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Black Granite Issues

I wonder if you can help me, I have purchased some granite stone , unfortunately it has ring marks left from cups the granite is black, (we have been told that this could be caused by condensation within the stone by the contractor), the company has come out to try and get them out to no avail . His staff are quite baffled as they have never seen this problem before, it was only fitted 4 weeks ago. They are due to come out again with another product to try to remove these. Could the stone federation help me if i dont get any joy from my contractor - if so how do i get that help. that helps customers with problems. If possible could you please give me a contact number or an email address for this support.
 

Dear Mrs. Walker:

Let's start by saying that the only black mercantile granite that has the legal right to be called “Black Absolute” is the one coming from South Africa . However, in real life, when one mentions “Black Absolute Granite” one's talking about a huge variety of stones coming a little bit from all over the planet, each and every one of them not a geological granite by a long shot, and each and every one of them with different characteristics. If that wasn't confusing enough, each and every one of them are processed with even if so slightly methods – which again can make a difference.

There used to be three possibilities to explain the problems that you are experiencing, which are here listed in order of probability (the first being the most probable):

  1. The fabricator applied an impregnator/sealer to it believing that it's granite. No impregnator/sealer will ever be absorbed by black granite; therefore it won't do the first thing about doing what's designed to do, which is prevent stains. (What you have are NOT stains, and no impregnator/sealer on the planet can prevent those.) Many a sealer turn out to be sensitive to acids; hence the “mysterious etching.” Not on the stone, rather on the sealer that had no business being there.
  2. The slab had been “doctored” by the factory by applying some sort of black shoe shine in order to make it “blacker” and, therefore more “sellable.” After a while the “shoe shine” will begin etching as it gets eaten away by acidic spills. The true color of the stone is dark gray.
  3. It is one of those as-rare-as-a-white-fly “mutt” stones with some traces of acid-sensitive minerals in it. In this case it is actually the stone that gets etched.

 

In the last couple of years there's been a change in the scenario above. Another possibility has entered the scene:

 

4.   Certain manufacturers apply some sort of protective wax to the slabs. It is not actual “doctoring,” since there's no alteration to the color of the stone, but    the result is the same as if the slab had been “doctored” with the “shoe-shine.”

Finally, case 3 above is not as rare as it used to be anymore. At least a couple of “Black Absolute Granites” allegedly from India and China entered the scene recently and are terrible “mutt” stones. Since they are cheap (to the importers) they push them like cra z y at full black absolute granite prices.

Having said all that, the remedy to the points 1, 2 and 4 is to remove whatever it is that's sitting on the stone surface, by either stripping it chemically by soaking it with Methylene Chloride, or mechanically, by rubbing on the stone surface a polishing compound for marble (NOT for granite!) with a little bit of water.

Case 3 is terminal.

 

All things considered, black granite – which should be considered among the most enjoyable materials as a kitchen countertop – has made it out my own list of recommended stones.

Until the industry will not straighten its act up by becoming serious about the classification of all the different “granites” on the marketplace and dictate strict rules and guidelines about their characteristics and implied guarantees to the consumers, my position is going to be that from now on.

Will they succeed at “removing” those surface damages?

They might – and just might – in case 1 and 4. But IMHO, there are two chances to that: no way and now how!! :-(

 

What are your options?

 

Marblecleaning.org is the only hope you have to see your right protected.

Try to work out the whole thing amicably with your fabricator, but do not accept any baloney, such as the “condensation within the stone” thing!... And be very firm at demanding a full replacement of the countertop should they not succeed at fixing the problem permanently.

If not, get in touch with marblecleaning.org.

 

In the meantime, may I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?   :-)

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

www.marblecleaning.org – The Only Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!
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