Dear Michelle:
Ouch!... Bad news, I'm afraid.
Read this:
“
Let's start by saying that when one mentions Black “Granite” one's talking about a huge variety of stones coming a little bit from all over the planet, each and every one of them not geological granite by a long shot, and each and every one of them with different characteristics. If that wasn't confusing enough, each and every one of them are processed with even if so slightly methods – which again can make a difference.
There used to be three possibilities to explain the problems that you are experiencing, which are here listed in order of probability (the first being the most probable):
In the last couple of years there's been a change in the scenario above. Another possibility has entered the scene:
Finally, case 3 above is not as rare as it used to be anymore. At least a couple of “Black Absolute Granites” allegedly from India and China entered the scene recently and are terrible “mutt” stones. Since they are cheap (to the importers) they push them like cra
Having said all that, the remedy to the points 1, 2 and 4 is to remove whatever it is that's sitting on the stone surface, by either stripping it chemically by soaking it with a solution of water and phosphoric acid, or mechanically, by rubbing on the stone surface a polishing compound for marble (NOT for granite!) with a little bit of water.
Case 3 is terminal. It can be fixed professionally, of course, but it can't be prevented. Basically, the granite that's not granite is behaving like marble.
From a legal stand,
Now that you know better, what has to be determined as a first step is which of the 4 possibilities above can apply to your case. Let's try together something right now. Answer these questions:
1.
Are the “stains” just a “ghost discoloration”? What is mean is, is the “stains” just a halo, but still dark and shiny, or is it remarkably lighter in color? If is it just a “ghost discoloration” they way I described to you (hoping that I was able to explain myself) chances are that it is the impregnator that they uselessly (under the circumstances) applied to your stone. Or it could be possibility No. 4 above. Once the residue of the impregnator or the “wax” are removed, everything I going to be back to normal.
2.
If the “stains” is remarkably of a lighter color over the rest, is it dull or is it still nice and shiny and only gray in color? If it is still nice and shiny then it is malicious doctoring of the stone. If it is dull, then the stone is “mutt” and reacts to acidic substances.
Please, let me know your findings.
In the meantime, you can help our crusade to straighten the stone industry so that cases like that will never happen again! As a consumer of stone you're the best qualified to make things happen! Will you now please read and sign our Statement of Purpose by logging on 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 you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!
Thank you.
Ciao and good luck,
Mauri
Article ID: 1530
Created On: Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Last Updated On: Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Authored by: Maurizio Bertoli [mail@mbstone.com]
Online URL: https://marblecleaning.org/knowledgebase/article.php?id=1530