We recently had 40mm Black Zimbabwe Granite benchtops installed in our new kitchen. The breakfast bar bench top which is 95cm wide and 220cm long appears to have clouding (looks like I havent wiped the top properly)in a 90cm area, the installers have been back to inspect and advised that this is a natural stone and a common issue with Granite - obviously more prominent on a Black top. They have advised that they can use Raven Oil on it to try and fade out the clouding - is this normal/acceptable. Will this look OK? It also appears to show finger prints extremely easily. If you put a cup down that is wet on the bottom it leaves a wet ring mark. We've had black granite in the past a previous house and never had this happen.

 

Dear Nic:

 

“ the installers have been back to inspect and advised that this is a natural stone and a common issue with Granite - obviously more prominent on a Black top. ”

 

Thant's a crock full of poop. Black “granite” should be the most enjoyable and almost bullet-proof material that money can buy for a kitchen environment.

What is is a common issue, is the problem that your installer has with the crappy and phony “black granite” that he sells.

Unfortunately, there's no such a thing like black “granite” coming from Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe stud is dark grey, and since nobosy want to buy grey granite, they were the first to learn (approximately a quarter of a century ago) how to maliciously doctor their slab via the application of some sort of black “shoeshine” to make it appear for what it is not. It is a criminal activity that was later picked up from the Indian to maliciously doctor some of the their grey “granites” and, so far, it have never been opposed by the stone industry establishment. It is consumer fraud big time.

To make you understand better what I mean, pay a visit at: http://doctoredstone.org, which is our offspring. In there you will also be able to read the chapeter of my book on stone maintenance and restoration that makes specific reference to the shameful practice of malicious stone doctoring. There are pictures and all.

 

Does the world need marblecleaning.org, or what?! When we will eventually have our ways, things like this will not be tolerated and will also be prosecuted harshly.

But only with the support of consumers like yourself we can succeed. May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri zio Bertoli

 

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