| Q 8314: What
can you tell me about Smokey Mountain granite and Giallo Napoleone
granite? We are going to use Smokey Mountain on an island in our kitchen,
and Giallo Napoleone on the counters with the sink and cook top. Are
these good choices? Thank you, Judy, Reply |
R1:
Dear Judy: Well, I’ll be … ! First you’re telling me
what stones your going to use, and then you ask me if they are good
choices!! (???) If you’d care about my opinion, shouldn’t
it be the other way around?! :-)
Besides, how about the man?
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8313: I
have read through most of your articles, but I didn't see one that
addresses my problem. I am building a new home, and have chosen granite
for my countertops in 3 out of four baths, and also for my kitchen.
My granite for the master bath is called verde tropical. We chose
a full bullnoze for the edging. When the granite was placed on my
countertop, the bullnozed edge was a much lighter color than the countertop
itself. It looks horrible. We are being told by our granite contractor,
that some granite will oxidize during the fabrication process, and
will return to its normal coloring in three to four months. The same
granite on the tub counter did not discolor. Can you help us? This
particular granite is greenish/blue with black and brown spots. Thank
you for your help. Glenda, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Glenda: “We are being told by our granite contractor, that
some granite will oxidize during the fabrication process, and will
return to its normal coloring in three to four months.”
Too bad I’m
no longer in the fabrication business. If I still were I would make
it a point to remember such original and novel “out”!!
If a “granite”
oxidizes it’s not going to be on a temporary basis, I can promise
you that! Besides, I do know your stone and, if memory serves me
right, it doesn’t have much labradorite or iron mineral in
it to oxidize about. Also, the oxidation happens over a long period
of time, never during the processing at the shop.
The lighter color
in the edge could be because it was not polished properly, or because
the slab had been resined by the factory. Certain resins do make
the stone darker and, when they process the edges (where there’s
no resin) you’re going to have the true color of the stone
as if it had not been resined.
In many cases, the
application of a good-quality stone color enhancer on the edges
of the finished product (like my outlandish MB-6) could solve the
problem. To find out, rub a little bit of baby oil on the edge of
the countertop and see if it blends in with the surface. If that’s
the case, then the color enhancer will work. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8312: I'm
in love with a dark chocolate granite with irridescent spots named
Marron Cohiba (Brazil) or Antique Brown> both names for this particular
granite. It passed the lemon test, I can't scratch it with a carving
knife, but I was able to scratch it with another piece of granite.
The "chunks" of Feldspar? are large and look almost shingle-like.
Does this shatter easily? Any downside to Marron Cohiba, Heather Rosenman,
los angeles, ca, Reply |
R1:
Dear Heather: No, it won’t shatter easy, but I’m afraid
that you’re starting off with the wrong foot.
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8311: Would
you know any reason why a newly renovated bathroom grout would turn
orange? Thanks, Regina, Reply |
R1:
Dear Regina: There could be more than one reason, but to try to narrow
the possibilities down we need to have more information. What kind
of tiles do you have? Ceramic, natural stone or what? What color was
the grout supposed to be? Do you have city water or well water in
your dwelling? Answer that for us and then we’ll take it from
there.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8310: I
want to use marble or any natural stone in my new master bath, but
was told that natural stone after a while in a bathroom application
would start to smell .is this a fact? Reply |
R1:
Dear Ali: After over 40 years of first-hand experience there are days
that I feel like I’ve heard everything. And then, all of a sudden,
when you least expect it, right out of the blue sky, here comes a
brand-new one!! :-)
I once walked in somebody’s bathroom. There was no stone in it,
yet it smelled real bad. What is because of the material they used
to build it with, or because the homeowner was a person that would
never even think of running for a prize in a housekeeping contest?
Mmm … I don’t know … I reckon I’m gonna have to
think real hard about this!! :-)
Don’t listen to idiots, Ali. The stone industry has a lot of
problems to solve, but none of them is related to the bad smell of
stone!! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8309: I
have 200 sq. ft of Brazilian chestnut slate we are planning to put
on the floor,tub surround and shower of our new bathroom. This is
multi colored with a very rough relief.
After reading this website I am somewhat dazed and confused. The tile
store sold us a sealer-Sealers Gold Choice 15- penetrating water based-
no sheen.$50 Cdn.
1) I will be laying out the tile on my garage floor prior to installation,
to plan the layout. Should I seal it at this point? Will this help
prevent grouting from adhering or discoloring? or will I even have
that problem? I still have to seal the grout after installation.
2) I install the tile then wait 24 hours, then grout, then wait 48
hours, then seal??
3) Should I be anticipating any problems with this installation regarding
cleaning etc.?? Reply |
| R1:
I have a question for you: would you still be in time to take that
stuff back where you bought it and get your money back? I won’t
even bother answering your questions. Pre-sealed, sealed or not sealed,
grout sealed etc. slate in general and that specific slate in particular
is the last thing that you want to consider on a floor and in a shower
stall!! :-( :-( Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8308: My
wife and I like the appearance of stones but are getting mixed reviews
on whether to use them in a shower or not. Specifically, we like what
I believe to be a limestone, Lagos Azul. Is this stone appropriate
for a bathroom shower? Also, I am wondering if the quality matters
based on where it is purchased. We have only been able to find this
stone at Waterworks. Thank you, Randy, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Randy: I’m not really familiar with that particular stone.
It is my understanding that’s classified as limestone and what
I gathered is the following comment by one distributor: “Relatively
soft stone; suitable for walls and light traffic floors such as residential
use. Special care required when using on kitchen counters.” Going
by such type of information, it is not advisable to use such material
inside a shower enclosure. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8307: In
recently had a new granite countertop installed in our bathroom. The
installer fastened the overmount sink to the granite with an adhesive,
however, he did not install it evenly with the countertop and now
we need to remove it to straighten it. It has a design so it is quite
noticeable. How can I remove the sink without breaking it? Reply |
R1: Dear
James: How can I remove the sink without breaking it?
You don’t! It is not a DIY project. Get a good installer and
they will know what to do, including using proper metal fasteners
to secure the sink to the stone top when re-installing it. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8306: We
are selecting floor tile for our new townhouse. The area to be covered
is the main entry foyer and hallway leading to the garage. My wife
really likes a marble tile called Rojo Alicante. I have read that
marble flooring can be troublesome to maintain as compared to granite
and I suggested we look at reddish granite that she might find attractive.
Is the marble suitable for this use or should we settle on a granite.
Thanks for the advice! Reply |
| R1:
Dear Nate: It much depends on the kind of traffic you’re going
to have on your foyer floor. And I’m not just talking about the
intensity of the foot traffic: I’m also looking at factors such
as children, pets, etc. All in all the right type of granite is more
rugged and much easier to maintain, but if the conditions are favorable
and if it’s cared for properly, even a nice Rojo Alicante floor
can give you many years of enjoyment. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8305: I
find your site to be both helpful and overwhelming. I had empress
White granite kitchen countertops installed about a year ago. It seems
to be fairly absorbant. I see dark areas where it is used most
frequently even though I always clean up right away. Doesn't look
exactly like a spot or stain from anything specific, just darker in
areas. Can you tell me anything about Empress White should I have
it sealed again as I have seen you suggest to other people if so how
can I clean it first? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: First you will have to attempt removing the stained
areas. Second, you will proceed by applying a good-quality stone impregnating
sealer. Third you will learn how to maintain your countertop properly.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8304: I
had a seem in a kitchen that was not level, so I used dry and wet
polishing pads starting at 50 grit finishing with a 3000 grit. The
factory shine never came back. What can I do to fix this seem? It
appears it is one polishing pad away from a factory shine. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Tim: It depends on the “granite”, but it’s absolutely
rare that you can finish the polishing with diamond alone. Most of
the time you need a good polishing powder to finish the job. Hey,
I have a class coming up on April 20. It’s sold out, but I could
fit you in for the first day only (at a special rate) when I teach
how to surface polish granite. :wink: :) Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
Q 8303: WE
HAD OUR TROPICAL BROWN GRANITE PUT IN OUR KITCHEN 4 MONTHS AGO.
WITHIN TWO OR THREE WEEKS OF INSTALLION WE HAVE BEEN NOTICING PIVOTS
SOME (HOLES) NOT PITS MOSTLY IN THE MAIN EATING AREA WHERE I WASH
MOST OFTEN. I HAVE NEVER APPLIED ANY CHEMICALS TO THE GRANITE EXCEPT
BASIC SOAP AND WATER. I NEED YOUR HELP CAN YOU PLEASE REPLY? THANK
YOU, Reply |
| R1:
Dear David: It’s hard to tell without actually seeing your countertop.
The only advice I can give you is to have your fabricator came back
and fill the holes for you. No matter what, it is most certainly not
something that you could do it yourself. :-( The cleaning procedure
you’ve been following can’t have caused the damages you’re
reporting, but it is certainly not the right way to clean your countertop.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8302: Sir,
I am considering soapstone countertops in our kitchen. Do you have
an opinion on this type of stone. I understand it needs to be sealed
often, and I'm fine with that. What draws me to it is the solidness,
solid type color, the fact that nearly EVERYONE else has granite,
and it also sounds like we could install it ourselves after production.
Thanks for your thoughts. Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: I really don’t know where you got your information.
:?
“I understand
it needs to be sealed often, and I'm fine with that.” Soapstone
doesn’t need to be sealed – ever! The recommended routine
treatment – which I endorse – is to rub some mineral oil
over the surface of the stone on a weekly basis or so. This will
keep the stone “moist” and its color rich. Specialty cleaning
agents are still recommended for daily cleaning.
“Solid type
color.” Are you sure you’ve been looking at soapstone?
:?
Soapstone is not
solid at all color-wise. They have either slight striations all
throughout their texture or marked veining.
“and it also
sounds like we could install it ourselves after production.”
You’ve gotta be kidding me!! I hope it was just an expression.
Don’t even think about it!! :cry:
If it is the fabricator
you’ve been enquiring with who gave you that information, it’s
“quality” should give you pause.
I hope you will understand
the true meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me
that like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the type of “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 8301: We
just had New Venetian Gold countertops installed. The surface initially
felt very gritty to the touch. The fabricator said it was dried up
residue from the sealer. He subsequently came back to clean the surface,
however, the surface still feels somewhat gritty and pitty. Any suggestions
to help with this problem or is it normal for this particular stone.
