Using granite slabs for outdoor pavers

I have many scrap pieces of "granite" I obtained from a fabricator. I would like to use them as individual outdoor pavers, or perhaps imbed them in concrete. I saw your response to a similar question in which you advised a person that they could do something similar, but to use the unpolished side so they are not slippery. However, that side on all the pieces is that chalky gray color. I hoped you could answer the following questions: 1. How can I get a darker color? I don't want it shiny, but thought there must be some way to get rid of that gray color, and make them look more like actual cobblestones. (Natural cobblestones don't have that chalky look and I assume that they don't have to apply some product to them every year. Is that because they are a completely different type of stone?) 1. If I have to apply some product, will this be permanent, or will I have to keep doing this? (I'd like these to be in place for hundreds of years, without having to worry about future owners not taking care of them.) 3. What will happen if I put the polished sides up, exposed to the elements? Will they change color over time? Again, I don't care if I lose the shiny look. Thanks!

 

Dear Eric:

 

“ 1. How can I get a darker color? I don't want it shiny, but thought there must be some way to get rid of that gray color, and make them look more like actual cobblestones. (Natural cobblestones don't have that chalky look and I assume that they don't have to apply some product to them every year. Is that because they are a completely different type of stone?) ”

 

Cobblestones are coming from riverbeds and their surface has been rounded and honed by or by means of the running water over only the gods know how many thousands of years. The back of a slab is rough from the gang-saw. You can't compare the two things, even if some of the cobblestones could in fact be granite. So, really, there's no solution to your dilemma. Either you apply a good quality stone color enhancer to the back of those scraps and keep applying it on a “when-needed” basis, or you keep them like that.

 

“ 1. If I have to apply some product, will this be permanent, or will I have to keep doing this? (I'd like these to be in place for hundreds of years, without having to worry about future owners not taking care of them.) ”

 

You actually care about what's going to happen to those stone a few hundreds of years from now?!?... J    

At any rate, did you ever hear of a chemical that will last forever?

Neither have I!

 

“ 3. What will happen if I put the polished sides up, exposed to the elements? Will they change color over time? Again, I don't care if I lose the shiny look. ”

 

How would I know?

Keep in mind that when we talk about granite, in 98% of the instances we're not talking about granite. So you never know how all these 98% of stones traded as granite and that are not granite will react to the weather. It's enough for you to go visit a cemetery. Some of the granite monuments and tombstone are always nice and shiny as the day they were first installed, while some other are faded and dull.

 

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 zio Bertoli

 

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