Delirium (a.k.a. Brazilian Jade)

I just found your website while searching for care instructions for my new stone countertop (installed yesterday). After reading your advice to others, I am left with a number of questions I didn't have before. The stone is called Delirium, or Brazilian Jade. In addition to the green, it has wide black streaks, some red spots, and swaths of tan. It's very pretty, but now I am wondering if it is actually granite, whether it should be sealed, and if so, with what? Thank you very much for any help you can provide.

 

Dear Diana:

Delirium is a weird stone that's classified as “Exotic Granite”. Just the adjective “Exotic” automatically excludes the possibility that a stone could be even remotely true geological granite, which being an igneous rock as first prerequisite, can't be “Exotic” at all!

Now what on earth is this Delirium stone?

Only the gods know! It's a natural composite of several different fragments of different stone, some of which could even be granite!... Some look like marble, though heavily modified…

Usually, the so-called “Exotic Granites” are very fractured and, consequently get heavily resined by the factory. If that's the case, in most instances the resining process effectively seals permanently the slabs.

To find out if for any chance your stone needs to be sealed do this:

Spill some water in a couple of spots of your stone, let it dwell for 5 minutes or so, wipe it dry and observe if the areas under which the water has been sitting have become (temporarily) any darker than the rest. If so, then you will apply a good-quality impregnating sealer. If not, you won't.

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 its sealing (if and when possible and/or advisable) 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!

Finally, keep in mind that we need your support to help us helping you!

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 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,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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