Thank You. Kevin Hamel. Kevin, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kevin: Without actually seeing your countertop I can’t make
any final comment, but it could be very well be that your countertop
was cut out of a slab that would have never won first prize in a grading
contest! :-( There’s no final remedy, but you could minimize
the surface roughness by rubbing a stick of paraffin wax on your countertop
and then buffing it with a “00” steel-wool pad. It’s
only a makeup, mind you, and as such you will have to repeat it every
now and then, but it does work! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8300: We
would like verde fontaine countertops, honed, and picked up a "color
enhancer" to try on the sample. We did not have water rings,
etc, when we tested the "color enhanced" verde fontaine.
Is this a stone that we should seal? Or is the color enhancer an alternative
to sealer? I'm a little confused about the difference between color
enhancers and sealers, and any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!
Andrea, Reply |
R1:
Dear Andrea: Verde Fontain is a very cool stone from South Africa.
It does not need any impregnating sealer applied to it. The application
of a good-quality color enhancer will minimize the problems related
to a hone-finish. FIY, answering to your last question, a good-quality
stone color enhancer is also an impregnating sealer.
Now, all you have to do is completely forget about the stone and concentrate
on the only vital factor of your “stone equation”!
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8299: We
recently had Ubatuba countertops installed in our remodeled kitchen.
About 3 days after the countertops were installed we found circular
marks left on the counter island top by what appeared to be a pencil.
They would not rub off and looked to be underneath the sealer. The
installer came in to look at the marks and indicated that he had seen
them before and there was nothing he could do to repair the marks.
The kitchen company we went through said that our options where to
accept a discount or pay for part of a new countertop to be installed.
One interesting note was that our island counter top is rather large
and we were initially told that it would need to be seamed. When we
protested they "found" the top that is now installed in
one piece. Did we get a defective slab? Is there any way to repair
what we have? The marks would be about 13 inches in diameter but since
it is on an edge you only see about 1/4 of the circle. Curiously enough
there are several smaller inner circles, again not fully formed but
rather just about 1/20 the the radius that look to be related to the
larger mark but are not exactly concentric. It looks for all the world
that these were marks that were placed on the top of the counter with
a pencil; like someone had been sketching out a cut and they were
not removed before the sealer went on. Your opinion? Thanks, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mary Beth and Kurt: It looks for all the world that these were
marks that were placed on the top of the counter with a pencil; like
someone had been sketching out a cut and they were not removed before
the sealer went on. Your opinion? I have no idea! Just for clarification
sake, no sealer ever went on your countertop: stone is polished by
abrasion and friction – like gemstone – not by applying
a sealer onto it. Having said that, if they are indeed pencil marks
you’re going to have a very hard time to remove them! No matter
what they are, however, you don’t have to accept them, period.
The Statement of the fabricator (“he indicated that he had seen
them before and there was nothing he could do to repair the marks”)
is certainly not satisfactory, as it is not satisfactory the offer
made to you by the kitchen company you bought your countertop through.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8298: I
would like to add additional sheen to my countertops since it appears
to have waterspots and some streaks. What would I use? Thanks, Sandy,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Sandy: Stone is polished by abrasion and friction – like
gemstone – not by applying a topical sealer of sorts onto it.
If your countertop appears to have some “water spots” and
streaks, it might be that the fabricator applied an impregnating sealer
onto it and did not remove the residue of the product thoroughly enough.
(None of the stuff is supposed to be left on the surface.) Other than
that, I wouldn’t know what to tell you without actually seeing
your countertop. I would urge you to call your fabricator back and
solve the problem for you. After all, they made good money out of
you, didn’t they? Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8297: I
am building a new home and would very much like to achieve the “spa”
look in the master bathroom (soft, neutral colors for floor and countertops).
I am considering travertine slab for the countertops, but with reservations.
The local fabricator said it would work as long as we were cautious
and aware of ongoing maintenance. I realize granite is a better choice
for counters but I’d have to abandon the spa look. Advice appreciated!
Thank you, Sheri, Reply |
| Dear Sheri:
Have the slab finished with a low-hone finish and then … go for
it! You will still have to take good care of it, but not any more
that you would as if it were granite. 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. 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. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8296: My
wife and I are in the process of designing a new kitchen. In this
connection, we would like to use carrera marble for the countertop.
My wife prefers the appearance and feel of the honed marble. However,
our contractor prefers polished marble for ease of maintenance and
the porosity problems of the honed. We would appreciate any advice.
Which of your publications would be helpful? Ed Victor, Reply |
R1:
Dear Ed: If your contractor believes that polished marble is easier
to maintain in a kitchen than its hones counterpart, then he should
seriously consider getting out of the stone business altogether! The
porosity of the stone – which is not much, to begin with, can
be easily controlled with a good-quality stone impregnating sealer;
the reactivity of calcite stones (marble, travertine, onyx, limestone,
etc.) to acid, which is so obvious on polished marble surfaces and
that represents by far the major maintenance problem, can not.
Now that we took that out of the way, we can focus on honed marble
surfaces in the kitchen. The reactivity to acidic spills will still
be an unavoidable reality, but it will not be so obvious, due to the
dull nature of a hone finish. Which brings us to the finishing stretch.
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. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8295: We
are trying to install granite kitchen counters. Found a great supplier,
cut it, and it looks great. Now what? I know I need to seam it and
I would like to polish it again before I seal it. But where do I buy
what I need to seam, polish, and seal my new countertops? I have searched
the web and I am thoroughly confused about my next step. Reply |
R1:
Dear Susie Q.: Are you perhaps the Susie Q. I once knew and was “in
love” with?... Never mind! Now, I really hope that you won’t
take offense from what I’m about to say to you, but are you for
real??!
What kind of experience do you have about installing granite countertops?
From what I can gather from your comments, none whatsoever!
I know I need to seam it and I would like to polish it again before
I seal it. To polish it again?? Why should you that? Do you have any
idea on how to polish granite??
And the sealing thing: did you find out if your granite needs to be
sealed at all??!
Come on, Susie Q., you’re pulling my chains, aren’t ya?!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8294: We
live in Madison Wi., and have viewed slabs in Milw. The names don't
always match your list, but a few did that we were interested in.
One in particular is Violetta, which I believe is from Saudi Arabia.
Is it the same as Gran Violet and Tropical Violet? We brought a piece
home and it passed the lemon test. Should it be sealed? Another choice
is Swedish Mahogany, which also passed the lemon test. We are confused
because all the fabricators we have talked to over the phone say that
sealing and impregnating are different and they seal all the "granite"
they work with, even the blacks. Another slab we liked was called
Rosewood but we couldn't find it anywhere and it looks a little like
a Juparana, which we wouldn't touch. We want a very hard stone with
some red in it to contrast all the oak in our kitchen. If we had not
found your website, we would have made a huge mistake in going with
our first choice. Thank you, JKL Wisconsin, Reply |
R1:
Dear Judy: You fabricator must know something that I don’t know,
namely the difference between sealing and impregnating. I’d really
love to know that myself and I was wondering if your fabricator would
be condescending enough to share their knowledge with us!
And then, what do they do to all their granites, do they seal them
or impregnate them??! And what about all the stones that are not granite
(approximately the 95% of all the stone traded as granite), do they
seal them all, too? Or do they impregnate them? Take your business
somewhere else! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8293: I'm
using granite tile for a back splash 6"x12" pieces, what
is the correct adhesion method (thinset, other), when installing should
I butt the bottom to the granite tile top with silicone, or leave
a space and grout or silicone? On using the MB4 sealer will this also
work for the grout or should the grout be sealed with a different
product and then the granite sealed with MB4? I thank you for your
time. Reply |
R1:
Dear Inquirer: MB-4 would seal the grout, too, but if I were you I
would leave a 1/16” grout gap and apply color-matching caulk
instead of grout. I consider that a much better choice.
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. 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. Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8292: I
am thinking of applying urathane as a coating to mexican cross cut
travertine installed on the floor in my house, kitchen as well as
other areas. Is it practical, I am looking for an overall shine rather
than a sheen and blotchy spots? Prior to putting on the coating I
plan to sand the tile down to grit of 1500 wet or dry sandpaper. Reply |
R1:
Dear Andrew: DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!
You have no idea what kind of mess you would get involved with!!
As far as the polish on your stone, you do NOT want polished travertine
in a kitchen to begin with. And if you don’t like the spotty
sheen that you have now, well … why did you choose travertine
to begin with?
Your best option if to have you floor professionally honed with a
good-quality honing powder of 180 grit (or even less, if available)
to get perfectly uniform low-hone finish. That is a very practical
and enjoyable finish, as worry-free as they come! Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8291: My
friend has a beautiful blue stone granite hearth at the base of his
family room fire place. I was stupidly putting oil on my legs to sooth
winter dry skin and only later realized the bottle cap and the bottle
itself created a few circular stains on the hearth. What can I do
about this? I feel awful and am wililng to rent a sand polishes or
whatever to rectify this blunder. Please help! Thank you! Chris, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Chris: DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!! Not only would you end
up screwing your friend stone royally, but you won’t be removing
the stain, either! It is not a big problem, however, and it will cost
you way less that renting some “dangerous” and totally useless
power-tool. All you have to do is to remove the oily stain. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8290: I
have an Uba Tuba counter top and there are marks where a bottle of
Cranberry Juice was on the countertop. Any ideas on how to remove
the stain. I also noticed you said that Uba Tuba is not granite, if
it is not granite what is it? I did seal it when I got the countertop
1 month ago. Thank you, Laura, Reply
|
R1:
Dear Laura: Ubatuba is a stone called Charnockite. It’s quarried
in Brazil near the village of Ubatuba (hence the name).
About your problem, what do those marks look like? Are they darker
than the stone, or do they look like “ghost” stains, sort
of light “water marks”? What prompted you to apply a sealer
to your countertop and what specific product did you use? Answer these
questions and then we’ll take it from there. Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8289: Which
granite is a better choice for kitchen countertops? Blue Eyes or Labrador
Antique? The Blue Eyes slabs I saw have a large fissure or vein running
through it. I did not see that on the Lab. Antique. Is this a concern?
How would that look on a countertop? Any suggestions would be greatly
appreciated. (My cabinets are a golden oak, not dark). THANKS, Pat
H, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Pat: How about the fabricator? Are they any good? If they are,
why should you take upon yourself the responsibility of selecting
a slab? What do you know about it? Do you really know what you have
to look for and how? In a perfect world both stone you mentioned would
be very good, but we don’t live in a perfect world, do we?
I hope you will understand
the true meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me
that like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the type of “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 8288: We
are in the process of renovating our bathroom and we purchased a shower
curtain rod which is semi cicular. It has to be mounted and we have
granite tile on the walls. We are afraid if we drill - the tile will
crack. Is it OK to drill and if so what do you suggest we use and
how to do it. We would appreciate your help. Thanks Donna, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Donna: Quite frankly, I don’t feel comfortable at giving
a DIY green light about drilling granite tiles. You would need special
bits anyway. Get hold of a stone restoration contractor in your area;
it will cost you some but it will buy you peace of mind! 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 8287: And
I need help in deciding on granite (or "granite") color.
Are Brown Pearl & Baltic Brown low absorbant? Santa Cecilia is
perfect coloring for my kitchen, but after reading your remarks about
it, I've decided to look at others. The stone place I went to say
there's no difference between any of the stones. Your advice is greatly
needed and appreciated. Thanks, Beth, Reply |
R1:
Dear Beth: “The stone place I went to say there's no difference
between any of the stones.
That ain’t no stone place: it’s ignorance place! :-(
Go somewhere else without further ado!!
Now back to your questions, I am afraid you’re starting with
the wrong foot. All the stones you listed could be an excellent choice,
but …
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8286: We
recently had installed Costa Smeralda granite on our kitchen countertops.
In the morning light as one walks into the room, it looks as though
the granite is covered in etchings, which make it appear as thought
it might be spots that need to be cleaned. In fact, when you stand
above the granite, you realize it's the variation in grain that causes
that effect - light/dark grains, quartz, etc. Is this common in Costa
Smeralda? Is there any way to improve the look in daylight to avoid
this appearance of "smudges" or "etchings" on
the granite as one walks into the kitchen? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Lois: Lots of stones that are no granite are traded as granite.
It’s illegal, I don’t like it, but for as long nobody is
going to complaint loud enough there’s not much that can be done
about it. So, let’s just call all them stones, “mercantile
granite Costa Esmeralda shouldn’t even be classified as such.
Nobody knows exactly what that thing is, it scratches easily, nobody
seems to be able to spot polish it on location (personally I never
had a chance to try. I’m just reporting the feedback of several
stone restoration contractors and fabricators that tried it) and yes,
it may have all the highs and lows you’re reporting. It’s
a natural tract of that particular stone – whatever that is –
especially on not top grade slabs.I bet that you went and picked out
the slab yourself, didn’t you? which goes to prove two things:
1. The average consumer has not a clue on what to look for when selecting
a slab of “granite”. That’s why I always say that’s
a futile and risky exercise. Let the pros do it and take the responsibility!
2. One should never select his or her countertop starting from the
“granite”. The human factor (the fabricator) is the only
thing that really counts. Now, answering to your question, the answer
is, no. There’s nothing that can be done about it. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist |
| Q 8285: What
can you tell me about using sapphire blue as a countertop product?
Is is porous? Is the surface more likely to be pitted due to polishing?
Is it actually a real granite? Any information would be most helpful.
Also is there a list of high quality granite countertop choices available?
Thanks! Debbie, Reply |
R1:
Dear Debbie: It sure ain’t granite, but it’s a very good
stone on paper. Is it porous? No it is not porous.
Is the surface more likely to be pitted due to polishing?”
Quite honestly I don’t understand the question. Who gave you
that piece of information?
Which brings us to the real issue! I hope you will understand the
true meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me that
like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the type of “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 8284: I
currently have a slate shower that I need to reseal .. while I realize
that slate is not an ideal stone for the shower (and replacing it
is not an option at this point),so I was wondering if you can you
suggest any sealers that would work best to help water from penetrating
the tiles? In the past, Tilelab 'Matte Sealer and Finish' was used,
which works but wears off quickly, and most recently I was trying
to use TileLab's 'SurfaceGard Penetrating Sealer' since that is supposed
to be a longer lasting sealer, but I've now applied that sealer 12
times to the slate over 3 days and it's still not sealed (water still
absorbs into the stone quite rapidly). By now I am on the verge of
using something like polyurethane or similar product to permannetly
seal it to avoid hassle in the future, but I am certainly open to
suggestions if you have any. Thanks, Laurence, Reply |
R1:
Dear Laurence: Look, I‘m not trying to be a wise guy, really,
but since the ripping out of the shower stall is not an option, I
really don’t know what to tell you. Polyurethane type sealer?
I really don’t know. It may work, but then it may not. After
all, by saying slate you’re saying absolutely nothing, considering
the galactic structural differences between one slate and the next.
My best suggestion is to go back to the “slate people” and
ask them to solve the problem for you. After all, they made good money
out of you, didn’t they?!
Besides, since they sell it, they must know everything and then some
about it! Just be a little patient: they are so busy selling it that
they may not have much time to answer your question. Just sit tight
… don’t hold your breath, but, hey, you never know!... It
may just happen! :-( Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8283: We
are about to purchase 48 sq ft of Verde Peacock "granite"
countertop. I noticed that the visually similar Uba Tuba is considered
a true granite. Is the Verde Peacock also a true granite ? The slab
indicates Brazilian origins. All these answers you give make me want
as much info as possible to understand what I am getting into. Lots
of research has been done, and yet, as with most things, I feel I
have not "scratched " the surface. (pardon the expression).
Marshall NH, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Marshall: I feel I have not "scratched " the surface.”
I like that! :-)I noticed that the visually similar Uba Tuba is considered
a true granite.
There are many people who also believe that the “Italian dressing”
is what they use in Italy to dress their salad! (That was the first
thing I discovered when I moved to this country; I never heard of
it before! Never tasted it, either!! :wink:)
Ubatuba is Charnockite,
and so is Verde Peacock, and they’re both from Brazil. would
you like to know if they are any good for a kitchen countertop?
In a perfect world they would indeed be, but we don’t live
in a perfect world, do we?! :-(
I hope you will understand
the true meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me
that like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the type of “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 8282: We
are in the process of remodeling our kitchen and have decided to go
with granite countertops. My contractor took me to Arizona Tile to
look at granite slabs. I really like INDIAN PARANA. Do you have any
information about the quality of this granite. I was told it is a
very popular choice, however I have found very little information
about this name on the Internet. Thank you for your help, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: I did see that particular “granite” but I
don’t know much about it. If you’re interested, I can give
you the list of my favorite granites: a good fabricator! End of the
list!
What I mean by that
is that you’re starting your “granite adventure”
with the wrong foot!
I hope you will understand
the true meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me
that like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the type of “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 8281:
I recently ordered some granite bench top that came premade from China
on the underside of the bullnose there are several cracks I have been
told that these can be polished out is this true if so what would
I use to polish them out with. Also because of the transport involved
the sink hole hasn't been cut in any advice on the best way to cut
this would be appreciated. Paul, Reply |
R1:
Dear Paul: "there are several cracks I have been told that these
can be polished out is this true if so what would I use to polish
them out with."
You can try with some stone sealer, but you have to perform some specific
ritual before and after for best results! ;-)
"Also because of the transport involved the sink hole hasn't
been cut in any advice on the best way to cut this would be appreciated."
You can try your with your toenail-clipper!! :-)
Just having some fun at your expenses, Paul! I am in a particular
good mood today and I hope you won't mind! :-)
Joking aside, quite honestly there's absolutely nothing that you can
do. Without mentioning the necessary know-how - which is paramount
- the equipment necessary to perform both jobs would set you back
at least twice as much what you paid for your countertop. You have
no option but contact a reputable stone fabrication facility in your
neck of the woods. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8280: Any
advice/words of caution/encouragement on using Kashmir Gold, Giallo
Santa Elena or Giallo Santa Cecelia granite on our kitchen countertops?
My husband and I really like the look of a lighter colored granite
but are worried about staining, etc. Your expertise would be very
much appreciated here.Thank you!Shelly, Reply |
R1:
Dear Shelly: I remember that once I saw a sign on the gate of a house
saying: "Beware of the dog!". A couple of house down the
street there was another sign saying: "Never mind the dog - beware
of the owner!" :-)
Where I'm trying to drive with this one is: "Never mind the stone
- beware of the fabricator!"
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I'm about to say.
It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage you
seem mostly interested in the type of "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 8279: We
just had 18 x 18 Travertine put down in and it is not level. I seemed
to get worse after it sat for a while. The edges are sticking up.
Big mess. aprox 900 sq ft What can we do to salvege this mess? Reply |
R1:
Dear Diana: And "Michelangelo" strikes again! Since he's
so famous and so "popular" I hope that your "Michelangelo"
has plenty of money, because it's gonna cost approximately 7K to 9K
to make your floor right! It is indeed possible to make it right:
the whole floor must be ground, the travertine tiles must be re-filled
after the first two grinding cuts, and the job will go on with the
honing and finished with the polishing.
Now, you'd better watch out! I consider stone grinding/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! You've already met "Michelangelo";
you don't want to meet his brother now, do you?! ;-)
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 8278: We
are in the process of building a new home and are considering installing
filled and honed Turkish travertine floors in the kitchen and foyer/hall.
How practical is this type of flooring with children in the home?
Will is scratch, stain, crack easily? Also, my husband wants to install
it himself. He has experience with porcelain tile but has never worked
with natural stone. Is the pretty much the same? What's your advise.
Reply |
R1:
Dear Adriana: The material itself is practical. In the kitchen
you may want to consider applying a good-quality stone impregnator
to help prevent staining. Some scratching will happen, but it's part
of the "aging" of the project, toward a priceless "lived-in"
look. If installed properly it will not crack at all. Which brings
up the installation issue. I hope your husband will understand that
what I'm about to say is not meant do under-rate his installation
abilities, but as a professional consultant I can [B]not[/B] give
the green light for a natural stone installation to a person who has
no specific experience (and lots of it!) with it. That said, it may
very well be that your DH is probably better than certain "Michelangelos"
who pass themselves for professionals and charge money for what they
do, but officially I must say: don't do it! No hard feelings, I hope!
