some kind of white spirit. Then
it might be wise to treat them with paraffin, or oil, or some other
kind of liquid grease. Be wary of acid like products to remove calcium-stains
on Your taps, or other sorts. They will damage the stone, as it is
made up mainly of calcium. SR. Dr. R. Nijenhuis |
| R2:
Smaller
tile would have made the shower appear more uniform as a whole, instead
you are looking at tile that are almost slab like. They are so massive
it is a what you see is what you get application. However, I have
had success enhancing tile with a stone enhancer and bringing the
tile to more uniformity. It does work over sealed tile. Craig Norberg,
Norberry |
| R3:
sand
it with 180-220-320-then seal it with tons of silicon stone seal.
limestone should not have been used as it is very susceptible to staining
and mildew. |
| Q 6964: About
5 years ago our company installed a ceramic tile floor for one of
our customers. Unknown to us, the slab had been treated with a curing
agent. 75% of the tile is loose on the floor. We had depositions with
our lawyer and the concrete contractor provided us with information
on the curing agent and solvent it took to clean the slab with. This
information was not available to us at the time we installed the tile.
The case seems open and closed, but it's not. We need an expert who
has knowledge in this field. Sincerely, Lonnie, Sept 25, Reply |
R1:
As per details you have provided it seem that the compound which was
used to fix the slab may be a brush applied curing agent which when
applied to the exposed surface of new concrete creats a thin film
over the surface of concrete which is an impervious thin film
in microns thickness which doesnot allow the already added water to
evoperate and thus it avoids the necessary of curing the RCC slab
after casting . you have not made clear that wether the tiles were
laid on RCC salb with a bedding of send or without bedding .. i presume
that it was without bedding and the cement mortar/slurry never got
any contect with the surface of RCC slab as there is a micro thin
impervious film which did not allowed the necesary bonding between
the old surface of RCC salb and newly laid Tile ! Can guide you further
with necessary documents should you require pls do mail me at Best
of luck P H Dave |
| R2:
If
your company values your own reputation – you should replace
it at your expense. It certainly is not the client’s fault that
you did not have the knowledge required to permanently perform this
installation. Even if your reputation is worthless – you should
still replace the job. John |
| R3:
Hello,with
many years experience in the ceramics field i suggest you have a word
with Lithofin.They are a very experienced company and can probably
|
| Q
6963: We
have just recently had our tile countertops replaced with Absolute
Black Granite. The installers had not sealed the granite but it looked
like it was wiped down with a greasy substance like paint thinner.
He said I should to wipe it down for 72 hours before sealing, which
I did. Almost all of it came up with the exception of a few spots
that look like streaks. My problem is that there are still streaks
on the granite and because it is black you can see them. When I use
my finger nail to scratch it off they remove like a glue residue.Is
there a easier way to remove this? sept
20, Reply
|
| R1:
I really don’t know what’s sitting on your “granite”
countertop, but you sure need to get rid of it, since your fabricator
didn’t bother doing it. Keep all your windows open, get the pets
and everybody out of the house, wear a protective mask and solvent-proof
gloves, follow all precautionary directions printed on the can, and
remove whatever gunk is sitting on your countertop with a paint stripper
based-on Methylene Chloride.
After
that you will NOT apply any impregnator/sealer to your countertop
– not even my outlandish MB-4! You do NOT want to seal black
“granite!”
Now remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper
maintenance of your stone. It’s a subject that’s all too
often neglected and, as you can tell by reading many of this site’s
postings, you’re not likely to get good information about it
from your dealer or installer. Don’t become another statistic!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q
6962: My
installer told me to use water and a very little amount of soap to
clean my peacock green counter tops and not to seal it. Do you agree
with this? Also, what is the life of this stone? It is installed on
cabinets reinforced with 2x4's. It had to be removed after installing
the first time because they were not level. It is now level after
reinforcement. Any information you can give me is greatly appreciated.
Thank you. Marilynn, sept 20, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Marilynn:
I
do agree not to seal VP, but I strongly disagree about cleaning
it with dish soap. About this issue, the following is the “copy
& paste” answer I have prepared for inquiries like yours:
“Let’s start with the glass cleaner issue. First off,
how many brands of glass cleaners are available out there? Hundreds!
And if you think that they are all formulated the same way, think
again! Even what’s probably the most popular one, Windex™,
comes in several formulations. Who did the testing on anyone of
those chemicals to find out if they are safe on natural stone? …
You fill the blanks!
Now, what’s even more important, how many different types of
“granite” are available? Again, at least three hundreds
and counting! Do you think they are all the same – besides
the way they look? Once more, think again! The difference in chemical
makeup between the vast array of stones traded as “granite”
can be – and it is – huge!
