spilled oxycleaner

    spilled oxyclean on my travertine. now when those areas get wet looks like a water stain. when dry looks fine. when i sprayed sealer on, still looked like a water stain, but when the sealer dried it looked fine..so, do i just need a better sealer? it 's two pretty large areas...do i just get the slab rehoned and start over? (im using a spray sealer, apply 60seconds and wipe off kind) thanks!

granite crack

[QUOTE=myron]    I just had ubatuba granite installed in my kitchen. My question is: on an island piece 4' X 7' there is a green discolored area 2" X 4" and within this area there is a crack that you can feel with your finger nail, is this to be expected and will there be any additional cracking in this area?

Thank you! Myron
[/QUOTE]

 

Hi there Myron,

 

Incidently, I just had a look at our Ubatuba in the workshop as I wanted to confirm what my first thoughts were - this being that Ubatuba commonly has fissures within.

 

Now, when I ran my finger over the fissures, I noticed that it was possible to feel the fissure, as if it were a small crack.

 

Normally when the stone is quarried and cut into slabs, the stone is sealed with a resin and then polished - this process tends to remove most of these cracks / fissures, but sometimes there are a few left that have the characteristic you mentioned.

 

In my opinion, thes cracks should not get any worse and commonly many of the suppliers of granite try to remove these from the stone prior to purchase, but there are occasions where this is not possible.

 

If you have a picture of the crack, I could have a look at what you are talking about and see if it looks like a fissure.

 

Of course, there are occasions when the stone has got cracks and in these cases, the stone should not be sold to the public without prior warning, but I suppose there could be some suppliers that still sell this without consumer awareness. 

 

I hope this helps and if you do have an image, it would be nice to see!

 

As far as the discolouring is concerned, this I would have to see also.

 

Ciao ciao

 

black slate

    I have a large entry way floor w/ 16" square black slate tiles that
have been sealed. I live in New Hampshire and in the winter, wet boots
often end up on the slate floor. At these locations, there is a horrid whitish - greyish-yellowish discolouration that is immune to any ordinary cleaning matters. Really unatrractive.
What would you suggest?
Kathryn

Caledonia granite

I would give you my opinion, but the image is not showing up???

Caledonia granite

I have dark cherry cabinets the approximate color is shown below. Do you believe that Caledonia granite will look great with these cabinets? I am having second thoughts and value others opinions!! Thanks for your help in advance

only 4 days old &stained? Jerusalem Gold

So glad I found this forum-and what great advice so far. My dilemma-
Have a beautiful Jerusalem Gold countertop installed and only used it for 4 days. Everything done was on top of butcher blockes and other surfcaes. No spills, havn't even used any oil? no cleaners at all-yet I have strange dark marks with no appearant shape and lines in many areas. I don't know what to do? I called the fabricator and they said they sealed it with colour enhancing sealant? I am asking them to come out-what should I say to them?

+I am having my floor installed this Saturday- same material-but it has not been sealed at all. Tumbled tiles-please someone let me know how to protect this material and keep it safe?
Thank you for your time.

wax from tealight candle

Can someone help me, I have wax stains from tealight candles on my granite counter. The granite I have on my counter is called black galaxy. I got all the wax off but now it left white stains on my counter. I am asuming the wax got absorbed into the granite. Can any one tell me how to remove it.

Thank you.

VEIN LINE IN LIMESTONE TREAD?

    MY MASON JUST INSTALLED A NEW FRONT PORCH ON A BRAND NEW HOME ONLY 30 DAYS AGO. A VEIN LINE APPEARED ON ONE OF THE LIMESTONE TREADS AND HE SAID IT IS NOT A CRACK IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPANS ALTHOUGH RARELY WITHIN THE LIMESTONE. THE SURFACE OF THE LIMESTONE IS SMOOTH.
HE HAS TRIED ACID WASH TO DULL IT, BUT IT IS STILL A LITTLE VISABLE.
IS THIS TRUE THAT A FURTHER CRACK WON'T DEVELOP?
CAN IT BE DULLED OUT SOMEHOW?

what kind of soap to use now?

Do you know of a soap that is "safe" for (ie, won't mark up) my countertops? all of the bar soap and liquid soap i have score (correct word?) or stain my marble and other hard surfaces

Travertine

   I am putting in a wood burning fireplace and would like to put Travertine that has been filled and sealed around the fireplace surround and hearth would any one know how much maintanence that would entail if the travertine is filled and sealed? Thank you for any advise.

What type of stone to buy?

Hi!  We are first time home buyers and want to put a nice stone (preferably a light brown or grey type stone) in our kitchen.  I've done many remodels with my parents, but they've always shied away from granite.  Now I know why after reading all of this.  I want a stone that is really hardy.  meaning I'm a cook and I will have hot things on the stone and don't want to become a fanatic about cleaning up every little spill as it happens.  Also, a stone with minimal maintenance and upkeep.  None of this special cleaners and having to reseal every 6 months.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!  Thank yoU!

Bordeaux cracks NATURAL?

    help someone, are cracks to be expected on Bordeaux granite that go all the way through? It doesn't even seem to be on a fissure. I have pics but can't figure out how to upload them. There is one long 12 in one that has a small y at end on very long bartop. It is 18 inches wide and has one support about six feet down. We are very worried about resale and repair looks. Thank you, Bonnie

cracks in my granite counter

3 weeks ago I had Golden Spectrus installed in my kitchen.  I love it, but yesterday I noticed a crack in the corner of the sink where the soap dispenser was installed.  The crack runs all the way from the sink through the soap dispenser back to the wall.  Six inches over all.
I need to know is this normal?  My installer said maybe I put the soap dispenser on too tightly or he thought we could have stepped on that area.  Neither is true.  Is it normal for the stone to take up to 3 weeks to crack?  How should it be fixed?  It is my first experience having granite and I don't want to believe what he tells me I need to know what is right.  

?Tile? Shower is dirty looking

My concern is my tiled shower. it was there when I bought the place so I have no idea what type of tile it is. Any way you can help me identify it? The shower sides are a smooth, tan color, the shower floor is a more textured tile in the light tan color range. Grout lines in there are maybe 2 toothpicks wide. I have unknowingly hung a Tilex auto cleaner that I spray each time I get out. And have scrubbed intensely on the floor with soft scrub to try and get rid of the dirty look it has. I made it look a little cleaner, but still looks dirty.

I know it was installed 3-5 years ago, I assume the previous owners who were there about 2.5 years didn't know how to properly care for it either judging by the way they took care of the rest of the house (and they left an empty bottle of Tilex for me). I have been there just over a month and have scrubbed the shower floor twice and used the cleaner sprayer for about 2 weeks. Am I too late to undo the damage?  How can I repair/clean/maintain it from now on?

Venetian Gold Granite Tile Countertops-seal?grout?

After reading some of your advice I find that I am clearly a tile/stone idiot. I know nothing and would really like personal advice

We have recently installed (today) Venetian Gold (I'm sure you know, but they are a light tan with brown & black specs mixed in) granite tile kitchen counters. The "tile guy" said no extra attention is needed for cleaning and maintaining so I think now he may be an idiot too. It has not been grouted or sealed yet. I will do the lemon test tonight unless you already know what I'm talking about and can tell me to seal or not and what type of sealer to use. I also question what type of grout do you recommend? I will buy the type of cleaner you suggested to maintain them. Are they available anywhere?

Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Red Bordeaux

    Recently had Bordeax installed in basement bar and countertop around sink area. A crack appeared on bar countertop that goes all the way through. You can see line on top and spreading on bottem. Installer says this is NORMAL and wouldn't do anything. Also, many chips were left for us to find and not polished out. Are aware of fissures that provide the "motion" that many granites have for beauty. There also some other small cracks that are in the area of fissures and I mean cracks that go all the way through along lip. We have a contractor in charge of project and have not gone final yet. Has anyone one else heard of this problem before? We chose Granite at a warehouse and it was leaning up against other slabs as we have seen the practice in many places we went to, but the slab was shipped to finisher (Yard was a one of two places Granite place sent us too) and when we saw it in yard at Granite place it again was leaning up against another. We did not see any cracks then when we looked at it from the side. They made a big deal about seams and industry standards in allowances at the shop but made no mention of expecting cracks or chipping. Anyone else hear of Granite shops telling customers that Bordeauxs are expected to have all the way through cracks or believe this? We are especially concerned because of people leaning on the countertop and Resale inspection. Thank you so much Bonnie

how do i refinish marble that had lemon juice etch

my idiot boss used a beautiful mixed stone, cheese board of mine (that I had lent hime for a party the night before) to cut lemons on and he left one half of a lemon face down on and several slices scattered around. By mixed stone I mean different colors of polished marble, pieced together into an 8" by 14" board, that now have very clear white "etched"impressions of the lemon everywhere the pulp touched.
Any idea of hoe to regain the color/finish? Marble polish did not help.

