Black Galaxy countertops

Hi I am planning to install a black galaxy kitchen countertop. This has medium specks in the slab and has no streak patterns in it. Q1) I would like to know if the copper colored specks would chip off over time and become pits in the granite. Q2) Does it require high maintenance? Q3) Is this a soft / hard granite as compared to the popular Verde Labrador - Ubatuba? Thanks in advance Siva Jayapal Sivanand

 

Dear Javanal:

Black Galaxy is Norite and is extremely hard. However, there are several quarries of that rock in the same Indian region and certain productions leave a lot to be desired and some are even maliciously doctored.

Personally, I have a Black Galaxy countertop in our kitchen for well over 10 years and both my wife and I use and abuse it; yet it is still like brand-new.

But that, alas, doesn't mean a thing in this day and age… Back then only the “good stuff” was available.

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 stone and/or its physical characteristics. It's human nature at work, I reckon! J

How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab or a doctored one? 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: 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 overall is good) 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!”

We have available a very comprehensive article on “How to Shop for a Granite Kitchen Countertop” that will give you all the intelligence you need to venture yourself with confidence in the stone industry jungle, and it includes the world renowned “Lemon juice (and oil) test”! It does carry a small price tag, and you can order it by logging on the Educational Literature section at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/literature.htm. It's available in pay-per-download format and I consider it a cheap “insurance premium” to pay when there are thousands of $ involved! Not to mention the little and much needed support you'd be giving to the cause, your cause, since every single penny of the cost of the article will be used to support it.

Also, will you please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm? By spreading the word about this valuable site among your friends & family and the stone trades' people you've been dealing with you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!   

Also, do take advantage of the plethora of FREE Helpful Hints available at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/helpful-hints.htm. They're on the house!

Thank you.

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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