:-)
If he still insists, then make sure that the sub-floor has the right
rate of deflection to support a natural stone installation, use only
white thin-set, keep the grout gap at around 1/16", use sandless
grout, and make sure that the "lippage" is within industry
standards, that is 1/13" (the thickness of a dime). Oh, I almost
forgot, keep your fingers crossed all along! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8277: We
have honed absolute black and it looks great. I have just read your
responses to peoples problems 'staining" problems of stripping
off the sealer and enjoy the stone. We have found that a quick cleaning
with Bon Ami does the trick and cleans off any grease or water stains
or what ever. I put some red wine on a sample and did not see any
stain.
My question is this...does the Bon Ami have any adverse effect on
the stone? Thanks for your help and your columns are informative and
entertaining. Keep up the great work. Lee, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Lee and Marilyn: “My question is this...does the Bon Ami
have any adverse effect on the stone? I have no idea. Do you? What
I mean is that we spend a large amount of money in R & D to make
sure that our specialty products are safe on as many stones as humanly
possible. You don’t expect us to spend money to find out if any
generic product available on the market is safe on any one particular
stone, do you??! Why don’t you ask the makers of that product
if the recommend it on black granite? My recommendation with honed
black absolute is to apply a stone color enhancer (which is also an
impregnating sealer) instead of a regular impregnating sealer to minimize
the problem of surface-staining. So, I really don’t know where
you took it that I encourage people to strip the sealer and enjoy
the stone. I say that about polished black granite, not hone-finished.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8276: I
was hoping to replace countertops with granite thinking they were
relatively maintenance and stain free. I was looking at the brown/tan
granite. After reading your question and answers on the Internet -
it is scarry. The claims are a little different than what I have read
on this site. Is there granite that is very durable? Pam, Reply |
R1:
Dear Pam: The only thing that people should be scared of is ignorance.
Unfortunately, in the stone industry you’re going to find plenty
of that! :-( In fact, the worst enemies of the stone industry are
its own operators. All too many don’t know what stones they dealing
with, or they didn’t receive proper training, or they are members
of the “sealing cult” (they solve ALL problems by sealing
everything in sight, but then they can’t tell you what to do
to your stone on a daily basis!), and so on. But there are many –
and I do mean, MANY - good ones out there! The question is how to
recognize the good ones?
I can take the ignorance factor out of the equation and help you out
by giving you the right intelligence! Take the ignorance out of the
picture and – believe you me – granite is indeed the best
material that money can buy as a kitchen countertop!
Bottom line; don’t focus your attention on the stone: focus your
attention on the human 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 8275: My
wife and I are considering purchasing a condo with limestone tile
flooring in the kitchen. The tiles appear to be dirty and dull, with
some stains. Can they be brought back to a nice polished look? Don,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Don: I’m gonna give it to you nice and sweet: As part of
the cost of purchase of your condo you will want to consider the cost
of the replacement of the limestone floor with something more suitable!
Did you get my drift?! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8274: We
recently had Volga Blue granite countertops installed in our kitchen.
We noticed 3 areas on the granite where there are 3-4 inch irregular
very fine lines running through the granite, with one of these lines
going over the overhang of the breakfast bar, the others are around
the sink. (We do have extra support under the breakfast bar for the
granite.) A representative from the granite company come out to examine
these lines and we were informed these were "fissures",
and that they are normal for Volga Blue granite. There are no other
areas similar to these "fissures" throughout the remainder
of the granite countertops. The representative (templater) used an
adhesive on these fissures and smoothed it out with a razor blade.
There is no adhesive that appears to have penetrated through to the
underside of the granite. The company is willing to replace the granite
slabs but assures us it is "normal" for Volga Blue to look
this way. The question is how does a consumer know the difference
between a fissure and a crack in granite? We are questioning whether
we should procede with having the granite replaced or keep what we
have since this is a "normal" pattern with Volga Blue. Reply |
R1:
Dear Toni: The question is how does a consumer know the difference
between a fissure and a crack in granite?
There’s no easy answer to your question. I could spot a crack
from a fissure in half a second flat, but I must admit that it tales
a trained eye. What it emerges from your story is that you seem to
be in the hands of a reputable fabricator who’s very concerned
to see you satisfied. And that is indeed a very good thing!
Yes, Volga Blue does have natural fissures, so it might very well
be that in this case your fabricator is not taking you for a ride.
If there are no other problems, I would accept the installation if
I were you. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8273: I
am in the process of investigating installing a kitchen granite countertop.
I really like the paladio green granite stone. I have read all of
the available questions on kitchen countertops but have not read any
opinions about paladio green granite. Is this real granite? Will it
be a good choice for a kitchen countertop? The fabricator is recommending
that it be polished and sealed. Is that accurate?I do not want to
make a costly mistake. Reply |
R1:
Dear Carol: One could seldom make a costly mistake by choosing a certain
stone. All the costly mistakes – bar none – about granite
kitchen countertops reported in this and other online stone-related
bulletin boards have one common denominator and one common denominator
only: the wrong fabricator!
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8272: I
am in the process of building a house & have fallen in love with
as marble called Serpentine Vittoria. I have wondering if marble,
& perhaps this color in particular, is suitable for kitchen use.
The counter will be 14 feet long so it will be prominent. Finally,
in your estimation, what is the best surface for kitchens. Does that
differ from bathrooms? Thank you very much, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: I have no idea what kind of stone you’re talking
about. Usually, if well sealed and properly cared for, serpentine
is a good choice, but that is as far as I can go with my comment.
I would really need to know what stone it is to make a final assessment.
I hope you will understand
the true meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me
that like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested
in the type of “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 8271: We
recently put a new swimming pool and outdoor kitchen in and used Austin
Stone for most of the kitchen area and back (high) wall of swimming
pool. The stone has begun to show a greenish (mold, maybe?) color
in a few areas. Can that be cleaned with a mild detergent mix? Thanks
for your help. Ashley, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Ashley: Which Austin stone are you talking about, the natural
one quarried near Austin, TX or the cultured (manmade) Austin stone?
If it’s the real
thing, then a treatment with a specialty mildew stain remover like
my amazing MB-9 should work.
If it is the cultured
version, then the product should work, too, but you should be checking
with the manufacturer of the material if they have any other suggestions
and if their material is sensitive to Sodium Hypochlorite. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8270: Today
our contractors completed a portion of setting 16" porcelein
tiles with bullnose edges on our kitchen counter top. They used matching
epoxy instead of grout. This is about 6 hours later, there are what
appear to be popped bubbles or crators in the epoxy and it has run
on some of the backsplash tiles. What caused this and what can be
done? Also, the three corners are extremely sharp and open on the
edges where the bullnose pieces are mitered. They look awful and feel
dangerous.What happened here and what can be done? There is a 1/4
to 1/2 " space between the tiles. I wanted 1/8 but they said
because of staying with whole tiles, it was necessary to make the
space larger. They ran out of epoxy and will return on Monday to complete
the job. What should I tell them? This was quite expensive. Stardust,
Reply |
R1:
Dear Stardust: What can you honestly expect me to say? If I have to
go with your report you had a close encounter with “Michelangelo”
and your whole countertop has to be re-done completely :cry: The grout
is developing “weird” problems, the grout gap is definitely
too wide (no matter what kind of lame excuse you were given) and those
sharp edges are not acceptable by all standards.
Get rid of the guy, chalk it up to the cost of being alive, keep in
mind that after all is only money, and get someone else who know what
they’re doing. I don’t think you’re ever going to get
anything out your current contractor. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8269: We
have a South African slate/cement end table. Placed a table top water
fountain on it that has copper leaves to cascade the water. The water
splashes off of the fountain base, which has small pebbles on it for
decoration. Seems the copper residue has stained the slate with a
blue-green residue. Can’t seem to get it off. Tried using baking
soda, which didn’t help. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks, in
advance. Wes, Reply |
R1:
Dear Wes: 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 8268: We
recently purchased a new house and had Juperana (?) St. Cecelia countertops
installed. There appears to be a sandy feeling to the countertops
- like fine salt. I tried wiping them down with water and, initially,
the grittiness goes away. I also use "StoneTech Professional
Revitalizer" recommended by the granite company. A few hours
later, the grit is back. The granite distributer/installer says it's
because the granite is very porous and the "crystals" are
leeching out. He had a tech reseal it, who said it was because of
the grout that used on the backsplash was not cleaned up properly.
Well, the granite "crystals" are still leeching. The contractor
seems to think in time it will be okay. We only have a few months
left on the house warranty. I have found out through my niece (building
contractor) that this may be a substandard piece of granite. Please
help! Reply
|
R1:
Dear Steve: “Juperana (?) St. Cecelia” Yeah, you’re
right: (?) :-)
“A few hours later, the grit is back.”
Wow, I’m shocked to hear that!! ;-)
“The granite distributer/installer says it's because the granite
is very porous and the "crystals" are leeching out.”
Ooookaayyy … So what? I mean, now that they “know”
what it is, what are they gonna do about it??
“He had a tech reseal it”
Oh, was that the solution? Did they perform some rite before and after
the sealing procedure? You know … it’s part of the “sealing
cult!” Somehow the sealer seems to work better if they do that!!
“… who said it was because of the grout that used on the
backsplash was not cleaned up properly.”
That’s a new one! I must write this down for my file! (The one
where I keep all my jokes!) LOL!
“The contractor seems to think in time it will be okay.”
Somehow I was expecting something like that!!
“I have found out through my niece (building contractor) that
this may be a substandard piece of granite. Please help!”
What’s that thing that I see on a distance, some light? …
Yeah, that’s it: it IS light!! “Please help!” If you
can’t reach an amicable solution, only in a court of law you
could find your satisfaction; but it would be very difficult even
if you have an expert on your side. If you reach that point, you’re
best line of attack would to contend that what they sold you is not
granite. And that is something that’s much easier to prove than
the low grading of the slab. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8267: Anyway,
I think I have deduced from what you have written that if I want a
flat finish on a countertop the lesser of all evils is (scratch-prone)
soapstone. - right or wrong? You also, to put it mildly, HATE slate.
- it's also VERY expensive, oh well You recommend a high gloss granite
as the best countertop choice- right?
My question to you is - what's a girl to do who likes a matte finish
countertop made of NATURAL STONE (of any kind- I am open) and what
should I do? I already placed my order for Honed Jet Mist - ooooh
the worst of ALL!! I think I still have a small window to change my
order from Expo though!! Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you
for being so knowledgeable and opinionated!! Lisa Versaci Hoboken,
NJ, Reply |
R1:
Dear Lisa: “OK, Maurizio- you were in one of my dreams last night-
I met you!” Oh boy! Don’t let my wife hear this!! :lol:
:8 “Anyway, I think I have deduced from what you have written
that if I want a flat finish on a countertop the lesser of all evils
is (scratch-prone) soapstone. - right or wrong?”
Right! But soapstone is not so bad! :wink: The scratch thing is not
that big of a deal, considering how easy it is to repair it.
“You also, to put it mildly, HATE slate.” No, I don’t.
First off, I don’t [B][I]really[/B][/I] hate anybody, but I would
never hate a stone! Let’s just say that I can’t stand the
merchants who sell slate as a suitable material for a kitchen countertop.
It has to do with business ethics. What can I tell you, I’m so
naïve!...:cry:
“My question to you is - what's a girl to do who likes a matte
finish countertop made of NATURAL STONE (of any kind- I am open) and
what should I do?” Unless you go with soapstone, you may want
to look into schist, such as Petra di Cardosa. But I highly doubt
that you can find that stuff at the EXPO. And yes, if you have a chance,
cancel you current order! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8266: My
name is Yvonne and my husband and I just purchased a brand new home
in September 2004. I bought all the professional cleaners for my hardwood
floors, granite countertops and marble shower. I began to notice some
white streaks or lines beginning to appear on my Absolute Black Granite
kitchen countertops. So I went and purchased some restorer, I followed
the directions on the bottle and when I removed the restorer my white
towels were no longer white. They had black/grey color on them and
my countertops were now gray as well. This also, happened to another
home owner across the street, except he used products which were the
products the home builder recommends.
I have the home builder looking into my countertops, the person that
installed my countertops has come to my home and tried to get the
gray out but it did not work. As of right now I think the only way
to get my countertops the way I want them and what I paid for is to
have them replaced. And when I say replaced, replaced with a totally
different type of granite, I was thinking of Tropical Brown so that
the granite will still go with my cabinets and kitchen colors.
Do you have any other suggestions on how to "restore" the
black in my countertops? My home is 5 months old and I really don't
want them to have to come in a replace my countertops. I am so tired
of having workers in my home correcting issues that should not be
issues. I just want to be able to live in my house in peace.
I have read articles on the internet about Absolute Black countertops
being dyed, I wish I would have done my homework on this before I
pick this granite for my kitchen countertops. Thanks, Yvonne, Reply |
R1:
Dear Yvonne: “Do you have any other suggestions on how to "restore"
the black in my countertops?”
Unfortunately I’m not into “black magic” (literally!
:-))! Who did the “black magic” to those slabs are their
producers! :-(
Clearly your “black” granite has been doctored (it’s
probably Black Zimbabwe, but it could be something else) and with
your “restorer” thing – whatever that is that you used
– you removed the black “shoe shine” that they applied
on your stone to make it “blacker” and, therefore more “sellable”.
Now, you have the true color of your stone before you, and, if you
like it, I can assure you that’s a very enjoyable stone and that
the current color will never change. Needless to say, it’s a
full-fledged fraud and you do have a “black and white” case
even if in this particular instance the subject is … well, grey!
;-)
Baltic Brown could be a good alternative, but if you like black there’s
no reason for you to change your mind based on one bad experience.
What you have to change is not the stone that you have in mind but
the fabricator! A good fabricator would have never used doctored slabs,
and if they don’t know the difference it’s even worse!
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8265: Do
you sell, or do you know of a product that I can fill in the dents
and holes in my travertine floors? We tried a kwimi (sp?), but it
di not hold. Any kind of at home repait kit that I can do myself?
Thanks, Julie, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Julie: If the filling that you have to do is not very extensive,
my favorite filler is color-matching latex-based caulk. It’s
effective, easy to handle and cheap to boot! :wink: In the case of
travertine, an Almond color is all you need most of the time. Squeeze
the stuff inside the hole, push is down as deep as possible with a
flexible 3” putty knife (apply some more stuff if needed) and
then, after 5 minutes or so of curing, “shave” the excess
with a brand-new wet razor blade so that the filler is flush with
the floor. While still sticky, carefully clean around the hole with
a damp rag (warm water). Avoid walking on the filled holes for 24
hours or so and you’re back in business! :-) Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8264:
I am looking for some help. I have a marble floor throughout my house.
When the marble was installed there were several areas that were lifted
at the corners. The person who installed it for me tried to sand the
floor with sandpaper 320. The problem is it left dull marks around
all the areas that were sanded. We tried to buff it out, but we were
unsuccessful. I need help-what do you suggest that we do? By-the-way
it is a coffee-mocha red color marble. Pastor, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Pastor Felipe: I can see that you had a close encounter with
“Michelangelo”! :(
Your only option is
to have the floor professionally ground and refinished. But, after
meeting “Michelangelo” I don’t think that you want
to meet his brother now, do you?! :) What I mean is that 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 8263: I
just had granite counter tops installed in my kitchen (I think it
was Baltic brown) and I am confused with he sealing process. I sealed
it this morning and was wondering when it would be safe to polish
it? Thank you for your time and if there is any step I am missing
here and you could help me out, I would greatly appreciate it. Laura,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Laura: Pardon me if I am a little confused. You sealed your Baltic
Brown this morning, but did you find out before hand if it needed
to be sealed at all? Many a time BB does not need to be sealed.
What’s most puzzling,
however, is your question about the polishing issue. What on heart
do you mean by “… was wondering when it would be safe
to polish it?” Wasn’t your slab polished already? They
are always polished in the factory before they go to the shop. (Many
shops don’t even know how to polish the slab they buy.) So
what’s wrong with your countertop that you feel like if you
want to polish? And besides, what do you plan to polish it with?
There are probably no more than a couple of dozen professional stone
refinishers all throughout the country that could polish granite
on location!
So, please, be more
specific with your query about the “polishing” issue if
you want my advice. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8262: We
recently had a lot of flagstone put in. After the torrential rains
we recently had in California, the natural iron deposits in the stone
have left a rusty mess. Do you have any suggestions for cleaning this
up and preventing it from happening again? Thank you. Diana, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Diana: By saying flagstone you’re only indicating the random
shape that many a stone can come in, but you’re certainly not
saying what kind of stone you have. It could be sandstone, slate,
schist … And again, even a general indication of slate or sandstone
wouldn’t mean much, considering how many different (and I do
mean different) types of slate and sandstone there are! At any rate,
and back to your problem, I have to go with the assumption that your
particular stone has a high content of iron mineral in it and that
the rain has find its way under the stones (or, maybe, just a raise
in the water-table underneath, which is typical after an unusual amount
of precipitation). If that’s the case, the answers to both your
questions are respectively: no and nothing. Sorry. :-( A water-proof
membrane should have been installed under your flagstone to help preventing
that. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8261: I
live in Long Island, NY and everyone who upgrades their kitchen uses
granite. I want something different, so I selected soapstone but my
kitchen designer and contractor are pushing granite or silestone.
I appreciate your comments and suggestions about a distributor. Thanks,
Walter, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Walter: Comparing soapstone with granite is like comparing
orange with apple; therefore I will not go into a comparison contest.
If you like soapstone there’s nothing wrong with it. Yes it scratches
very easy (your fingernails will do!) but the scratches can be easily
repaired with some wet sandpaper. On the positive side, it’s
a stone that’s totally impervious to acids (it used to be the
very favorites of chemical labs for that particular reason) and does
not require any sealing, since it does not absorb any liquid. To avoid
the possibility that it could get too “dry” a periodic treatment
with mineral oil is recommended (once every two weeks or so). That’s
all there is to it, really. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8260: We
have recently installed terrazzo tile (Wausau was the manufacturer)
in a residential application and have noticed that the finish appears
to be very uneven when reflecting light. I'm not referring to the
difference in gloss between the aggregate chips and the concrete matrix
(which is to be expected), but to an overall sheen disparity. The
installer used a product called "911" as the impregnating
sealer, but it appears that something else is going to be needed to
give the floor a more even sheen. Is there anything that you can recommend
that won't require frequent maintenance and stripping? Thank you so
much for your attention to this matter. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Michael: Being strictly a below-surface sealer, the impregnator
applied to your floor could not affect – and in fact it did not
affect – the original factory finish of your terrazzo tiles.
(BTW, I love Wausau tiles!) I wouldn’t recommend the application
of a topical floor finish, unless you’d like to have your terrazzo
look like plastic, not to mention the fact that periodic stripping
and reapplication is a procedure that no natural stone quite enjoys!
Your best bet is to
have your floor actually polished by a professional stone refinisher.
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 8259: Hi,
I have a question,, I have installed Madura GOld granite in my kitchen
counter tops, about 7 sqaure meteres. It seems to absorb water and
liquids , it gets darker for a minute or two then it returns to its
original color.. Will this stain?? Or does it need to be sealed? the
company that installed it never saiod anything about it soaking in
water. if it is a sealer that I need can you recommend one please..
I do have to transport to Cyprus in Europe.. and have a baggage allowance.
Your help would be apprecaited. thanks,,, wesley, Reply |
R1:
Dear Wesley: “It seems to absorb water and liquids, it gets darker
for a minute or two then it returns to its original color.. Will this
stain?? If it is only water that you spill, it will not stain it,
but if you spill coffee or cooking oil, etc., it WILL stain, all right!
Or does it need
to be sealed? You betcha! Very definitely it does. “if it is
a sealer that I need can you recommend one please?” Well, what
can I tell you, my outlandish MB-4 is “your man” all right!
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8258: could
you please tell me how you clean a lava rock counter top in a bathroom;
it is very porous. Thank you in advance, christine, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Christine: There are two issues that need to be addressed: 1.
The porosity of the stone. 2. The natural roughness of lava rock.