Juparana Delicato stain & possible damaged finnish

I have two issues. 1.) My Juparana Delicato - a very light stone with chunks of black, white, etc., but mostly cream, now has a pink stain about 5 inches in diameter near the sink. We had a potted plant which was covered with a decorative pink foil sitting on the countertop. It must have become wet. I was not home when it was discovered. My husband used a granite cleaner (possibly Method), they tried a Baking Soda poultice - but for only about 5 min. and they even tried a Mr. Clean magic eraser (I was a little upset about this, but, thankfully, it didn't seem to make anything worse.) I am worried, because I suspect that someone, perhaps our cleaning folks, used a harsh chemical that damaged the surface. It seems much more rough than when I bought it and I can feel all of the fissures, etc. with my fingers when I couldn't before. What do I do to fix both the stain and the surface? I have another issue with a marble floor that I will mention separately.

Too Much Sealant

We recently bought a granite slab for our coffee table.  The seller said that that they sealed it.  The top looks like someone applied a lot of wax but never buffed it.  Do I need to scrape off all of the sealant, can I buff it? If I can buff it, what do I use for a buffer?

 

Thanks!!

 

Pat

Watermark Etch Stains on Absolute Black Granite

Hi,

I have an absolute black dining room table that is approximately 6 - 8 months old.  Used only about a handful of times.  I have 2 marks that are really light in color and look like the bottom of a drinking glass.  My husband called the granite place numerous times and they said the company they buy from would have sealed the granite so that staining should never happen and its probably some chemical!  They were supposed to come and look at the problem twice and have blown us off.  From what I have been reading everywhere, you are not supposed to seal absolute black granite!!!!  I really would like to remove the etching and if possible use some sort of color enhancer.   

 

How do I remove the etching stains?

Can I use an enhancer?  If so what kind.  And if I get an etching stain again after I have used the enhancer, what do I do?

How do I maintain the absolute black granite after my issues are resolved?

 

As for the rest of my house, I have Spectrus Granite, so far, no etching...  I would like to put more sealer on it to be on the "safe" side.  Can you please make a recommendatio on a sealer for the Spectrus Granite along with maintenance suggestion?  And I also would like to know if I can use an enhancer over the sealer that is already on the spectrus granite, then reseal again???

 

Thank you.

Warmly,

Jennifer L. Loganathan

Granite dealer/installer wanted in Medford OR area

I would like to replace the formica countertops in my home with granite. It is located in Hornbrook, CA, which is just south of the Oregon border off of I-5. The nearest big city is Medford, Oregon. Can anybody recommend a good granite dealer and a good installer in that area?

Best way to seam white carrera marble?

We just recently had a piece of white carrera marble installed as a tub surround that is seamed on both ends. We're not happy with the way the seams came out and are looking to see if there are other, better options for re-doing the seam.

The stone is a very white carrera, with minimal grey veining. The installer mixed up and showed us a few different colors of epoxy from solid white, to slight grey, to grey and we chose the light grey since it most closely matched the color of the stone. Unfortunately, once it was all said and done, the seam stood out quite prominently. The installer came back and tried a second color of grey epoxy, but the seams still stand out. We steered clear of the pure white since it seems to turn yellow/rust colored once dry.

Are there other options for doing the seam? Could we cut out the epoxy somehow and fill it instead with a clear, clean grout? Would that look more like the stone than a fake, plasticy looking grey epoxy? Are there crushed marble products that we could put into the seam as a filler? Any new, better products/techniques for putting a seam into a white-ish stone? Any sites/resources that have step-by-step instructions for the best way to hide a seam?

Appreciate any help you might be able to offer!

Thanks,
Matt

ACID RAIN STAIN ON GRANITE HEADSTONE

If it is truly from acid rain, then I suspect it would be more accurately called "etched" This means the shine has been eaten away with acid. You can try some fine steel wool & elbow grease to see if it comes "off", but if it really is etched, it will require professional re-polishing.

ACID RAIN STAIN ON GRANITE HEADSTONE

I purchased a granite grey stone for my son's headstone 9 months ago. I have just noticed a light white line down the center, of which the supplier said was an acid rain stain. I am very upset about this and would appreciate any advice on how to remove this. Also, is there any way to seal the stone, so that this does not reoccur???  Thanks!!!

Another name for Island Dream?

My sister has granite countertops in her kitchen that the builder called "Island Dream". I love it! But I cannot find it anywhere. Does it also go by another name, perhaps? My recollection is that it has shades of green and white and other colors and has a lot of movement, non-uniformity, which I like.

Flag stone

    I have flagstone around my saltwater pool and on the overflow from my hot tub. It is a real problem with it breaking down it keeps my pool looking dirty around the edges, is there a way to seal it or do I have to replace it with something that is more compatible with the saltwater.

Volga Blue Granite/Backsplash

My wife and I have chosen to upgrade our outdated baby blue formica
counters with Volga Blue granite. We have recently put down Piemme Canyon
Sand tile on the floor, have stainless appliances with oak cabinets. A few
concerns...do you see a "clash" between the floor color and Volga Blue or do
you consider it to be a nice contrast? Secondly, we are at a total loss for
a color scheme for a tiled backsplash...the last thing we want is a
"neopolitan icecream cone" look!

Greatful for your advice.

HELP!! How to clean tumbled marble

I am writing to ALL for your help.  I have a shower made with tumbled marble.  There is a pinkish, reddish, orange type stain that is spreading all over the tumbled marble and grout.  My wife cleans it with ammonia and it goes away.  Then a week or two later it reappears. 

 

The ammonia is killing my wife so is there another product I can use to clean it.  Also what is it and what can I do to stop it from coming back.  I also believe the tile was never sealed.

 

What do you recommend?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

travertine

I am planning on doing a kitchen backsplash in 4 x 4 travertine tumbled tiles.

Previous comments have been made about the need to seal the tiles.  My question, is there any reason I couldn't dunk them in sealer before I start?  I  think this would be a better way to insure all the little crevices and caves would get adequately treated. 

Second question.  I don't want to get grout in all the surface features, and I have never used a grout "pastry" bag.  Is there any reason I couldn't cover the tile faces with tape of contact paper, then grout with a float then uncover?

Thanks in advance. 

sealer enhances and gives a true matte finish

    We had all the floors on our main level replaced with various sizes and forms of botticino ranging from either tumbled, to what the tile shop uses as their own trade name for semi to low sheen but none of it is polished.
our installer used lithofin /sims to protect and enhance without a sheen, but I don't know what else on top of that was used to seal the floors.
The installer is now long gone, nowhere to be found, and its 2 yrs later, and we need clean and to reseal all the floors- we can actually now see traffic patterns on the stone!!!.
What product/products do you recommend that
will give us protection ( ENHANCEMENT IF WE NEED TO STRIP WHATS ON THE FLOOR) with a MATTE finish and that definitely wont add sheen?
Thank you in advance for your recommendation.

Goldie Polished Slate Tiles

My husband and I are building a new home, and recently saw some Goldie Polished Slate floor tiles installed in a showroom.  This flooring has the shimmering look and all the colors we have been searching for, as well as the natural stone appearance, without the clefting and fissures of normal slate tile. 

The Goldie Polished Slate tiles we saw are very smooth and even on top, and looked almost like granite tiles.  The storeowner said they had a natural sealer on the tiles, not a color enhancing sealer.

We would like to use this slate tile in our powder room, in a full bathroom (which is between two offices and will not be used as a typical bathroom), and on the walls in our entry hall as a wainscott.

In searching through your website I did not find any postings regarding this type of smooth polished slate, but I did read many of the postings about regular slate.

a) Do you have any information on this type of polished slate tile?  Is a polished slate tile more durable than typical slate?  Any details you have would be appreciated.

b) For our use, would you steer us away from using this material?  If so, why?

c) Any special recommendations for maintenance and care of polished slate?  It is just my husband and I that will be living in the home.  We have no children, no pets, and do not wear shoes in the house.

d) From reading many of the posts on slate, I see slate is not recommended much, especially in bathrooms.  I am curious as to why, and would the same issues be applicable to polished slate?