Now, assuming that one particular type of glass cleaner is OK for,
say, true geological granite, will it be safe also, on gneiss, or
gabbro, or dolerite, or porphyry, through a long list? How do you
know what type of “granite” you actually have, beside
the name given to you by your fabricator? Do you think they would
know? I’ve got news for you: a good 95% of them do NOT. Their
stone “education” comes from the invoice of the distributor,
or from various “salesmen” who call on them. They actually
believe it is ALL granite!
So, how do you feel about taking any chance with a glass cleaner
for your daily chore?
As a restoration contractor I did witness my good share of permanent
damages (pitting, spalling, etc.) to “granite” due to
the use of glass cleaners! They don’t happen right away, but
they eventually will, if the combination is “right”! And
I don’t want even begin to mention marble!
How about a little dish soap and water? Could that damage “granite”?
No,
it wouldn’t, but … think about this:
Try to wash your hands with water and dish soap, then put them under
running water and see how long it’ll take for them to rinse
properly. To have such a thorough rinsing (which is the only one
acceptable) on your countertop, you should be using a garden hose
all the time! So, what happens if you decide not to use a garden
hose to rinse your countertop? It’s very simple: a very thin
soap film will remain on the stone surface, even if you dry it with
a towel. At the beginning you won’t be able to notice it, but
as you keep “cleaning” your countertop in that way, it
will build-up and, within a few months, your beautiful stone won’t
be as shiny as it used to be anymore! Assuming that you can figure
out what hit it (don’t expect any intelligence from the “genius”
who suggested you to use such a home-brewed concoction!), you will
have to remove all the soap scum sitting on your top by using a
specialized strong chemical, and … start all over again!
Is
that what you want?
There are companies out there that invest considerable amount of
money to formulate specialty cleaning agents that are safe on all
natural stone, and offer them to the market. Why should they do
that if any glass cleaner or dish soap could do the job?
You
think about it.
The idea of having to buy specialty – and somehow expensive
– cleaning products for your valuable natural stone installations
may be annoying to a certain extent, but is your best bet if you
care about your investment,
It took Mother Nature hundreds of thousands of years to make the
things of beauty you proudly have in your home now. There is not
one single piece of stone out there that can exactly match any of
the stones you have. You have to respect and appreciate that, and
not consider your stone like just another commodity. The way I see
it, you didn’t actually buy your stone. You adopted it.
You have to consider it as your duty to give it the best care possible.”
As for your question about “the life of this stone,” the
last time a checked it didn’t have any life at all: it was
as dead as stone!! :-)
Joking aside, it will last forever and then some! The reinforcement
idea was a good one indeed.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q
6961: I
just did a counter top with a grayish limestone, and a reddish stone
(combo) it's a large mosaic pattern. The stone is not polished at
all, it's ruff, pitted, and pretty chalky.
It looks very nice when wet ie. right after I sealed it, but when
it dries, it goes back to hazy, and much of the stones natural beauty
is lost. Is there a wax, or something I can use to give the stone
a wet/polished look permanently, or semi permanently? Thanks, Kirk,
sept 20,
Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Kirk: To get the “wet loolk” you like you should have
used a stone color enhancer (like my outlandish MB-6) before the application
of the impregnator. A color enhancer must be absorbed by the stone
to work, and the presence of the impregnator/sealer may prevent that,
Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q
6960: I
hosted a small wedding yesterday and had candles on my granite countertop.
Unfortunately, wax dripped onto the counter and I have not been able
to completely remove it this morning. There are waxy streaks on the
counter. Do you have any suggestions? I read through your site this
morning but couldn’t find an answer to my problem. Thanks so
much for any advice you can offer. Rhonda, sept
20, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Rhonda: There are products – solvent based – specifically
designed to remove candle-wax from hard surfaces. I really don’t
know where you can get it, but every church could give you that information.Now
remember, it’s never too early to think about the proper maintenance
of your stone. It’s a subject that’s all too often neglected
and, as you can tell by reading many of this site’s postings,
you’re not likely to get good information about it from your
dealer or installer. Don’t become another statistic! Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q
6959: My
husband and I just selected the "granite" we will use for
our kitchen counter tops. It is a dark green/black Uba Tuba from Brazil.
We had done some homework ahead of time by reading the many Q/A's
on this website and learned that in most cases, Uba Tuba does not
need to be sealed. The fabricator we're working with has been working
with stone for 20 years, in fact he owns his company and works closely
with a custom cabinet maker next door. My husband is a general contractor
and has worked with the fabricator and cabinet maker for years in
recommending them to his customers. The fabricator says he always
seals Uba Tuba and hasn't had a problem with it, ever. So now we have
a problem because we trust both your advice and the fabricator's.
