black galaxy

We just had installed 18 x 18 black galaxy tiles and solid black galaxy granite counter top.  My problem lies with the floor.  Several tiles appear to have a haze (it was there before the grout, therefore, I don't think it is grout haze), and others have dull streaks, or don't shine at all; they're not glossy as the other tiles.  I'm afraid that the dealer might have slipped in a few lower grade tiles, and unfortunately my installer did not remove them from the batch.  Your help in getting this dull appearance out would be greatly appreciated, as well as any tips on the care, cleaning and maintenance of the floor and counter top.

 

Thank you

 

Dear Stephanie:

It's hard for me to tell without actually seeing the affected tiles, but, very definitely, you should not have that problem and it is not acceptable.

It might even be the case of malicious doctoring of the stone that, alas, it has become popular with Black Galaxy in the past few years. To find out if that's the case do this:

Spill a few drops of lime (or lemon) and a few drops of White Vinegar on a spare tile. Let them sit for 10 minutes or so and then wipe them dry. If you you see a discoloration that appears lighter than the rest of the stone, then it was doctored. It's a criminal act and you have a strong legal claim.

But it could just be a low-grading batch of tiles.

No matter what, you do not have to accept what you have, also because there's no sure remedy.

Unfortunately nothing in a bottle could do the first thing about your problem.

Run that little test I told you before and then report back to me. And while you are at it, run the same test on a piece of scrap of the slab they used to make your countertop. If there's doctoring involved, you might as well find it out sooner than later.

As for routine maintenance of your stone, I recommend MB-1 for your floor and MB-5 teamed up with MB-13 for your countertop. Don't you even think of applying an impregnator (a.k.a. sealer) to your Black Galaxy!

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli