Hi Maurizio, I'm ready to order an absolute black honed granite kitchen countertop. I like that is is grayer when honed and wouldn't want color added. Once it is sealed will it resist stains? I've been reading your site and now I questioning it. Do you think honed carrera or another white marble would work better?thanks, jude

 

Dear Jude:

The understanding of a stain is that of a staining agent (liquid) that gets absorbed by the stone and goes deep inside it. If it doesn't go deep it is not a stain, but just plain soiling of the surface.

Sealed or not sealed, black “granite” will never absorb anything. In fact, when polished it will never stain. (And that is why it can't be technically sealed.)

However, hone-finished black granite does represent a maintenance nightmare.

Why?

Surface staining is the short answer; and sealed (which it can't be, even if you apply a sealer to it) or not sealed you will always experience that.

That is why the only way to make hone-finished black “granite” manageable is by applying a stone color-enhancer like MB-6 to it which will turn the stone permanently black, while preserving the hone finish.

(But you can't apply a color enhancer if you apply an impregnator first.)

If you apply an impregnator (a.k.a. sealer) instead, every time you will touch your countertop with something wet or spill something onto it, you will have nasty to clean black “stains” (surface stains, that is).

Unfortunately, with hone-finished dark-colored “granites” you can't have both: loss of depth of color and easy maintenance.

If you want a gray, dull stone that's very enjoyable, look into soapstone.

 

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 z io Bertoli

 

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