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brushed black zimbabwe kitchen countertops

Article Number: 332 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Wed, Aug 15, 2007 at 12:00 AM

We had acid wash (?) brushed black zimbabwe countertops installed in our new home. The subcontractors failed to cover the countertops when doing other work in the kitchen, which left a white dusty substance on our countertops; they unsuccessfully attempted to wipe it up. The installers came out and used acetone to remove the substance which created a cloudy appearance on the stone. Without our approval, they then applied a color enhancer which completely changed the look of the countertops. We asked that they strip the color enhancer; they again used acetone to do this, claiming the stone would return to it's original uniform gray color. The stone does not look like the original matte gray that we had installed; it is still shiny in spots with some streaking and smudging. Where can we go from here?

Dear Teresa:

The short answer: Methylene Chloride (available at anhy paint store).

The sensible answer: Forget about the gray: it will represent a huge maintenance issue ("surface staining" that no impregnating sealer could ever stop). The application of a good-quality stone color enhancer is the most sensible way to go.

Now remember, it's never too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you'll be doing day in and day out to your stone is far more important than the sealing itself and it's all too often neglected. As you can tell by reading many of this site's postings, you're not likely to get good information about it from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/helpful-hints.htm , you will be able to get the short version of our maintenance guidelines at no charge. The full version of it – a 7-page document considered by many as an industry benchmark – is available in pay- per-download format in our Educational Literature section at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/literature.htm .

And remember, every single penny of the cost of the literature will be used to support this site and its cause: your cause.

While you are in the “Helpful Hints” section, do spend some time reading all of the interesting FREE articles you'll find in there!

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By spreading the word about this valuable site among your friend & family and the stone trades' people you've been dealing with, you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!

Thank you

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli

www.marblecleaning.org – The only Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!