Thank you so much for your help!

Goldie Polished Slate Floor Tiles

My husband and I are building a new home, and recently saw some Goldie Polished Slate floor tiles installed in a showroom.  This flooring has the shimmering look and all the colors we have been searching for, as well as the natural stone appearance, without the clefting and fissures of normal slate tile. 

The Goldie Polished Slate tiles we saw are very smooth and even on top, and looked almost like granite tiles.  The storeowner said they had a natural sealer on the tiles, not a color enhancing sealer.

We would like to use this slate tile in our powder room, in a full bathroom (which is between two offices and will not be used as a typical bathroom), and on the walls in our entry hall as a wainscott.

In searching through your website I did not find any postings regarding this type of smooth polished slate, but I did read many of the postings about regular slate.

a) Do you have any information on this type of polished slate tile?  Is a polished slate tile more durable than typical slate?  Any details you have would be appreciated.

b) For our use, would you steer us away from using this material?  If so, why?

c) Any special recommendations for maintenance and care of polished slate?  It is just my husband and I that will be living in the home.  We have no children, no pets, and do not wear shoes in the house.

d) From reading many of the posts on slate, I see slate is not recommended much, especially in bathrooms.  I am curious as to why, and would the same issues be applicable to polished slate?

Thank you so much for your help!

suspect fault in granite worktop

    Hoping for some help/advice - we had a new kitchen fitted before Christmas with black granite worktops (African Black i think). It all looks great apart from the fact that there are some what i can only describe as "chips" in the worktops. The largest one is about the size of my little fingernail and feels rough to the touch. The kitchen company have been out to inspect and told us that these are natural pits and pores that occur in granite. However, my understanding of pits and pores is that they are tiny holes in the surface that will not be noticed on a large piece of granite (this piece is about 1 mtre by 2.5 mtre)as the surface is polished. Am i correct in my thinking? any replies would be much appreciated. thanks

Limestone-Crema Bello

    Hi,need urgent advise, i m working on a project for internal wall cladding using Limestone Crema Bello natural split finish, our contractor have delivered chisel finish, due to dateline, is there any remedy to coverup the chisel finish or any other way. thank you.

Australian Pearl Marble

My husband and I are building a new home.  We have selected an Australian Pearl Marble from Italy for our Master Bathroom vanities, whirlpool surround, and within the tiled shower, we will be using this marble for the shower shelves and sill.  On the label, the slabs say they are double-resined and vacuum-sealed.

In checking out the Marble Institute of America's guidelines for the care of natural stone, they make mention that resin-treated stone may or may not go well with sealers, depending on the type of resin that was used, and whether the sealer is compatible with it.

Our fabricator said they would use a solvent-based sealer on it, and that as the customer they would recommend I repeat the treatment once or twice a year.

a) Any information regarding Australian Pearl Marble that has been double-resined and vacuum processed will be greatly appreciated.

b) Does the double-resin process eliminate the need for a sealer?  Our intention is to squeegee and towel dry the shower after each use as we do now with our fiberglass unit.  Do we need to extra careful about drying the marble areas, or does the resin treatment itself lend a good amount of protection from water issues?

c) One of our shower shelves had some small surface scratches in it, which the fabricator is going to remove before installation.  For future reference, is resined marble that easy to scratch?  Can minor surface scratches be fixed by a homeowner?  Does removal of the scratch also destroy the integrity of the resin feature?

d) Our stone is highly polished, but there are small lines and shapes on our stone, which do not have a gloss to them, and are matte in appearance.  They correspond with actual lines/marks of the stone itself, and do not appear to be damage.  We are curious as to why the stone is glossy everywhere on the surface, except where there are these little squiggles and patches that are matte.  It almost looks like there is something smeared on the stone, but indeed it is the stone itself.  Is this typical for this type of stone?

Thank you in advance for your help with my questions.

Marble Veneered Porcelain Tile

I just purchased tile that has strips of marble glued together and then cut and glued to procelain tile. I did not realize in the store that there were little gaps I guess where they sanded the veneer. It looks as though the apoxy came out and I was wondering if these could just be filled in with grout or should something else be used? I am kind of pressed for time because I just noticed the holes yesterday and I think the tile will be installed on weds. So fustrating. Thanks for the advice

Limestone tiles

    Helo! We had some limestone tiles installed and many of them sounded hollow underneath. The installer took up quite a few and re-set them and we have the same issue again. Is there a special trick to limestone, or is this normal or is there a problem with the tiler? He has done other work for us without a problem.

Limestone- Grey stains

We installed limestone in several areas- floor of foyers/ halls and walls/floor/ shower area of bathroom. All areas have been maintained, sealed almost quarterly for past 5 years. In last 6 months, a greyish stain has appeared in several areas in the shower floor area. Unable to remove via scrubbing, bleach etc.
Any ideas?

stains

   hi ive just bought a granite rok sink but am having trouble with tea and coffee stains what can i safley use to clean it thankyou

The best way to obtain the natury stone method

Would you want to buy stone? Do you have your owe suppliers? Their price is competitive and the quality is guarantee?

If the answer is no, I think you are so lucky, you found the right supplier, we are the specialized stone manufacture leader in China, We can supply various imported and domestic granite tiles, countertops, kitchen tops, vanity tops, cut to size, slabs, and so on.

We specialize in 2cm and 3cm granite slabs, prefabricated countertop and cut to size project. The product's quality is A grade, they are Low-maintenance, resists grease and stains, easy clean-up, the main product's detail as following Granite Counter Tops, Bathroom Counter Top, Granite Kitchen Island, Bar Counter Top, Vanity Table Top, Worktop, Granite Tiles, Marble Tiles, Granite Slab, Marble Slab, Bath Tub Surround, Stone Wall Panel, Stone Wall Tiles, Window Sills, Stepping Stone, Stairs, Paving Stone, Cube Stone, Curbstone, Mushroom Stone, Mosaic Tile, Medallion, Floor Medallion, Granite Table Tops, Mosaic Table, Stone Fireplace Mantel, Marble Fireplace Surround, Cultured Stone, Decorative Column, Roman Column, Marble Column, Stone Carving, Garden Stone Sculpture, Landscaping, Floor Slate Tile, Roofing Slate Tile, Pebble And Stones, Pebble Stone Tile.

A, GraniteG635, G603, G614, G617, G684, G696, G562, G648, G682, G654, G687, G623, G640, G633, G602, G683, G439, G664, China Black, Shanxi Black, Xili Red, Baltic Brown, Tropical Brown, Autummn Gold, Kashimir Gold and so on.

B, Marble Crema marfil, Botticino, Dark Emperador, Nero Marquina, Bianco Perlino, China green, Aswan Beige, Aman Beige, Golden Beige, Gozden Gargon, Century Beige, Shara Beige, Sunny Beige, Rose Verona, Rojo Alicate, Rosa Levanto, Keiye Red, Apollo, Indian Green, Tea Rose, Yellow travertine, Dark Emperador, Night Rose, Dark Pink Volakas, Bianco Carrara and so on.

1 Slab, Tiles, Cut to size:

A) Polished, Flamed, Honed, Bushed Hammered, Pineapple, Natural Surface, Patinato Surface, Hammered Surface, Split, Machine Pulled, Sawn. B) Thickness tolerance: +_1mm, +_2mmC) Polishing degree: Above 85-95, above 75-85D) Edge details: Eased, fully bull-nosed, laminated bull-nosed, ogee, as per customers requirementsE) Thin tile: 12" x 12" x 3/8", 16" x 16" x 3/8", 18" x 18" x 3/8", 12" x 24" x 1/2", 18" x 18" x 1/2", 24" x 24" x 1/2" polished

2 Countertop, Vanity tops, Island style1) Kitchen top set (2pcs/set): A)Dimensions: 108"*26"*3/4" with back splash 108*6*3/4"; 98"*26"*3/4" with back splash 98*6*3/4"; Top front and left or front and right sides, bullnose/ogee, backsplash 1 long and 1 short side polish straight

B)Island: 96" x 36" x 1-1/4" or 3/4", 76"X36" x 1-1/4" or 3/4", 76"X42" x 1-1/4" or 3/4" 3 sides (2 long and 1 short sides) bullnose/oge, no back slash. E, island: 78" x 36" x 1-1/4" or 3/4", sides bullnose/ogee