What should we do? Thanks, Jackie, sept 20, Reply |
R1:
Dear Jacqueline: And you're asking me whom you should trust?? Do you
have any idea what an impregnator/sealer is all about? Does your fabricator
even know what kind of stone he's dealing with?
But that's not even the point. The point is: What am I now, somebody
else decision maker??!
Run my little lemon juice (and oil) test on a piece of scrp and than
make your own decision. I know what I would be doing if it were my
own
countertop. But this is yours. It's your call.
What would I stand to make by insisting one way or the other? I am
not
trying to sell you my impregnator/sealer, am I now?! Ciao and good
luck, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q
6958: Can
you tell me how to maintain this product? JuraStone, I believe, is
a manmade limestone product. That is, limestone held in place with
a manmade binder. The installation is in a shopping mall(s) and the
management people want to have a higher shine / sheen on the product.
I am familiar with diamond polishing, polishing powders, re-crystalization
process, etc but do not want to attempt any prosess that may damage
the stone. thank you for your response, Paul, sept 20, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Paul: I'm not familiar at all with that particular material,
but to stay on the safe side I would consider goind up to 1800 with
diamomd (less, depending on the type of machine and the brand of the
diamond pads), and then go into a program using my MB-8. It's a total
breakthrough on the subject of topical finishes. Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| R2:
Regardless
of your religious persuasion if you believe that Jurastone is a man-made
limestone held together with a binder you would have to believe that
the world is flat. Can't you tell the difference between one of the
icons of the world limestone industry and a man-made product? Jurastone
is one of the world's most widely distributed and serviceable limestones.
And if you know about polishing powders and diamond polishing you
must be into gemmology. Perhaps that is why you don't know that the
process of polishing won't damage natural limestone. (Dr. Hans)
|
| |
| Q
6957: I
have an outdoor slate called golden goose that is very flaky! It's
on the patio underneath a bit of a cover. It's been on for 1 year
and seems you can't walk across it without a chunk flying off, and
for goodness sake DON'T PRESSURE WASH! Anyhoo, is there some type
of sealant that will help stop the flaking? Please help before I get
down to the cement underneath!!! sept
20, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Mitchel; There's nothing that you can do ... What am I thinking!...
Shame on me! All you have to do is to go back to the knowledgeable
merchants who sold that beautiful stuff to you: they're experts, you
know ... They know everything about slate and then some!! You're gonna
have to be patient, though: they are so busy selling it that you're
gonna have to wait on line before they can pay any attention to you
... but it's gonna be any day now ... any day!!... Ciao and good luck,
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q
6956: My
husband and I just build a new home. We had Travertine flooring installed
in our kitchen, eating area and the hallway. The installers of the
floor did not clean up the grout properly and therefore, our floor
has multiple grout stains and there is no shine to the floor. My husband
and I are trying to find out how to clean the tile and make it look
well maintained. We would greatly appreciate your advice. Regards,
Ellen, sept
20, Reply
|
R1:
Dear Ellen: If I can understand the circumstances in the right perspective
there's nothing that you can do other than getting hold of a reputable
stone restoration contractor and consult with them.
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!
I did write a very comprehensive article on how to select a bona fide
stone restoration contractor, which will give you all the intelligence
you need to make a competent choice. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q
6955: How
can I remove what looks like water stains on my 3 month old granite
countertop. They are around the sink area - which is why I think they
are water. I've tried my best to ensure the countertop gets wiped
dry all the time but I can't watch my family day in and day out. I
used the spray I got from the manufacturer but it doesn't seem to
work. I didn't think I needed to reseal the granite this soon,
sept 20,
Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Dotti: First off, the sealing thing has nothing to do with it,
because what you have are not stains. Second, we don't even know whether
your "granite" needed to be sealed or not. So, why don't
you start by telling me what "granite" you have?Ciao and
good luck, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q
6954: Wish
I would have found your site before today! We have had nero absolut(honed)
installed. The gent doing the installation made a comment regarding
the upkeep of the honed granite. He( and now you) have me worried
sick, as we specifically asked about the integrity of the granite
once it was honed and were told by the sales people it would be fine(fingerprints
yes, staining no).
