Low Spots in Black Galaxy Countertops

Let me begin by saying I've read a great deal of the information here and elsewhere on the pitfalls of the granite industry. I am trully thankful for the information sharing you provide here and the wealth of data on the industry and related lack of standards. Even having read much of this prior to my purchase I still made stupid mistakes... of course, all in the name of the almighty buck.

So, we recently had new Black Galaxy countertops installed during a kitchen remodel along with 18"x18" BG tiles for the backsplash.  Everything looks great and I have yet to see any water rings or discolorations appear on the stone surfaces (like so many others have reported). I was told the stone came from India.

There is one problem though; I was not able to see or pick my slab(s) personally prior to cut (first mistake). The fabricator/installer had only one BG slab in stock which fit the need for my penisula (78" x 36") and the price was right because it was already there (ugghh...) soo.. that's that.  Anyway, after the install I noticed a strange area in that peninsula portion of the countertop which can only be seen from an angle. It almost appears as if the top is dented -  a connected series of low spots all in one area. To the touch, they do not seem noticeable but to the eye, you can certainly see a series of linked depressions there.

So, my question; Is this common and acceptable in granite or does this indicate something else and I should be going back to the fabricator to have it replaced? 

I have never seen this in other granites and believe that they may have sold me a "2nd" just to move it thinking I would not notice or complain. They are dead wrong. IF this is something that should never have occurred and is in fact a case of consumer fraud, I WILL persue a favorable outcome to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

 

Dear Robert:

Let's see how I can start this…

Let's begin with Joe Doe consumer going at a stone yard to pick out their own slab(s). If you ask me it's plain hilarious. I mean, do you really know what to look for in relation to the particular “granite” that you have in mind? Think for a minute: you're not looking at a slab under ideal conditions to start with; the slab is usually full of dust; you don't know – again I relation to one particular stone – what's acceptable and what's not. In your particular case, you're seeing something only if you look at your stone at a certain angle and under a particular light, etc. Do you really think for a split second that you could have spotted that “thing” that you can't even feel under your fingertips, had you inspected the slab at the shop yourself? It probably would have escaped a trained eye like mine! (BTW, I have Black Galaxy in my kitchen for over 10 years myself. J )

“ Is this common and acceptable in granite… ” Yes, it is acceptable on granite. It is also acceptable on Norite (Black Galaxy). The perfect slab is like Utopia: it just does not exist. A few natural flaws have to be accepted in any natural product.

Look, Robert: as you well know, marblecleaning.org is the advocacy group for consumers of natural stone products and we're here to help them out and defend them. But in our continuous quest for being the consumers' “white knights” we can't lose sight of reality and we have to try to be as fair as possible.

I really don't think that we're even remotely close to a consumer fraud situation here.

We would love to have inquirers like you so determined and willing to fight when there is some serious situation of real consumer fraud, but in this case I really believe that you are, will due respect, over-reacting.

 

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

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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