C) Countertop: 25", 31", 37", 43", 49", 61" x 22" x 3/4", bullnose/ogee

D) Upon customers' designs

3 Incorporate basins

A) Dimensions: 25", 31", 37", 43", 49", 61" x 22" x 3/4", bullnose/ogee

B) Incorporate basin: 37" x 22" x 8"

C) Upon customers' designs

4 Basins

A)Dimensions: 435mm x 350mm (17-1/8" x 13-3/4"), 490mm x 405mm x 190mm (19-1/4" x 16" x 7-1/2")

B) Can be produced according to customers' pictures

C) Free CAD design available according to their sizes and finishes

5 Fireplaces

A) Dimensions: 43" x 56" x 13" (small), 48" x 64" x 13" (medium), 48" x 70" x 13" (large)

B) According to customers' designs

We can process kinds of stone carving according to your sketch. We would welcome the opportunity to quote for your specific needs when such opportunity arise.

findstone2008-12-26 18:04:25

new marble floor

    I've just invested in doing my entire house in white marble floors! Now the "marble man" is trying to explain
sealer & crystallizing. He has never heard of oliophobic-resistant to oil based stains. The marble has a shiny finish but there are marks left by the carpenters. Spills that when wiped up,left dull marks.
He talked about putting acid on the marks? What,is that good? He is coming next week to do the floors. Is there a right and wrong way to seal or crystallize? I am really in a panic,any help would be greatly appreciated!

Champagne Ivory Granite?

My Champagne Ivory granite kitchen countertop is being installed currently. The installer discovered that the measurements were not exactly correct with the sink so they are recutting another piece for the sink area. First day they dropped the other countertop before they came and had to cut another. My question is Champagne Ivory really granite, any known problems, etc? There are several rough spots on the top and a couple on the edges. I asked for straight edge and it is done on the top but not on the bottom. Was is supposed to be on the bottom? One place in front of the cooktop is really rough on the top edge. Will it deteriorate over time or if accidently hit with pan? It doesn't seem as shiny as some granite I've seen.
What about sealing and care?
Thanks for any suggestions!

Travertine

Lots of great advice here! We have plans installing 2,000 sq f of Travertine in living areas incl. a kitchen, and I am starting to wonder whether it is such a good idea? We purchased Turkish Umbria Saveria tile from a store that turned out to not be of good quality consisting of mostly fillings...who knew. It has been returned. How does one guarantee a good quality load of this quantity? Is the general rule that you get what you pay for? If so, how much should one expect to pay for good quality Travertine? Should we rethink our decision and go for different flooring material? Look forward to hearing back. Kind regards, Mia

Cleaning natural limestone

    I am curious about the best way to clean fireplace soot off natural limestone blocks and hearth.

travertine--polish or hone

    I have travertine tile on my rear patio. We are consgtructing an outdoor grille/kitchen. The kitchen unit is stone and the counter top will be the same Travertine tile as on the patio. I would like for the Travertine on the counter to be smooth and "polished"--without the "pot holes" and rough edges. Can Travertine be polished and then maybe sealed/coated with something that would make it smooth?

water stains on Black Pearl?

We have Black Pearl countertops in our kitchen (installed a little over 12 months ago). We love the material; nothing affects it and it wipes clean with little effort on our part. Our only complaint is this; around the cutouts for the faucets (four holes in all) we have light brown or off-white rings that will not go away. As soon as we clean them, they come back. The stains feel rough to the touch as though there is some sort of deposit there. As far as I can tell the faucet doesn't leak and if the area does get wet it is wiped clean immediately.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I can provide pictures if needed.

Thanks in advance,
Bryan

make a travertine table

    I want a travertine coffee table. I saw one at www.kingsroadhome.com. The travertine slab is very thick--looks to be about four inches. It takes sixteen weeks to be delivered. It is also a little wider than I want. So I wanted to know how easy is it for me to buy a slab of travertine to make into a table? (55"L, 30"W) I thought this may be the way to go because then I can also choose the coloring of the travertine. I do want it thick--like the one at King's Road Home--will this be difficult to find? And how much does a slab like this cost? Thanks!!

Help, I didn't seal my sandstone before grouting

    I did not seal my sandstone before I grouted. The sandstone is rainbow (light) and the grout is red quarry. As you can probably guess, the sandstone does not show it's natural colors any longer and has a dark red tint. Is there anyway to fix this? Will sanding help? How about acid? Thanks in advance!

Mike

granite installation industry standards

    
I've recently had my kitchen remodeled. I'm not happy with the craftsmanship and installation of the granite countertops. To name the worst examples:   
1. the island piece is ½ inch off center.
2. The laminated edge 'seam', which I believe should be as unobvious as possible, has a consistent black line at the seam that is pretty visible throughout.
3. The L shaped counter starts out with a distance between the edge of the granite to the cabinet at 11/16 and gradually increases out at the corner of the L shape to a difference of 1 inch. (total difference of 5/16 from one end to the other)
In my opinion these items are substandard and not acceptable but the installer claims they are within industry standard. Is that correct or am I just expecting too much? What are the industry standards for these specific issues? Can I ask him to replace it if it can't be fixed to my satisfaction? I'm trying to be fair and reasonable. Please advise. Thanx.

mlab

Deep Purple?

    I am looking at a stone which they call Deep Purple for my kitchen. It looks like wild sea but more red then green. Any body have any info on this stoneDeep Purple This is only for a picture of the stone as an example.

Information on granite worktops fabrication

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone could help me here?

I recently wrote an article (a very basic article) on the the subject of manufacturing granite worktops and wanted to write a follow up article that went into a lot more depth.

In my new article, I would like to cross-reference other material, but I can't seem to find articles or sites that provide in-depth information on this subject and was wondering if anyone here has an idea of where to look for such resources?

Any help would be most appreciated. Other than referencing magazines, journals and technical books, I would also like to include references to online material, other than that offered in conjunction with the already mentioned material sources.

I hope to speak to you all soon...

Alan

Limestone Maintenance

We installed a honed Jerusalem limestone in our office lobby. Our stone maintenance contractor said it was a bad idea because it is so soft it is bound to chip, scratch, and crack at the fissures -especially since it is going to be a high traffic area. His recommendation is to polish it and use a hardening process called vitrification.   What do you think?

Antique Slate Clock cleaning/restoration

    I have an antique polished black slate Ansonia mantle clock circa 1896 which is in much need of some TLC. The clock mechanism is being serviced professionally but I am in need of advice on how to properly and safely clean the slate and fix some 'pitting' which the slate has developed over the decades.

Granite

Borrello Stone as one leading professional natural stone company mainly deal with granite , marble and natural stone , situated in Shandong province , North of China. Base on our local abundance stone quarries, we produce wide range of stone products. include: Tiles and Slabs, Countertop and Vanity top, tofindstone, Stone Carving, Pebble stone, Gravel, Tumbled Stone, Antique Stone, Stone Ball, Stone Fountain, Curbstone, Cube, Pavers, Palisades and other building and decorating stone etc! We keenly wish a long-term business cooperation with your company by our nice quality and good price.

Tel: 0086-535-2181808, Fax: 0086-535-2269687,

Contact: Zhou Xiaoping ( Export Manager)

E-mail: borrellostone@yahoo.com Website: http://www.borrellostone.com.cn

Address: No.162 Wenchang South Road, Laizhou city, Shandong province, China.

Zip: 261400

Kashmere Gold

    I have Kashmere Gold granite in my kitchen for about 4 months. During this time, I've notice the development of white stains/disclorations appearing in the granite. What is this? What is the cause? Is there a solution?

sent black wax to rub on stain on star galaxy?

hi, have just today received some black lumpy wax sent to my by the people who installed my granite as i had complained to them that there was a white stain appeared, only had three weeks they said i had spilt something acidic on it, and it has reacted with sealer, and told me that they would send me wax to rub on and rub off with a soft wire brush was very surprised when the wax turned up and was black, shorly this is only trying to cover the stain not remove it. have got them coming monday to look. should i get them to remove sealer and will granite still look the same?

stains on older granite

My kitchen counters of Zimbabwe Black granite were installed about 15 years ago. I don't know if they were sealed at that time or not. I have not sealed them since. Within the last few months, some slightly lighter stains have developed near the kitchen sink. They look like liquid might have puddled and stood on the spots. I have tried various kinds of granite/stone cleaners, but have not had any luck. Any suggestions on how to remove the stains? Should the stone be sealed?