About the first point, if you didn’t apply an impregnator sealer
like my outlandish MB-4 to your vanity top yet, it’s high time
for you to do that! :-) Unfortunately, there’s not much that
can be done about the second point, is there? :-( Well, the best you
can do is to use good-quality specialty products for stone like my
amazing MB-5 and some extra elbow-grease! :-) Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8257: I
have just installed new slate tile and grout. (applied grout 03/06/05)
however the grout is not the color expected. Is there a way to stain
the grout a darker color? The tile has not been sealed yet. Any help
is greatly appreciated. Wendy, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Wendy: If the color of the grout is the one you like when the
grout is wet, then the application of a good-quality stone color enhancer
like my outlandish MB-6 should do the trick for you. If instead you’re
looking for a different color (not just darker) you can inquire with
your local tile and stone dealer about specific products to stain
grout. Keep in mind the risk, however: both the color enhancer and
the staining agent could be absorbed by the slate and stain it permanently.
It wouldn’t matter much if you apply an impregnating sealer to
the slate prior the application of either one of the two products.
No impregnating sealer would ever offer 100% protection against a
grout staining product, but, most importantly the staining could occur
because the color enhancer or the staining agent would be absorbed
by the sides of the tiles, not the top.
If you opt for a color
enhancer, you could also consider the possibility of enhancing the
whole installation (how do you like your slate when wet?), while
you could certainly not do that is you’d opt for a grout staining
product. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8256: We
have an epoxy stain at our seamline and are unable to get it out.
The granite is Canadian Gold Leaf. Please advise Rick, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Rick: All you can do is try to poultice it out (you may have
to try a few times) with a paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride.
(Nasty stuff! Do follow all precautionary directions printed on the
can!) Oh … I almost forgot: make sure to keep your fingers crossed!
It may just work!! :-) Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8255: I
can't figure out how to clean/care for our natural slate tile shower.
We were told to use only vinegar and water...which was working for
about the first 8 months, however, a white film has started to develop
(maybe soap scum... maybe mineral deposits??)... Our shower is about
a year old and this just started about a month ago.
We resealed at 6 months and we want to reseal it again, but want to
get it clean first. What do we do? What cleaning products can we use
on the natural slate? If we reseal with the white stuff on the stone
will we be sealing in the "yuck" and white color?? Any suggestions
are much appreciated. Thank you - Shelly Goodman, Reply |
R1:
Dear Shelly: Since when is one supposed to use an acidic concoction
to clean natural stone? And since when vinegar is a cleaning agent?
For all I know it belongs in a salad bowl and other cooking purposes
it was originally designed for! :-)What you're reporting could even
be the damage that the vinegar did to your slate (etching) over eight
months of use, or an actual accumulation of soap film (vinegar can't
cut through it), or efflorescence. If it is etching (surface damage
created by the use of vinegar), all you can hope for is to cover up
the damage (it's impossible to repair it, due to the natural cleft
finish of slate) with the application of a good-quality stone color
enhancer, which you will have to repeat ever couple of months or so.
If it is actual soap film. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8254: I
am looking to install Ubatuba in my kitchen. The stone is 1-1/2"
thick. Should there be some sort of underlayment or other support
before the granite is placed on the counters? I am concerned about
the weight, as some of the pieces will be quite long. Also, the dealer
tells me that they will bullnose the edges by machine, and there will
not be any gluing. In other words, it will all be one piece. I am
concerned about how this will look. Pamela, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Pamela: I’m afraid that I don’t quite understand your
concern. Certain people would be willing to kill to have a seamless
countertop, and you’re concerned about the way it’s going
to luck?! :? As for the placement of the stone on your cabinet tops,
if the fabricator will make sure that there are no stress points and
will address any possible deficiency in level, you shouldn’t
have any problem. The weight issue is a different story altogether,
but that has nothing to do with the fact that the countertop is going
to be seamless. It’s the thickness of the slab the determining
factor. In the vast majority of case, however, even with slabs so
thick the installation is going to be successful, for as long all
the proper criteria are met. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8253: I
am trying to determine if it is possible and if so how difficult to
clean a sandstone exterior of a 100 year old victorian. The previous
owners painted part of the sandstone and we would need to remove the
paint and clean the surrounding sandstone so that it all matches then
tuckpoint. What would you recommend to clean and remove the paint?
Any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thank You Annette,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Annette: Under normal circumstances I would suggest you to power-wash
your exterior stone with my amazing MB-9, but the presence of paint
creates a whole abnormal scenario. Under the circumstances, although
my heart bleeds by telling you this, your only option is sandblasting.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8252: Hello,
with much debate I finally made the decision to choose travertine
over ceramic tiles for our living room and kitchen flooring. Because
both my husband and I do not know anything about the difference between
the two (and the decision came down mainly based on the look), I have
been on the internet trying to get as much info as possible and that's
when I found you! I read your response to someone with regards to
using a stone color enhancer instead of impregnator? What is the difference
between the two? Are these two also the same as 'sealer'? We already
found a cream with some beige and light taupe(ish) color travertine
tile that we want (will be installed this weekend!) Which one should
I use for travertine flooring? The salesperson said that we only need
a sealer but now that I read about color enhancer and impregnator
I just have to ask. I just want to make we use the right stuff on
it before it's too late. I appreciate your input! Geraldine, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Geraldine: I hope that when you say “travertine” you
mean honed and filled, travertine, opposed to polished. There wouldn’t
be anything wrong with polished travertine in your living room, but
you sure don’t want that in your kitchen! :cry:
As for the issue of
color enhancer vs. impregnating sealer, a color enhancer is also
an impregnating sealer. Therefore it boils down to personal preferences:
a color enhancer will deepen the color of the stone, an impregnator
will not.
The question is: will
the color enhancer produce any real difference? In most instances,
when dealing with light-colored stones a color enhancer will not
make much of a difference. To find out how your stone will look
after the application of a color enhancer, rub a section of one
tile with some baby oil, and make sure to remove every excess of
the bay oil from the surface of the stone. If you like what you
see, then the color enhancer will give you that look permanently
(the baby oil will evaporate in a matter of a day or two), if not
then you should consider an impregnating sealer instead. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8251: Will
this show fingerprints, stains, streaks, etc on kitchen counters?
I love the look of honed but someone said the regular might "wear"
better. Any thoughts/info are welcome! Thanks! Elaine, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Elaine: 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 (a good-quality stone color-enhancer
is also an impregnator/sealer) like my outlandish MB-6 it will turn
it permanently black, while preserving the hone finish. In that
way, the surface-staining problem would be minimized.
Let’s just hope
that your fabricator, in their “infinite wisdom,” did
not apply an impregnator/sealer to your stone: this would have to
be stripped (not an easy feat!), or else the color/enhancer wouldn’t
stand a chance to work properly.
And don’t you
forget that in order to upkeep your stone and the color enhancer,
your best bet is to use good-quality specialty products for stone.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8250: After
much deliberation and research, we have decided to use Green Vermont
Slate for the countertops in our newly remodeled kitchen. Ours is
an old house, and we definitely do not like the look of polished granite,
and have been told that honed granite is a maintenance headache. We
considered practically every natural stone product (marble, limestone,
soapstone) before concluding that Vermont slate was best for us. Our
understanding is that slate mined in Vermont (vs. Brazil or India)
does not require sealing, and is practically maintenance free. Is
that true? Is there any reason NOT to install this slate in our kitchen?
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Inquirer: Yes, is true, the Green Vermont Slate doesn’t
require any sealing. But from this to conclude that’s maintenance
free … It’s very, very far from that! :-(
It scratches like
crazy, but because of its natural cleft finish nobody can repair
those scratches. It’s sensitive to acids, too, which translates
into the fact that it will develop “water stains” (acid
etching, that is) six days from Sunday, and A) there’s nothing
that you can do to prevent them, and B) there’s nothing that
you can do to fix those surface damages, either, for the same reason
explained about the scratches. The only possible solution is to
continuously treat your stone with a good quality stone color enhancer
like my outlandish MB-6, which will hide to a certain degree the
damages (scratches and etchings).
If that is your idea of “maintenance free” Maurizio, Expert
Panelist
|
| Q 8249: I
called my granite supplier BEFORE my granite installation and they
told me that I had nothing to worry about regarding pitted Giallo
Veneziano. One side of my kitchen is fine the other is a counter top
of pits. If there is any information you can provide me with that
can validate my concerns about this problem I would really appreciate
it Michael, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Michael: What did they mean by “I had nothing to worry about
regarding pitted Giallo Veneziano.” Did they mean that it wouldn’t
be pitted, or that it didn’t matter if it were pitted?
At any rate, a certain
degree of pitting higher than the average mercantile granite is
to be expected on that particular stone; therefore it’s impossible
for me to determine if what you have in half of your kitchen could
be considered within standards, without actually seeing your countertop.
From your report it sounds like you’ve got a low-grade slab,
but then again, only a physical inspection could assess that. Maurizio,
Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8248: I
am redoing my kitchen counter's. I have been told that Granite is
not a durable counter top. It will break if too much weight is put
on it. I have a garden window in front of the kitchen sink, to clean
the window, I need to sit on the counter. I have been told that Caesar
stone is a better product. I have also been told the reverse that
Granite is a much better product. Help!!! I am getting confused on
what to buy. Thanking you in advance, Mel, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Mel: The quartzite-based manmade stones (a.k.a. engineered stone)
are gaining momentum by presenting themselves as the “anti-granite”.
Many of their claims are false and unsubstantiated. They are understandable,
too: the promoters of engineered stone wouldn’t stand many chances
to sell their very expensive manmade stuff if they were out telling
the truth!
And the truth is:
Engineered stone (e.s.) is NOT any harder than most commercial granites.
Many of the latter are actually, even if so slightly, harder. Therefore
the scratch resistance factor is the same if not slightly in favor
of the real thing. What’s more, although not so easily, it
is possible to find a few stone restoration contractors who could
repair a scratch from most commercial granites; I still have to
meet one, or even heard of one, who could do that on e.s.
It is true that e.s. does not require the application of an impregnating
sealer, but many a commercial granite doesn’t need that, either.
And for those that do, the application of a good-quality impregnating
sealer will take care of the problem. What is also true is that
while e.s. is indeed stain-resistant (like many types of commercial
granite) it is NOT totally stain-proof. I did see a couple of oil
stains on e.s. The removal of these (rare) stains could represent
a problem, because the solvent needed to poultice them out could
damage permanently the resin part of e.s.
Although is not recommendable as a routine practice, one could put
a pot off of the stove directly on any non-resined commercial granite
surface, one could not do that on e.s.: the resin part could get
permanently damaged by the heat.
Because of the high percentage of quarts (up to 96%) the routine
maintenance requirements for e.s. are the same as for any commercial
granite. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8247: We
love the look of tumbled slate for a backsplash in our kitchen. Would
you recommend it and if so, what grout would you use and how would
you seal/treat it to minimize staining? Thanks, JR, Reply |
| R1:
Dear JR: Which one slate are you talking about: the rugged one that’s
also used as roofing material, or the one that melts in water, or
anything in between?! Assuming that the one you like is a suitable
slate, despite my negative pre-disposition about slate in general,
if you use it as a back-splash and treat it with a good-quality stone
color enhancer, you have my green light! Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8246: Does
this granite need sealing? Mine is 4 years old, in kitchen looks dull
like film on it. In Bathroom, looks dull and has soap scrum. What
should I do? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Barbara: Your stone does not need to be sealed. Regardless, the
application of a sealer would certainly not solve the dullness problem
that you have. A sealer for stone does not affect in any way, shape
or form the finish of its surface. I do believe that you have some
cleaning issues. Most of the time, when a granite countertop becomes
dull is for two reasons: A) you used regular household cleaning agents
for its daily cleaning; B) you used water and dish soap. In case A)
you may have a permanent damage cause by the cleaning agent. In case
B) all you’d have to do is to remove the soap film sitting on
the surface of the stone. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8245: We
just installed Hawaiian Green granite countertops in our kitchen.
Is HG one of the types of granite you would recommend sealing? Jon,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear John: I’ve seen that stone, but I’m not very familiar
with it. Spill some water onto it, let it dwell for 10 minutes or
so and then wipe it dry. If the area where the water has been sitting
has become (temporarily) darker than the rest of the stone, then you
will apply a good quality stone impregnating sealer. If not, don’t
bother! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8244: My
boyfriend and I are going to add a new bathroom to his house. We have
looked at all types of marble and have fell in love with the green
color of marble. We visited a show room with all the colors of marble
and were told that using green in the bathroom/shower area is not
a good thing that the green is the worst to get due to the fact that
it obsorbs water more then the other colors. Is this true? Can we
use green marble in the shower area or is there a better color that
will last longer and hold up to lots of water on it? thank you for
your time and looking forward to hearing if this is true about the
green marble color we want to use. janet, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Janet: Ignorance” is the name of the game! :-( If green
marble is properly installed with 100% solid epoxy setting, proper
grout lines and all, it will make a very enjoyable shower stall. If
even one of the proper criteria for installing green marble in a shower
stall is not met, then it will turn into a nightmare! But then again,
any marble will show big problems if not properly installed in a shower
stall! As far as the absorbency factor is concerned, the information
you received is correct: green marble is typically more absorbent
than marbles of different colors, but that is not really an issue.
Water that gets absorbed from the top of the stone will seldom create
any problem. Only if water will find its way behind and under the
tiles you’re going to have big problems, no matter what color
marble you have! That is why a proper installation is of a paramount
importance! Regardless, just for some extra peace of mind, the application
of a good stone impregnating sealer will take care of the extra-absorbency
of the stone quite effectively. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8243: After
reading through the "granite cure/clean" section of your
website I am wondering if the color we have chosen is really "granite".
We chose the same color from two granite shops but they are each calling
it something different. One is "Brown Antique" and the other
is calling it "Maroon Cohiba". If they truely are the same
color or even different are they really "granite" and should
they be sealed?. Maybe I can avoid a situation before hand. Thanks.
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Amy: No it is not true geological granite by a long, long, looong
shot! I don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s obviously
a stone rich in Labradorite. However, if you accept the natural fissures
and pits inherent to the texture of that particular stone, it’s
a terrific candidate for a kitchen countertop! It does not need to
be sealed, but it does need to be taken care of properly!Now allow
me to tell you something, and I hope you will understand the true
meaning of what I’m about to say. It appears to me that like
most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the
type of “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 8242: I
am remodeling our kitchen and love the look of honed granite. I've
recieved different opinions about how easily it will stain. How finicky
is it really and I have also heard of a new product that is 90% granite
and 10% something else that is supposed to help with wearability.
I can only afford to do this once so I don;t want to make any mistakes.
Thank you for your help Kim, Reply |
R1:
Dear Kim: If you don’t want to make any mistake, stay away from
a honed finished (dark color) granite or engineered stone (that is
the material you were informed about) countertop, period! Is there
anything else that you would like to know?
And BTW, engineered stone does not help one bit with wear ability.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
Q 8241: We
have just installed seaweed green granite 18 X 18 tiles from india
all over the kitchen hallway and eating area
1) do i need to seal them?
2) what do i use to clean them?
3) can I use them to make a counter top,if yes what precautions do
i take -roger, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Roger: “do i need to seal them?” Usually that particular
stone does not need to be sealed, but there could be even if so slight
differences in the absorbency rate between a batch and the next. My
little lemon juice (and oil) test will give you the final answer.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8240: Thanks
for the great site! I haven't read anything on Black Pearl, we are
installing 18" for our kitchen counters and island, we plan on
butting them. We will do the lemon test. I did read through and your
site says it is probably in the family of "Gabbros" is that
good or bad? It is polished, which we want. We have done 1 other kitchen
and used a non sanded grout that was supposed to be black, it was
called charcoal but actually came out grey. Lowes has suggested to
use Epoxy grout, does that actually come out black? If not do you
have any suggestions on how to make it black. Thanks. Sherry, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Sherry: I’m not really familiar with that particular stone,
but my little lemon juice test will tell you about its suitability.
(Do it before you buy the tiles!) “We plan on butting them”
No, you’re NOT going to do that! You must leave a 1/16”
grout gap. Unsanded grout will never be real black. Epoxy grout is
not the right one for a kitchen countertop: it has sand in it to begin
with and it’s too thick. My very favorite is color-matching caulk
(black in this case). It is REALLY black, it’s stainless like
epoxy grout, and it’s much easier to handle, apply and clean.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8239: We
very much love the look of honed granite but are absolutely terrified
of getting them installed in our new kichen. We have read story after
story on your website and others about the maintenance nightmare.The
absolute black we are looking at comes from Zimbawbe and is supposedly
more durable. If we have the fabricator put the color enhancer on
first and then seal it, should we be OK? We have tried to pick out
another granite (unhoned) but shiny granite on white countertops looks
like a hotel! Suggestions??? Thanks, Kristal, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kristal: Black Zimbabwe is supposedly more durable?? Compared
to what?? It is not any more durable than any other black “granite”
out there. “If we have the fabricator put the color enhancer
on first and then seal it, should we be OK?” No, it wouldn’t
be okay. First off a good-quality stone color enhancer is an impregnator
at the same time. Most importantly, since a color enhancer will need
to be periodically re-applied, the presence of a different extra impregnator
would greatly limit the performance of the color enhancer by not letting
it being properly absorbed by the stone.
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. 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 8238: my
husband had a stomach virus the other day and did not quite make it
to the toilet the other day. my new black and white marble floor is
now etched barely on the surface. when I wet mop it it's fine looks
shiny but when dry you can see exactly where he missed. Is there anything
i can do to fix or polish it. before I have to call in the pros. I
'm pretty sure floor polish will hide it., Reply |
R1:
Dear Paula: “I 'm pretty sure floor polish will hide it.”
I’m sorry to bust your bubble, but floor polish will [B]not[/B]
hide the etching. What it will do is make your floor look like plastic
and add insult to the injury!
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 8237: You've
said Marron Imperial was an excellent choice for vanities (Q 2350).
I've bought the stone without looking at the slab (unfortunately).
The vanity tops arrived with a number of cavities and cracks, which
were poorly filled with epoxy. Overall, the surface is rough to the
touch even in places with no visible cavities. The stone supplier
promised to fix the most serious defects, but also told me he cannot
do anything about the roughness of the surface. According to him,
this is the nature of this particular stone. Is it true? Thank you.
Sergei, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Sergei: Marron Imperial is a class C-D marble and it does have
plenty of filled cavities and fissures. That [I][B]is[/I][/B] the
characteristic of the stone. You can look at any slab you want, but
you will see that it’s the “nature of the beast” and
– to a certain extent (but we’re getting into personal preferences
territory here) – its beauty. What makes it a suitable material
for a vanity top is the fact that is a dolomitic marble, which makes
it resistant to the most common acidic spills typically occurring
in a bathroom. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8236: I
have 660 square feet of 12" travertine in my home. There are
about a dozen places where I would like a tile sanded down to become
more even with neighboring tiles. I beleive you talked about this
in other letters and called it "sand in place". How much
does this service usually go for? Is it ever a do it yourself job?
Does the whole 660 square feet need to be done or can this be a spot
solution? Also, I have pets and have had some etching due to accidents.
It seems that no matter how soon it is cleaned up the tile gets etched.
Any suggestions as to a reliable protectant? I look forward to your
response. Thank you, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Nancy: 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! |
| Q 8235: I've
read your question and answer site regarding honed black granite and
how its a maintainence nightmare. What I would like to know is once
you apply a quality color enhancer to honed black granite as you recommend,
what will it then be like to maintain? Since its black it will not
stain, but what about oily fingerprints and working with dough (which
I do alot of in my kitchen) after the color enhancer is applied. Reply |
| R1:
Dear Karen: Even when color-enhanced hone-finished black granite will
still be more difficult to maintain than its polished counterpart.
It’s the same as cleaning polished stainless steel and satin-finished
stainless steel. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8234: I
absoloutely love the look of Travertine. We are remodeling a bathroom
and I do not want anything else. Nothing compares as far as looks
go, in my opinion. However, I want to know what I am getting into
before I buy the Travertine as far as care and maintenance go. What
is the best preventative care and ongoing maintenance practices for
Travertine shower walls. The average use would be one shower a day.
The bathroom floor and walls will be Travertine also, but I am not
very concerned as the floors will get minimum traffic.Reply |
| R1:
Dear Nancy: What I always say is that stone maintenance begins at
the time of its specification, it goes on during installation and,
finally, when the real maintenance time comes around. What I mean
by that is that it doesn’t make any sense keeping all the activities
preceding the cutting of the ribbon separated by maintenance, because
they have a tremendous bearing on it. If one chooses the wrong stone
for the application there’s no maintenance guideline that will
ever help. If a good stone is installed wrongly, no matter how well
maintained it will get, there’s going to be an installation failure
down the road! Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8233: Hi,
I have a Travertine dinning room table that has developed glass ring
stains on the top of the table. I have tried a few products to try
and remove the water/condensation stains but nothing thus far has
worked. I have not yet tried a Marble Cream but was wondering if you
could give me any advice on how to remove these stains. I appreciate
any feedback. Thank you, Joe, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Joe: All the “water stains” you have on your stone
are marks of corrosions (etchings) made by various acidic or other
pH active liquids that became in contact with the surface of the stone,
i.e.: drinks, salad dressing, lemon juice, tomato sauce, orange juice,
and so on through a long list. There’s no product on the marketplace
that could prevent such surface-damages from happening. You will need
the services of a bona fide stone restoration contractor, who will
have to hone and re-finish your stone. You could also take a look
at my MB-11 Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8232: My
question is...once granite countertops are installed, can they be
-repolished? We had baltic brown granite countertops installed a few
mos ago....after we paid, we noticed that it is not polished evenly
or equally. There are many "pits" and rough spots and the
texture is not smooth and shiny and glass-like. It has been sealed.
I only use soft cloth and water to clean, and a granite cleaner once
every two weeks. The 2 counters that look pitted are the cooktop island
and the sink insland that has an undermount sink . I would like to
have a service come to re-polish the granite so it all looks the same...can
this be done?? Thanks .., Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Karla: The answer is: most likely, no. If the factory was not
able to polish that slab with the gazillion $ state-of-the-art equipment
at their disposal, I highly doubt that a stone restoration contractor
could improve on that. What’s more, your talking about what appears
to be excessive pitting. Nobody can polish those. It appears to me
that you’ve got a low-grade slab. 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 8231: Can
I use natural stone in & around a saline swimming pool? Some showrooms
have said yes if sealed, others say absolutely not. Thanks, Sherri,
CA, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Sherri: The sealing thing has absolutely nothing to do with it.
The intelligence of choosing the “right” stone does! For
instance, you wouldn’t want calcite-based stones (marble, travertine,
limestone, etc.) used in such an environment, but you choose a good
granite, or schist, or porphyry, etc. you wouldn’t have any problem.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8230: I'm
thinking of installing 200 square feet of natural slate tile on my
raised foundation kitchen floor. We'll be laying 1/4 inch plywood
as well as hardie backer board. Do you think that, with the slate,
plywood and backer board, I'll be laying too much weight onto a raised
foundation??? Thanks! Deb, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Deb: You do NOT want to do that! Using slate for your kitchen
floor, that is! See other answers about slate in this very forum.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8229: We
purchased cafe imperial granite countertops for our new kitchen. We
noticed the granite to be rough around the sink cutouts. We were told
that when the adhesive template for the sink was removed, small flakes
of the granite stuck to the template thus causing the rough texture.
The company representative applied lacquer to the area then scraped
the residual lacquer off with a razor blade. My assumption is that
there is a major defect with this particular piece of granite and
that one should probably never apply lacquer to granite. Regis Lagler,
Reply |
| R1:
Dear Regis: I’ve seen that particular stone (very beautiful indeed)
but never dealt with it personally, but what you’re describing
to me sounds awfully suspicious. If the stone is getting loose just
because of some adhesive Mmm 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 8228: We
had granite countertops installed in our kitchen about 14 months ago.
The color was Medialla Gold. Recently, we noticed chips in one area
of the granite. What can we do about this? We are cleaning the granite
with Windex daily. Thank, KKims, Reply |
| R1: Dear Kim:
I would call back the fabricator and consult with them. Without actually
seeing your chips I can’t venture any intelligent diagnosis.
I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if the glass cleaning thing
has something to do with it. Only lab testing could confirm that,
but it is certainly not the right cleaning agent, IMO. Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8227: We
are building a custom home and I am planning to use slab granite in
the kitchen. I have looked at local stone retailers and really like
the color of vyara (gold?) I love to cook (especially asian dishes
and indoor grilling) and also have children, is this a good color
for me, and if not which ones should I be looking at for my situation.
Also, I like travertine for our master bath, is this also a good choice?
Any suggestions for the bath the our young boys will be using? Lisa,
Reply |
R1:
Dear Lisa: I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m
about to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this
stage you seem mostly interested in the type of “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 8226: Would
you please give me names of the lightest (white) marble to use in
a kitchen and living area. What I am looking for is something that
is "harder" and more resistant to stains. From what I read
, I should not use travertine - is that true? My house is very modern
and all white - what would you recommend. Thank you Judy, Reply |
R1:
Dear Judy: Allow me to answer in lieu of Daniel. Here is the list
of suitable light colored marbles for use in a kitchen: No, I did
not forget to type the list: the blanks are the list!
The hardness or density of the stone has nothing to do with it. Marble
seldom stains, but it etches all the time (“water stains”),
due to its natural composition: Calcium Carbonate.
No sealer for stone in the entire Milky Way could ever do the first
thing to prevent those surface damages from happening. Maurizio, Expert
Panelist |
| Q 8225: We
just built a house and used Marble Tile in the Master bathroom. The
grout was suppose to be gray in color. However, the worker ground
in Georgia Red Clay. The contractor came back to the house and scrub
the grout with vinegar water. Then he proceeded to wash down all the
time -- Now the tiles have lost their luster! We will be approaching
the builder about the situation. However, can the tile be restored?
And, if restored, will it lose it luster over time due to the vinegar
scenario? Or should they replace all the tiles?I did some research
on marble tile and it most definitely indicates that vinegar should
not be used because it etches them and it is permanent! Please advise.
Thank you, Kathy, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Kathy: And “Michelangelo” strikes again! No, you don’t
have to replace the tiles, but you must make sure that you replace
the tile setter!
Yes, having a bona
fide stone restoration contractor re-polish your marble is the way
to go, but … 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! You already met “Michelangelo”,
you don’t need to meet his brother now!
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 8224: Just
found your website and find it very educational (and humorous as well!).
We are just beginning the process of renovating our kitchen and would
like to do “granite” countertops. I now realize that not
all granite is actually granite but it does seem that there are definitely
ones to avoid. We are leaning toward Uba Tuba, Baltic Brown or Tropic
Brown. Any comments you can make would be most appreciated. Regards,
Julie Wilmoth Allen, TX, Reply
|
| R1:
Dear Julie: The three stones you mentioned are quite all right. On
paper, that is! In the real world it’s a totally different story!
I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about
to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage
you seem mostly interested in the type of 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 8223: Our
Santa Cecillia Light counter tops were installed yesterday. We're
remodelling and have a few days work before we're ready to start using
the "new" kitchen. We did not observe the installer seal
the tops, so, I don't know what was used, nor, how it was done. He
advised us to reapply a sealer every two weeks or so. Before I do
anything wrong.....I need a real pro to guide me down the proper path.
The tops are beautiful (and expensive for us) so I desperately want
to do the right thing. If you can help us it would be greatly apprecated.
Thanks, Jim, Reply |
| R1:
Dear Jim and Sue: We’re getting there! The “sealing cult”,
which is a monument to ignorance and the sale of (false) peace of
mind, is getting more and more demanding on its “congregation”!!
At the beginning it
was: “you have to seal your countertop every year”. Then
it became “Every 6 months”. Now we’re down to two
weeks!! :)
Spill some water on
your countertop, let it dwell for a few minutes, wipe it dry and
observe if the spot under which the water has been sitting is any
darker than the rest (it will go back to its original color in a
matter of a few minutes). If the answer is yes, then you will need
to properly seal you countertop. If the answer is no, then the sealing
job was done right. Maurizio, Expert Panelist
|
| Q 8222: I
live in Scottsdale Arizona. I just built a large masonary BBQ and
placed polished rosa verona marble on some of the surface including
a bar top. It was exposed to 3 months of winter sun and rain and had
not yet been sealed. The horizontal surfaces dulled and lost all their
luster but the vertical surfaces seemed to retain their mirror like
finish. Was it a mistake to use this type of marble outdoor? Would
it help if I had it rehoned and sealed? Help, Neil , Reply |
R1:
Dear Neil: The horizontal surfaces dulled and lost all their luster
but the vertical surfaces seemed to retain their mirror like finish.”
It makes sense: rain is slightly acidic (pH 5.6) and etched the horizontal
surface of the marble by having a chance to sit on it, while the vertical
surface received less rain, plus the water didn’t sit on it.
“Was it a mistake
to use this type of marble outdoor?” Yes, it was. “Would
it help if I had it rehoned and sealed?” Honing and polishing
will give you back pretty much a factory finish, but you will be back
to square one. Sealing it wouldn’t do a single thing to prevent
the rain from corroding the surface of the stone. All sealers for
stone are below-surface products; therefore they offer no protection
whatsoever, besides reducing the absorbency rate of the stone, which
in the case of your marble is minimal to begin with.
Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8221:
Hi there,....we had a little bit of
coca-cola spill on our year old Absolute Black granite counter top
and sit for no more than 20min..............it appears to have left
a "stain" the size of the spill....any ideas how to clean/remove
this??? Reply |
| R1:
Dear Sandra: Could you please tell me what the “stain” looks
like? Is it like a “ghost” lighter-colored spot that you
can see from an angle? Let me know and them we’ll take it from
there. Maurizio, Expert Panelist |
| Q 8220: I
totally scrapped the idea of using honed black granite after reading
your site and am now interested in venizian lido for my kitchen countertops.
I can't find any information on it, is this a could idea for a kitchen.
Thank you, Sandra , Reply |
R1:
Dear Sandra: On paper, with a few rare exceptions, all commercial
granites – including the one you mentioned – are good choices;
but on paper doesn’t mean “real life”, does it? I hope
you will understand the true meaning of what I’m about to say.
It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage you
seem mostly interested in the type of “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 |
|