So obviously a mistake has been made. My question is they used a sealer,
I think once only. Is there a sealer product that is superior than
others? After less than 10 hrs, there are a few marks already,( from
what I don't know). I know that oil and acidic residue are the worst
culprits. How long do they have sit on the stone to do damage? 1 hr
?, 5 hrs?, 24 hrs? Finally, where the seam is located, they seem to
have polished it down to a point where the seam itself is "whiter"
than the rest of the counter. Any reason for this? I need any help
you can provide to help in the maintenance of my new
counters! Thanks in advance, Nancie, sept
20, Reply |
R1:
Dear Nancy: The application of an impregnator/sealer was a big mistake.
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! If you apply
a good-quality stone color enhancer to your countertop (such as our
MB-6, which is also an impregnator/sealer). Ciao and good luck, Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q
6953: What
about Turkish Travertine? Any comments on it's quality? Also, I realize
that this site is about problems, but in general it seems that Travertine
is not a very good solution for home or commercial traffic areas.
Needs the highest level of installation competence (very very hard
to find) and continual maintenance and repair. Is standard tile a
better solution in most cases? Aaron, sept
20, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Aaron: Turkish travertine is not any better or worse than other
travertine. Said that, there are streets made in travertine since
the ancient Romans! Yes, the quality of installation os paramount,
but once that is done, if travertine is well cared for can be a very
enjoyable stone. Ciao and good luck, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q
6952: We
just had our travertine installed and the carpeting contractor used
our bathroom with the travertine that has not been sealed. The smell
of urine is all over the bathroom. How do I clean the travertine that
has not been sealed?Thanks, Jean, sept
20, Reply |
R1:
Dear Jean: Do you really think that if your travertine had been sealed
the smell wouldn't be there now? At any rate, there are products available
at your local vet that are
designed to remove those kinds of odors. Test some on a speare tile
to find out if it's safe on the stone, and if it is, just follow the
directions on the container. It may take morer than one attempt. After
that, more than sealing, concern yourself at learning how to properly
care for your travertine, which may or may not include sealing. The
routine maintenance is galactically moe important than the the sealing
issue with a stone as dense as travertine. M Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q
6951: I
have an unsealed limestone fireplace which has some soot marks. How
do I clean and what should I use to seal to make this easier to maintain
in the future? sept
20, Reply |
R1:
Dear Sharon: The following are the ingredients that you will need
to clean your fireplace
from soot:
1) 3 parts of warm water (the warmer the better);
2) 1 part of regular household bleach;
3) masking material for all around your working area;
4) 1 laundry brush;
5) lots of patience;
6) lots of elbow-grease!
After that you could seal your stone using my outlandish MB-4! Ciao
and good luck, Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q
6950: I
am in a very unique position. A good friend of mine has a quartz/silestone
countertop business and he has approached me with this question; What
can we do with the scrap that's leftover? The total scrap for the
year is in the area of 600,000 pounds plus. I have a few ideas but
I was wondering if you would know of or can advise me on a solution
for this problem. Maybe it can be re-manufactured into products for
other industries? At present the scrap is going to the landfill which
seems like an awful waste. Is this a problem throughout the industry?
How do other companies handle this? Thanks in advance for your help.
Bob, Sept 20, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Findstone, I am in a very unique position. A good friend of mine
has a quartz/silestone countertop business and he has approached me
with this question; What can we do with the scrap that's leftover?
The total scrap for the year is in the area of 600,000 pounds plus.
I have a few ideas but I was wondering if you would know of or can
advise me on a solution for this problem. Maybe it can be re-manufactured
into products for other industries? At present the scrap is going
to the landfill which seems like an awful waste. Is this a problem
throughout the industry? How do other companies handle this? Thanks
in advance for your help. Bob |
| R2:
Call
a local paving company. They are the only ones I have found to take
away scrap at no charge.. Mark |
| R3:
They
can always have it turned into liners or mosaic pcs. If they have
products such as this, they always offer it together with the slabs
for counter splash and the likes |
| R4:
Hi,
my name is Nick Helder from John Eisen Natural Stone Products. I was
just wondering where the product is located and what sizes are the
waste? Maybe could be used as a decorative aggregate if crushed or
tumbled? Thanks, Nick |
| R5:
there are no solutions.try to find a bathroom market or make tiles. |
| R6:
Grade
and sort the scrap on basis of Color,Appearence and Size. Then it
will be excellent raw material for manufacturing 'Mozaic Cement Tiles'.
-Satish |
Q
6949: We had Volga Blue installed in our kitchen 2.5 years ago. Recently,
we've developed a crack in the back splash, in the 9.0 foot by 2.5
foot counter behind the sink and now, a crack in front of the sink.