Granite Cranes

Hi All,

Has anyone got any experience in operating those large cranes at granite and stone quarries? I wrote an article recently on how stone gets from quarry to kitchen for granite worktops and want to write a follow up article that looks at people who have actually worked at these quarries, so getting some insider knowledge would be really helpful.

Anyway, if anyone can help this would be super!

Cya

black galaxy granite

    hi, i have just had black galaxy granite in my kitchen three weeks ago, i have discovered a small area that is lighter, i have contacted the people i got it from and they said i must have spilled something acidic on it as i sent them a picture, to my knowledge i havent spilled anything and if i had would have cleaned straight away, they said they will send me some bees wax and a wire brush to rub it down, will this work? i have aspare piece of granite that i have put juice, coffee, milk and soaked in over night and there was hardly a mark a very small light area which to be honest you can hardly see so i am at a loss as to what this is. should the company be doing more, are they legally obliged?

Water Stains on a Cordoso Granite Countertop

We have a new gray granite countertop. The place where we bought it called the stone Pietra del Cardosa. The enclosed link shows the stone and refers to it as Cordoso natural stone. Due to some coordination problems between the countertop fabricator and our contractor the countertop was never sealed and we did not realize it. In several places, wherever a water glass or soap dispenser was wet underneath, we have some permanent water marks. I've tried using vinegar to remove the marks, which did not work. Reading this site I intend to try high potency hydrogen peroxide next. But I'd like to know how to remove these stains and once I do, what I should use to seal this stone. Thanks.


Cordoso Granite

Muriatic acid

   I set a a glass down my grantie countertop which is Black Absolute, polished, after I rinsed the glass in the Kitchen sink. The glass had a diluted solution of muriatic acid in it that was used to clean some brick on the outside of the house. I though I had rinsed the glass well, but obviously not well enough. When I picked the glass up about an hour later a ring was left that has the appearance of honed stone, more grey in color. The stone still feels smooth. but now looks like the polished finish is gone. It's smooth, but not as smooth as the stone adjacent. Can this be polished out?

Verde Agave Granite for Countertop?

I have now driven myself crazy trying to select a countertop. The only granite I like is Verde Agave, which I think is sometimes called Coast Green. I haven't been able to find any absorption/durability data on this stone. Is it good for a heavily-used kitchen countertop? My cabinets are stained wood, and going with something that I know is low absorption like Absolute Black will make the kitchen too dark. I may just give up and paint the cabinets, and install soapstone! At least that won't stain, and I don't mind the rustic "patina" it will get over time. I live in NJ and the fabricators I've met with all tell me something different. I don't prefer the look of any of the engineered stones, and I have been lurking on this forum too long to think that marble is right for me. Help!

lots of mini scratches on new granit

Hello,
After the contractor finished our kitchen and he told us he sealed it , I cleaned the granite  (Santa Cecilia) with water and cotton rag. I could see lots of mini scratches all over the top and the back splash also it is not as shinny as I expected too .. Any Advice?

MICHELETTI GANG SAW

we have bought a MICHELETTI GANG SAW from Italy and i am looking for an instruction manual, wire diagrams and hydraulics diagrams as we have problems with the machine. Also if any one knows about these machine and think they can help us please send us an email to: mtp_marble@bigpond.com

 

Thank you

 

Michael Digianni

MICHELETTI GANG SAW

we have bought a MICHELETTI GANG SAW from Italy and i am looking for an instruction manual, wire diagrams and hydraulics diagrams as we have problems with the machine. Also if any one knows about these machine and think they can help us please send us an email to: mtp_marble@bigpond.com

 

Thank you

 

Michael Digianni

Granite Memorial and building product

Sorry for advertise here about our granite memorial and buidling materials.

We have specialized in memorial and buidling materials for many yeas.
So pls feel free to let us know if you have any question.
We would like to reply all of you.
Pls see our website:www.ouyichina.com

Benjaming
Email:ouyichina6@gmail.com

4X4 Marble Slab

My Grandfather, who owned and operated a wonderful home made candy shoppe used 4ft by 4ft by 2 inches marble slabs to create fudge, toffee, and the like.
     When he died, about 15 years ago, I was able to procure one of the slabs, mostly for the nostalgia of the work I did for him as a youth.
     I brought the slab home, eased it onto the earth in the back yard, and there it has remained until now.
     My wife and I now want to restore it, and make a coffee table with it, but you can imagine the condition it is in. What do you suggest?    

Cracked granite

   I just had a granite top installed. I have two cracks on the front of the granite to the sink all the way through and one behind the sink to the back splash. Can this be repaired and will it re-crack. Also have two seams that really are very rough. I notified the the company and they came out and looked then came out and drilled the holes for the faucets never sayiny a word. I wasn't home and the job is in a casita that doesn't have access from the house so they come and go sometimes without me noticing.

Rust stains

Does anyone know how to remove severe rust stains on sandstone window sills caused by rusty wire screens protecting stained glass windows?

Arizona Sandstone

I am thinking of paving my front porch with Arizona sandstone, to be placed on top of an existing cement porch. I notice that it is very grainy and tends to shed grains of sands when rubbed. And it is extremely porous, and will leave a reddish trace on your hands after water is applied and it is rubbed.

So, as a front porch material, will I have to guard against people tracking red sand into the house? is that really a problem? And does its high porousness make it more susceptible to erosion and breaking down after installation?

I assume it will stain fairly easily. Should I treat it with anything to prevent against staining?

And finally, will it get slippery when wet? It seems to be non-slip, but a good rain might make it slippery/

I do not live in the Southwest. I live in Maryland, but I love the stone and would love to use it. I am just not sure that it would be the right choice.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Paradise Blue Granite & Azul Macauba Marble

My Expo designer has ordered Paradise Blue granite for my new bathroom vanity and for the bench seat and threshold in the shower (not yet installed), and Azul Macauba marble from Sicis NA for a 6" accent on the shower walls and on the front of the shower bench (already installed).

I have since read articles that state that Blue Paradise granite should not be installed in or around a high moisture area. It is also recommended that this granite be sealed with an impregnating sealer (I'm not certain if this means that it can then be installed in a high moisture area.) I have read the same thing about the Azul Macauba.

I'm so worried that this so expensive granite and marble should not be in my new bathroom at all. Am I being mislead about this? Thanks so much for your help.

Stone and marble

China Zenger Stone Company is a manufacturer and exporter of granite, marble, tiles,mosaic,fireplace , tofindstone, etc.

             

The products we supply include:

 

1) Granite Marble Tile , Slab, Cut to Size and Random size with flamed (or blamed first ,then brushed), polished, Bush-hammered, Sandblasted , etc. We specialize in supply china wood vein marble products,which is excellent materials to make tabletop,counter top,handrails,floorings and wall decorations due to its unique wood vein.

 

2) Countertop, Vanity, Bar tops, Marble faucet,Island top, Bath Tub, Sink. These are for Public area, Restrooms, Kitchen, Garden.

 

3) Slate, Sandstone, Limestone,Curbstone,Cultural Stone,Pavers. This is Natural products for wall and floor!

 

4) Tofindstone, Fireplace, Medallion, Mosaic, Sculpture,Fountain and any building, decoration stone.

 

Skype:zenger1230

MSN:stoneexporter@hotmail.com

Gmail:zengerstone@gmail.com

http://www.china-stone-marble.com

wood vein marble tiles

It is excellent materials to for wall and flooring decorations due to its unique natural wood vein.

 

Size: 15*60cm,20*40cm,30*60cm

 

Thickness:1.5cm

 

Surface: acid,polished

 

Packing: wood crates

 

We can also supply antique ,black,grey, golden,purple,green,yellow wood vein marble.

