I had a polished black marble floor professionally installed. After they finished, the floor had smears and spots all over it. During installation, there was residue from thinset left all over the floor over night. Also, the grout was not all cleaned off the tile until the next day. I am not sure if they cleaned the tile before sealing it, but after it was sealed, it looked terrible. They tore out the marble and installed absolut black granite tiles (same installer). After they grouted the tiles, there is a haze all over the tiles. Not only is the color dull and tiles not shiny, but also you can not see any of the little sparkles that are typically seen in absolute black granite. It just looks like dull black tiles. Before installation, the tiles were shiny and sparkly. Is there something that the installer is doing that has caused them to ruin 2 floors- one marble and one granite? Could the grout have caused the haze on the granite? Would the thinset residue cause the smears on the marble and the haze on the granite? Or would the sealer have caused the problem on the marble and there is some other issue with the granite (which was not sealed)? Is there a way to get the haze off the absolute black granite?

 

Dear Carmela:

This is gonna be fun (at least for me!...)

It looks like “Michelangelo” struck again!! J

 

“ I had a polished black marble floor professionally installed. ”

 

Can you define “professionally” for me?... Never mind now – later!

 

“ During installation, there was residue from thinset left all over the floor over night ”

 

WOW!!! What was it that you said again?... “Professionally installed”… WOW!!

 

“ I am not sure if they cleaned the tile before sealing it, but after it was sealed ”

 

And just out of curiosity, why would anybody in his or her right mind even think of applying an impregnator (a.k.a. sealer) to black marble???...

 

“ They tore out the marble and installed absolut black granite tiles (same installer). After they grouted the tiles, there is a haze all over the tiles. ”

 

Since you used the same “Michelangelo” why on earth would you expect to get a different result?!?...

 

“ Is there something that the installer is doing that has caused them to ruin 2 floors- one marble and one granite? ”

 

Of course! Going by your description of the events the guy is a total incompetent and should be installing polished stone tiles in jail!

 

“ Or would the sealer have caused the problem on the marble and there is some other issue with the granite (which was not sealed)? ”

 

And just out of curiosity, why would anybody in his or her right mind even think of applying an impregnator (a.k.a. sealer) to black “granite”???...

 

“ Is there a way to get the haze off the absolute black granite? ”

 

Of course there is. But it takes a professional, not a “Michelangelo” like the guy you hired. Get hold of a bona fide stone restoration company in your neck of the woods and let them deal with that mess. It is not going to be easy and/or cheap but it is plenty do-able.

 

Oh man, does the world need marblecleaning.org or what?!...

 

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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