Someone from the place where we got the granite came to look at the
counter and told us that it cracked because we stood on it. Well,
we didn't stand on it and we are left with a huge problem because
they have offered us to have some guys fix it after hours and that
they could charge us what ever they would charge. I called another
granite fabricator and they say its a liability and wont help us.
I live on Cape Cod and there are limited number of granite fabricators
here.
I really would like to know why the granite cracked if possible. I
also want someone to take the counter out of our kitchen, bring it
to there shop and fix it the best way possible (the counter top was
installed with silicone adhesive). Is this the right way to repair
our granite or is this an impossible request? If someone comes and
glues the crack in place, will this hold or crack more if the problem
why it cracked in the first place isn't fixed? Another reason for
having the granite removed would be to reinstall it the correct way
so it wont crack again if indeed installation was the reason for these
cracks in the first place. The original fabricators didn't use any
reinforcing bars that I have now learned it is a wise practice to
prevent cracking. They didn't caulk the back splash to the counter
and I never noticed it and assumed it was installed correctly. If
water got under there, could that have been a reason why it cracked?
They said water doesn't make granite crack. In your knowledge, is
Volga Blue a "strong" granite? We've been sealing it, should
we be? Thank you for your help - I really appreciate it! Rhonwen,
sept 03,
Reply
|
| R1:
Sounds like someone has to inspect the installation. Cracks happen
because of stresses typically at weak points, and it could be a number
of issues:
1,
The backsplash and/or counter weren’t properly reinforced with
metal. We specify this for all of our stone counters in areas around
openings such as the small area in front of a sink or openings for
outlets that are fairly close to an edge of a backsplash.
2.
The backsplash and/or counter weren’t supported securely. Sometimes
this means that the cabinets aren’t strong enough. Sometimes
it means that the counter wasn’t placed on the cabinets correctly.
Sometimes this means that the floor under the cabinets shifted slightly.
It can be anything from minor structural problems to something like
a foundation shifting (this happens a lot on Cape Cod which is more
or less a sand bar!). I suspect that because the problem is on the
backsplash as well as on the counter, the problem is with the something
happening in the structure that supports both. But it also could
be that the backsplash wasn’t properly attached to the wall
and the weight of the stone has transferred down to the counter
in an irregular manner. This may also explain why the backsplash
cracked and then the counter cracked after that.
I
have a place in Provincetown and am about to renovate my place,
so I’ll be there on and off a great deal over the next 6 months.
I would be happy to meet you at your house. Please contact me if
you are interested.
Blaine
|
| R2:
I'm
not sure how the crack in the back splash has anything to do with
the countertop cracking. Failure to Caulk the back splash or water
getting under the back splash would be a hygiene problem not associated
with the cracking. There is two different things taking place here.
The part may have been damaged during the preparation of the sink
cutout and went un-noticed. Then if the countertop was not shimmed
properly the weight of the stone may have created the break. Repairing
the crack should be done by a professional but the repair may be visible
over time depending on the adhesive used during that process.
If
you chose to remove the faulty part consider replacing it with a
solid surface countertop simulating natural stone. Solid surface
has may superior qualities.
*
Durable * Homogeneous * Seamless * Hygienic * Stain Resistant *
Renewable * Nonporous * Class I Fire rating * Cost Effective
Your
designer or fabricator can offer endless features like:
Ø
Sheets, Ø Shapes, Ø Unlimited Colors, Ø Unique
Textures, Ø Many Looks (stone, glass), Ø Personalize,
Ø Logos, Ø Inlays, Ø Photos, Ø Patterns,
Ø Fabrication Versatility
There
should be plenty of Solid Surface manufacturers in the Cape Cod
area. If you are having problems finding a local shop try one of
the listed web pages to assist you
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R3:
Hello Rhonwen, I am by name called Kefas Malgwi, a Geologist by training,
and having a Masters degree (Technology) in Mineral Exploration. I
read you inquiry through findstone.com
Its unfortunate that by virtue of the distance, i may not be able
to examine you pretty annoying circumstance, but all the same i want
to still comment on some issues raised. 1. Blue Volga granite is a
good granite. 2. The use of reinforcement bars is not the best remedy
in all cases, but the structural outlay must be corrcect.
3. If granite slab cracks after fixing and there is no sign of joint
in the original structure, then the cause of the crack must be treated
otherwise no type of adhesive will be able to seal the crack permanently.
I can not give the definite reason why the slab cracked but if all
factors related to applied pressure on the polished surface proved
nil, i will advise that the orientation of the slad dimension be communicated
to to me or invite the nearest structural engineer/ Geologist to have
a comprehensive study of the sink area and the environment at large.
I wish you good luck. |
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