 

http://www.china-stone-marble.com

laying travertine pavers

    I am laying a patio on a bed that is topped with 1" of sand. How can I lay the travertine so it have small spaces to put polymeric sand in the joints when I am finished? My concern is that I can't vibrate them in with a plate compactor without them moving and making some cracks bigger than others between the stones... suggestions?

swimming pool surround

Hi Maurizio,

I am building a house in Hawaii and am planning on buying the stone from China or Bali. I am going to Xiamen in a few weeks to look at stone. I have been reading your forum and see that many stones don't work properly around a swimming pool. Would you please recommend the best stone for around a swimming pool?
Please, please and please.
Thanks,
Linda    

granite for Kitchen

We are considering Giallo Burgundy(I heard this is aka Blue Storm - not sure though..) for our 6'x4' Kitchen Island and Golden Ray for the kitchen counters. Are these suitable for the kitchen? I will be trying the Lemon Juice test on the Giallo Burgundy but couldn't get a sample for Golden Ray.Any comments/suggestions is appreciated.Thanks -Jaya

Saturnia Marble

What are the specific characteristics of Saturnia, as distinct from other types of marble?
Does it have to be sealed - just once, or regularly?
Is it more porous and soft, or less, than other marble?
Where does it come from (in US or other country)?

water stains

Great website! Basically,I have just had granite countertop installed in my kitchen. The stone is golden, yellowish. The name was "Gold sand" i believe. When you drop water on it, it leaves a dark stain, which looks really bad. And now I am scared to use it so what i got from this site is that it needs to be sealed. So i called the store to seal it and they told me that they do not seal it. It has been already sealed when it comes from the factory. and one day, even one of the guys came and put some kinda polish on it, which is not helping either. I am still seeing dark stain from water. So i went back to the store and complained so they gave me  very little granite sealer "impregnator" in a bottle to apply it and told me to do it every 2-3 months or even sooner depending on how you maintain it. it sounds very soon. i have heard every six months to a year? I am really confused. it has been really bothering me. Can u tell me what exactly i should do and if that's a good sealer? or if i can use something else?

thanks

some type of skim coating over limestone

I have a house that was built in 1890 and it has a limestone and brick foundation.   It has some sort of skimcoating over the walls in the basement to smooth them out and cover the limestone and brick.  The coating is crubling off the walls in places.  Any ideas of what that coating is?  And any ideas of what i can use to repair it?

Uba Tuba water spots

I have been following your forums for some time now and I recently had Uba Tuba Gold installed in my kitchen. The installers did put sealant on it however and I am developing water spots near my faucets/soap dispenser. Since Uba Tuba does not apparently need sealant I got a stripper and took off the sealant just a small area around the sink to see if it was etchings on the sealant that were causing my problem. However, they are still there. Suggestions? Did I not get all of the sealer off? Thanks for the help- am still wondering if I should just strip the whole thing or not.

saturnia marble

    saturnia
What are the specific characteristics of Saturnia, as distinct from other types of marble? Does it have to be sealed - just once, or regularly? Is it more porous and soft, or less, than other marble?

MB Stone Information

To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at MB Stone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the MB Stone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded MB Stone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire MB Stone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be MB Stone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
MB STONE

Granite in Shower, Need Cleaning Advice!

I just moved into a condo and am renting from the owner. The shower is mostly rock/stone tile, but has a granite shelf. One question I have is what can I use to clean this shower that won't damage the granite? The other question is that I have used the shelf to hold soap/shampoo/conditioner/etc. and it seems to be darkening the granite in certain spots (the granite is a white/gray/black mix). Is there any way I can clean these spots or remove them? Please help, I know nothing about granite!

MB Stone Information

       To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at MB Stone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the MB Stone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded MB Stone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire MB Stone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be MB Stone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
MB STONE

MB Stone Information

           To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at MB Stone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the MB Stone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded MB Stone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire MB Stone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be MB Stone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
MB STONE

findstone Update

    To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at findstone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the findstone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded findstone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire findstone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be findstone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
Laura Bertoli

findstone Update

    To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at MB Stone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the MB Stone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded MB Stone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire MB Stone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be MB Stone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
findstone

findstone UPDATE

To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at findstone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the MB Stone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded MB Stone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire MB Stone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be MB Stone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
findstone

MB Stone information

        To our loyal friends and customers,

While this is of course a time of change here at MB Stone, we felt it our responsibility to let all of you who were loyal to our company and to Maurizio for so long know that the MB Stone line of quality stone care products remains the sole property of MB Stone. Any information you may hear or receive claiming otherwise is patently untrue. For as long as it has existed, the principle upon which Maurizio founded MB Stone was the idea that honesty and integrity were paramount in business and in life. As such, if and when we choose to make any changes, we will announce so here, openly. At this time, the entire MB Stone product line remains available through this site and through our numerous professional distributors. Any other product claiming to be MB Stone or other company claiming possession of our formula is not only lying, it is attempting to mislead a trusting community by exploiting a horrible situation. Each of us who knew Maurizio knew that this was the very sort of unprofessionalism which he spent his career uncovering.

We thank you all for you continued support.

Sincerely,
MB STONE

Strawberry stain on granite

    I have Toasted Almond granite in my kitchen. We left a container
of strawberries sitting on the counter and they have leaked causing a red
square stain. What can I do to remove this stain? I have several other
smaller stains that I believe are more "oil" based, most likely from butter
that didn't get completely wiped up. Because these counters are lighter,
they see to show everything! They were sealed when installed about 1 year
ago. How often do I need to reseal? Thank you.

White Carrera marble statues

Can anyone help me please as I am trying to clean large very old statues made of Carrera marble, they are white and a lot of them are pitted with black spots. I have tried cleaning them with steradant which is a dental teeth whitner and wrapping in plastic wrap it is taking of the surface dirt but not cleaning the more deep grained dirt.

They are outside statues, so any information would be great.

 

Thank you,

 

Maree  

Cabernet "granite" sealer and residue issues

I purchased honed "Cabernet Granite" (I believe the stone was from Brazil) countertops for my kitchen in March of this year from a local installer. I was assured that they had been sealed properly, and were durable and stain resistant. The stone surrounds my sink, as well as my drop-in cooktop.

The day of the installation, I placed a small bottle of camelina oil (a food supplement to make my dog's coat shinier) on the counter, before putting it away. I did not notice that it had left a ring until the next day. A soap dish with a bar of Ivory soap also left a large stain. The installer applied oil and stain remover to the stains, which only served to move them to the edges of the poultice applications, leaving larger rings. In the months that followed, we found that placing bottles, seltzer cans, etc. left rings on the stone that became extremely obvious whenever the counters were wiped with water.

After four months of complaining to the installers, they concluded that the stone had previously had a coating applied to it that was preventing their sealers from working properly. Their solution was to apply an acid paste to the stone to hopefully remove this sealer, and get the stone back to its original, "raw," form, after which it would take the sealer properly. The acid made the stone much whiter than it had originally been, and the texture is now similar to that of a blackboard. It is difficult to clean any type of food spills off of it, and dragging my mixer, blender, etc. across it makes a horrible screeching sound. The only way that we have found to clean any type of oil spill (including any food spill that has any oil in it -- I use the stone to roll out pie crusts, knead bread dough, etc) is with dish soap and a green scotch-brite sponge. Unfortunately, after scrubbing the counter with the sponge's green side, black residue appears on the yellow side when wiped. I use my laptop on the counter, and my silver bracelet has left squiggly lines all over the area where I use the mouse. I am afraid that the installer's acid solution has damaged the stone, and will lead to further difficulties. The company that sold me the stone has informed me that they have already lost enough money attempting to solve my problem, and that I am now on my own. They explained that the stains, cleaning difficulties, and unusual textures are part of the "patina" that develops on the stone over time.

I am wondering if you have heard of this type of stone, and if you have any suggestions or solutions. It is reddish brown, with pinkish to orange colored blotches, swirls, etc, black veins, and small random white flecks. The stone is hard (I can not scratch it with a screwdriver)except for the white flecks, which are softer than steel. I spoke to a geologist at Montana State University, and he believes that it is a metamorphic rock that was formed from either a sandstone welded together with silica, or a volcanic tuff. He was unable to further narrow his impression of the stone, other than to identify the white flecks as calcite deposits, as they were softer than the surrounding stone, and fizz when acid is applied to them.

If necessary, I will find a way to force the installer to remove the stone, but this will entail at least a week of demolition and replacement of upper cabinets and backsplashes that are currently scribed to the countertops.

Please help me, as I have no health insurance, and can not afford to treat the stomach ulcer and liver cirrhosis that my countertops have caused.

