Water spots and rings on Benissimo black empress granite

Hi, we bought Benissimo Black Empress counters and within a couple months most is cloudly looking and there are light rings. Their website says it is natural grade A stone and their maintanance page (http://www.benissimosystems.com/Granite+Care+and+Maintenance/default.aspx) says (among other things) you should use a coaster with acidic drinks. This doesn't make sense to me as we have had dark green granite before with no problems. From what I read on your site and others it seems like it might be an etching or color fading in which case I should try a marble polisher or something like MB6. Does this sound like it will work? (we don't have any samples to test as the builder didn't leave any) Thanks so much!

 

Dear Rachel:

Every time I hear the word system in relation to natural stone, my Italian blood reaches the boiling point real quickly!

So they claim that their stones are natural grade “A”, huh? And how have they determined that?...

Never mind. I can see that you already smelled the rat, even if you're an “ignorant” consumer. J

I took a look at their Granite Care and Maintenance section and… pathetic is the nicest thing that I can think of as a comment. For instance:

 

“ Granite, like all natural stone, is porous and must be sealed with a penetrating stone sealer after installation. This will protect the granite from staining or scratching and will also maintain the beautiful shine. ”

 

First off, the majority of mercantile granites on the market can't be technically sealed (including yours – whatever it might be, because Black Empress is a made-up name by the Benissimo System company), because they are too dense to take any penetrating sealer in. Second, how is it conceivable even with the wildest stretch of imagination that a penetrating sealer (which is strictly penetrating, which means that it is strictly below-the-surface of the stone) could possibly protect the surface of the stone from scratches and maintain the shine, when none of the product is going to be on it??... Mystery of the faith of the “sealing cult”, I reckon! L

 

At any rate, back to your problem, the possibilities are three. But before I list them for you, let me state that Black Empress is not granite by a long shot. Natural stone, alright, but granite? Not one bit.

So here we go:

 

1.     They applied a totally useless (under the circumstances) impregnator to your stone and the residue of the product (in this case 100% of the entire thing) was not totally removed and an invisible film is still there lingering in a “limbo”. If their wondrous impregnator just so happen to be one of those that are sensitive to acids (like many are), the etching that you see are on the impregnator itself – not the stone. So much for stain prevention!... Solution: have the residue of the impregnator professionally removed with a pinch of polishing powder for marble, a squirt of water and a variable speed right-angle grinder/polisher with a 7” white nylon pad attached to it.

2.     Because of the inclusion of certain sensitive minerals (zeolite, maybe), the stone is actually sensitive to acid, like marble. In such case it can not be classified as mercantile granite and it is consumer fraud. A legal action by filing the case to the Attorney General is the best solution, after exhausting any possible amicable settlement.

3.     The stone was maliciously doctored by the factory via the application of some black shoeshine to make it appear black and therefore more valuable, while in reality the true color of the stone is grey and the lighter spots that you see is in fact the true color of the stone. Even in this case is consumer fraud big time.

 

Considering the way your stone looks like I would exclude possibility 3, but you never know… I do lean toward possibility 1 or 2, however – mostly 2.

How to find out for sure?

Impossible to explain, alas. Only a physical inspection of your countertop with a couple of tests that are not available to homeowners could tell.

I can also tell you that this is not the first time I hear the problems you're reporting about that particular stone by that particular company. For instance, see: http://www.findstone.com/awjan04_1.htm, Q 6091. That was back in January 2004.

 

Now, does the world need marblecleaning.org or what?

Things like that would never happen if we could have our ways. But we need the support of consumers like yourself.

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

That's all the support that we need and ask for.

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri zio Bertoli

 

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