I'm working on commercial office projects in Moscow (Russia), and London England and the otherwise reputable architect keeps insisting that honed basalt is suitable for reception area floors, and for cladding the reception desk. He blames every failure - and we've had many - on poor installation or sealing but my view is that the scratches on the floors and the greasy fingermarking on the desks means inappropriate choice of stone. Do you consider honed Basalt suitable in these situation, and what else could you recommend for a black or charcoal grey floor for smart high end offices? thanks and regards John Holt

 

Dear John:

 

“ Do you consider honed Basalt suitable in these situations ”

 

If I were allowed to say that it only takes a total idiot to specify a stone like that for those kinds of projects, I would and out loud, too. But, alas, I'm not allowed by the etiquette of this site, so I won't say it… Let just say that it takes some serious short sighting ad stubbornness if you consider all the previous failures!! (Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: you didn't seal it right!!... J )

Only polished black granite could fit the bill. Anything dark gray would have more or less the same problems, unless polished. (Maybe a dark-gray polished Zimbabwe ; but they usually maliciously doctor it with sort of “shoe shine” to make it look black…)

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm? J

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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