Thank you for your time.
--Mario DiCecco
Bozeman, Montana

Terrazzo

I want to make a terrazzo tabletop. I was in the marble & granite industry
around 10 years ago. We never installed terrazzo. How do I pour a terrazzo tabletop approx. 32" square. Set forms etc, but what is the mix of portland and sand . I  also want to color the portland mix and add glass and stone
chips.I know a local marble company that can polish it with a slab polisher will that work with the glass in the mix.? Will diamond pads polish the edges as
well ?

dark ring on vanity top

    Hi
6 months ago I had granite countertops installed in 2 bathrooms. Both were referred to as Barre granite and were from a quarry in Barre,Vt. They are muticolored black,grey and white (like a stone monument) They were sealed by the installer and recently resealed by me using an impregnator seal.
One bathroom is rarely used. I placed a ceramic soap dispenser with an unglazed bottom on the countertop and noticed that after it being left for about 2 months a dark wet ring appeared (the dispenser does not leak). I assumed that this was the result of water resulting from condensation (the bathroom gets a hot sun) I removed the dispenser and wiped up the water. However, after about 2 weeks the ring, although lighter, still remains. I don't know what to do at this point and would appreciate any advice.
Thanks,
Ralph

Please Help Me With My Granite Issues

    CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE ME .
I HAVE ARIAN BLUE GRANITE SO I AM TOLD - 24" X 24" ON MY FLOORS.
THE FINISH APPEARS TO BE SATIN.
MY DOG URINATED AND IT HAS LEFT LARGE WATER MARKS.
ALSO THERE IS RADIENT HEAT AND THERE IS MASKING TAPE THAT HAS REMNANTS AFFIXED TO THE FLOOR IN SOME AREAS AND WHAT APPEARS TO BE A GLUE OR EPOXY IN ANOTHER AREA.

CAN YOU TELL ME A FEW THINGS PLEASE

IN GENERAL HOW DO YOU CLEAN THESE FLOORS?
WHAT WILL REMOVE THE URINE STAINS?
REMOVAL OF THE MASKING TAPE?
GLUE REMOVAL?
IS THERE A WAY TO SEAL THE FLOORS TO PREVENT URINE STAINS, ETC IN THE FLOORING
WHAT DO YOU DO AND HOW WHEN GROUT DETERIORATES?

limestone from portugal

we would like to present our company MÁRMORES TIMÓTEO LDA. Located in Pêro Pinheiro- Portugal we are dedicated to the export different types of limestone in slabs and tiles.

moca cream
relvinha
moleanos
blue cascais
blue valverde
salgueira

www.marmorestimoteos.com
We are at your disposal for any questions or additional information.
--
António Timóteo
timoteoantonio@gmail.com

Air Conditioning Condensation on Floor Marble

Our company is in a business of marble and granite here in Brunei. Since this is a tropical country air condition is considered a must. We are experiencing some sort of water condensation marks on the floor marble every time the aircon is turned off. Other dark color marble has no problem it is not very visible but the likes of Avorio and cream marfil it is very obvious especially when light is turn On and it is reflecting on the marble. Is there any chemical available to solve this problem, we already tried to seal the marble before installation with stone sealer and some times with oil and water repellant. The concrete slab was also applied with water proof but still to no avail. Thanks.  

Indian Sandstone

    We have been importing sandstone cladding from India for the last 2 years and have just started to observe problems with some of the tiles discolouring to brown or black. This has occurred 4 months post-installation of an exterior wall. We did not carry out the install but we know that the sandstone was sealed when it was still wet. Most tiles are unaffected but about 5% have developed a brown to black discolouring. We just received more stone from our supplier and noticed organic matter (fungus) on the timber crates. Is it possible that the stain is organic and is triggered by moisture? The next question is - how can we treat this problem? I can suppy a couple of photos of the affected tiles.

Thanks,

PJ

Granite Pool Coping

Hi Folks:

I wish I had found this forum a few weeks ago! We bought a house a couple of years ago that came with an in-ground swimming pool -- something I know very little about! It is in sad shape -- no question the coping, tiling, and entire deck needs replacing. We contracted with the company that maintains the pool to first get the coping and tile replaced. As we talk to them about replacing the deck, I am starting to think we are in over our heads. (No pun intended).

I don't think our pool company is a ripoff -- they have been in business for 30 years, have won awards from the Pool and Spa Association, they do commercial pools, etc. It's just that maybe they are a bit upmarket for my budget.

First off, I am trying to find out if we are paying a high price for the coping and tile replacement. As I said, we have already paid a 50% deposit and signed the contract, so there is no going back from this portion of the work. But the deck is a huge job also, and I need to see  if we are paying more than we need to for the first phase, and if we should stay with this company.

Our pool is about 20 x 40, irregular -- about 125 linear feet. Our contractor is going to:
- drain pool
- chop out and remove existing coping and tile
- supply and install granite "mosaic" coping (looks like nice stone to me)
- supply and install 6 x 6 inch Italian Rock Face tile band
- apply caulk joint between coping and deck

That's all they're doing. Repainting and refilling pool is not included.

Total cost for the job is just under $15,000.

Does this sound reasonable? I should point out that we live in a very expensive part of the country, just outside New York City, and that as I said, I think they are a very good, very professional firm. Given that, what do folks think about what we are paying here? Should we stay with them for the decking repair? I can give those prices later.

Thanks so much for any help!

Travertine for Kitchen counters

Is using silver travertine or a limestone for my kitchen counters a big mistake?  Are there better types of these stones that would be more suitable  for this purpose?  I would like to use soapstone or granite, but cannot find anything that I like.  

travertine

I am planning on doing a kitchen backsplash in 4 x 4 travertine tumbled tiles.

Previous comments have been made about the need to seal the tiles.  My question, is there any reason I couldn't dunk them in sealer before I start?  I  think this would be a better way to insure all the little crevices and caves would get adequately treated. 

Second question.  I don't want to get grout in all the surface features, and I have never used a grout "pastry" bag.  Is there any reason I couldn't cover the tile faces with tape of contact paper, then grout with a float then uncover?

Thanks in advance. 

Volga Blue Granite/Backsplash

My wife and I have chosen to upgrade our outdated baby blue formica
counters with Volga Blue granite. We have recently put down Piemme Canyon
Sand tile on the floor, have stainless appliances with oak cabinets. A few
concerns...do you see a "clash" between the floor color and Volga Blue or do
you consider it to be a nice contrast? Secondly, we are at a total loss for
a color scheme for a tiled backsplash...the last thing we want is a
"neopolitan icecream cone" look!

Greatful for your advice.

sealer enhances and gives a true matte finish

    We had all the floors on our main level replaced with various sizes and forms of botticino ranging from either tumbled, to what the tile shop uses as their own trade name for semi to low sheen but none of it is polished.
our installer used lithofin /sims to protect and enhance without a sheen, but I don't know what else on top of that was used to seal the floors.
The installer is now long gone, nowhere to be found, and its 2 yrs later, and we need clean and to reseal all the floors- we can actually now see traffic patterns on the stone!!!.
What product/products do you recommend that
will give us protection ( ENHANCEMENT IF WE NEED TO STRIP WHATS ON THE FLOOR) with a MATTE finish and that definitely wont add sheen?
Thank you in advance for your recommendation.

Flag stone

    I have flagstone around my saltwater pool and on the overflow from my hot tub. It is a real problem with it breaking down it keeps my pool looking dirty around the edges, is there a way to seal it or do I have to replace it with something that is more compatible with the saltwater.

HELP!! How to clean tumbled marble

I am writing to ALL for your help.  I have a shower made with tumbled marble.  There is a pinkish, reddish, orange type stain that is spreading all over the tumbled marble and grout.  My wife cleans it with ammonia and it goes away.  Then a week or two later it reappears. 

 

The ammonia is killing my wife so is there another product I can use to clean it.  Also what is it and what can I do to stop it from coming back.  I also believe the tile was never sealed.

 

What do you recommend?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

Goldie Polished Slate Floor Tiles

My husband and I are building a new home, and recently saw some Goldie Polished Slate floor tiles installed in a showroom.  This flooring has the shimmering look and all the colors we have been searching for, as well as the natural stone appearance, without the clefting and fissures of normal slate tile. 

The Goldie Polished Slate tiles we saw are very smooth and even on top, and looked almost like granite tiles.  The storeowner said they had a natural sealer on the tiles, not a color enhancing sealer.

We would like to use this slate tile in our powder room, in a full bathroom (which is between two offices and will not be used as a typical bathroom), and on the walls in our entry hall as a wainscott.

In searching through your website I did not find any postings regarding this type of smooth polished slate, but I did read many of the postings about regular slate.

a) Do you have any information on this type of polished slate tile?  Is a polished slate tile more durable than typical slate?  Any details you have would be appreciated.

b) For our use, would you steer us away from using this material?  If so, why?

c) Any special recommendations for maintenance and care of polished slate?  It is just my husband and I that will be living in the home.  We have no children, no pets, and do not wear shoes in the house.

d) From reading many of the posts on slate, I see slate is not recommended much, especially in bathrooms.  I am curious as to why, and would the same issues be applicable to polished slate?

Thank you so much for your help!

suspect fault in granite worktop

    Hoping for some help/advice - we had a new kitchen fitted before Christmas with black granite worktops (African Black i think). It all looks great apart from the fact that there are some what i can only describe as "chips" in the worktops. The largest one is about the size of my little fingernail and feels rough to the touch. The kitchen company have been out to inspect and told us that these are natural pits and pores that occur in granite. However, my understanding of pits and pores is that they are tiny holes in the surface that will not be noticed on a large piece of granite (this piece is about 1 mtre by 2.5 mtre)as the surface is polished. Am i correct in my thinking? any replies would be much appreciated. thanks

Goldie Polished Slate Tiles

My husband and I are building a new home, and recently saw some Goldie Polished Slate floor tiles installed in a showroom.  This flooring has the shimmering look and all the colors we have been searching for, as well as the natural stone appearance, without the clefting and fissures of normal slate tile. 

The Goldie Polished Slate tiles we saw are very smooth and even on top, and looked almost like granite tiles.  The storeowner said they had a natural sealer on the tiles, not a color enhancing sealer.

We would like to use this slate tile in our powder room, in a full bathroom (which is between two offices and will not be used as a typical bathroom), and on the walls in our entry hall as a wainscott.

In searching through your website I did not find any postings regarding this type of smooth polished slate, but I did read many of the postings about regular slate.

a) Do you have any information on this type of polished slate tile?  Is a polished slate tile more durable than typical slate?  Any details you have would be appreciated.

b) For our use, would you steer us away from using this material?  If so, why?

c) Any special recommendations for maintenance and care of polished slate?  It is just my husband and I that will be living in the home.  We have no children, no pets, and do not wear shoes in the house.

d) From reading many of the posts on slate, I see slate is not recommended much, especially in bathrooms.  I am curious as to why, and would the same issues be applicable to polished slate?

Thank you so much for your help!

Australian Pearl Marble

My husband and I are building a new home.  We have selected an Australian Pearl Marble from Italy for our Master Bathroom vanities, whirlpool surround, and within the tiled shower, we will be using this marble for the shower shelves and sill.  On the label, the slabs say they are double-resined and vacuum-sealed.

In checking out the Marble Institute of America's guidelines for the care of natural stone, they make mention that resin-treated stone may or may not go well with sealers, depending on the type of resin that was used, and whether the sealer is compatible with it.

Our fabricator said they would use a solvent-based sealer on it, and that as the customer they would recommend I repeat the treatment once or twice a year.

a) Any information regarding Australian Pearl Marble that has been double-resined and vacuum processed will be greatly appreciated.

b) Does the double-resin process eliminate the need for a sealer?  Our intention is to squeegee and towel dry the shower after each use as we do now with our fiberglass unit.  Do we need to extra careful about drying the marble areas, or does the resin treatment itself lend a good amount of protection from water issues?

c) One of our shower shelves had some small surface scratches in it, which the fabricator is going to remove before installation.  For future reference, is resined marble that easy to scratch?  Can minor surface scratches be fixed by a homeowner?  Does removal of the scratch also destroy the integrity of the resin feature?

d) Our stone is highly polished, but there are small lines and shapes on our stone, which do not have a gloss to them, and are matte in appearance.  They correspond with actual lines/marks of the stone itself, and do not appear to be damage.  We are curious as to why the stone is glossy everywhere on the surface, except where there are these little squiggles and patches that are matte.  It almost looks like there is something smeared on the stone, but indeed it is the stone itself.  Is this typical for this type of stone?

Thank you in advance for your help with my questions.

Limestone-Crema Bello

    Hi,need urgent advise, i m working on a project for internal wall cladding using Limestone Crema Bello natural split finish, our contractor have delivered chisel finish, due to dateline, is there any remedy to coverup the chisel finish or any other way. thank you.

Limestone- Grey stains

We installed limestone in several areas- floor of foyers/ halls and walls/floor/ shower area of bathroom. All areas have been maintained, sealed almost quarterly for past 5 years. In last 6 months, a greyish stain has appeared in several areas in the shower floor area. Unable to remove via scrubbing, bleach etc.
Any ideas?

Limestone tiles

    Helo! We had some limestone tiles installed and many of them sounded hollow underneath. The installer took up quite a few and re-set them and we have the same issue again. Is there a special trick to limestone, or is this normal or is there a problem with the tiler? He has done other work for us without a problem.

Marble Veneered Porcelain Tile

I just purchased tile that has strips of marble glued together and then cut and glued to procelain tile. I did not realize in the store that there were little gaps I guess where they sanded the veneer. It looks as though the apoxy came out and I was wondering if these could just be filled in with grout or should something else be used? I am kind of pressed for time because I just noticed the holes yesterday and I think the tile will be installed on weds. So fustrating. Thanks for the advice

stains

   hi ive just bought a granite rok sink but am having trouble with tea and coffee stains what can i safley use to clean it thankyou

The best way to obtain the natury stone method

Would you want to buy stone? Do you have your owe suppliers? Their price is competitive and the quality is guarantee?

If the answer is no, I think you are so lucky, you found the right supplier, we are the specialized stone manufacture leader in China, We can supply various imported and domestic granite tiles, countertops, kitchen tops, vanity tops, cut to size, slabs, and so on.

We specialize in 2cm and 3cm granite slabs, prefabricated countertop and cut to size project. The product's quality is A grade, they are Low-maintenance, resists grease and stains, easy clean-up, the main product's detail as following Granite Counter Tops, Bathroom Counter Top, Granite Kitchen Island, Bar Counter Top, Vanity Table Top, Worktop, Granite Tiles, Marble Tiles, Granite Slab, Marble Slab, Bath Tub Surround, Stone Wall Panel, Stone Wall Tiles, Window Sills, Stepping Stone, Stairs, Paving Stone, Cube Stone, Curbstone, Mushroom Stone, Mosaic Tile, Medallion, Floor Medallion, Granite Table Tops, Mosaic Table, Stone Fireplace Mantel, Marble Fireplace Surround, Cultured Stone, Decorative Column, Roman Column, Marble Column, Stone Carving, Garden Stone Sculpture, Landscaping, Floor Slate Tile, Roofing Slate Tile, Pebble And Stones, Pebble Stone Tile.

A, GraniteG635, G603, G614, G617, G684, G696, G562, G648, G682, G654, G687, G623, G640, G633, G602, G683, G439, G664, China Black, Shanxi Black, Xili Red, Baltic Brown, Tropical Brown, Autummn Gold, Kashimir Gold and so on.

B, Marble Crema marfil, Botticino, Dark Emperador, Nero Marquina, Bianco Perlino, China green, Aswan Beige, Aman Beige, Golden Beige, Gozden Gargon, Century Beige, Shara Beige, Sunny Beige, Rose Verona, Rojo Alicate, Rosa Levanto, Keiye Red, Apollo, Indian Green, Tea Rose, Yellow travertine, Dark Emperador, Night Rose, Dark Pink Volakas, Bianco Carrara and so on.

1 Slab, Tiles, Cut to size:

A) Polished, Flamed, Honed, Bushed Hammered, Pineapple, Natural Surface, Patinato Surface, Hammered Surface, Split, Machine Pulled, Sawn. B) Thickness tolerance: +_1mm, +_2mmC) Polishing degree: Above 85-95, above 75-85D) Edge details: Eased, fully bull-nosed, laminated bull-nosed, ogee, as per customers requirementsE) Thin tile: 12" x 12" x 3/8", 16" x 16" x 3/8", 18" x 18" x 3/8", 12" x 24" x 1/2", 18" x 18" x 1/2", 24" x 24" x 1/2" polished

2 Countertop, Vanity tops, Island style1) Kitchen top set (2pcs/set): A)Dimensions: 108"*26"*3/4" with back splash 108*6*3/4"; 98"*26"*3/4" with back splash 98*6*3/4"; Top front and left or front and right sides, bullnose/ogee, backsplash 1 long and 1 short side polish straight

B)Island: 96" x 36" x 1-1/4" or 3/4", 76"X36" x 1-1/4" or 3/4", 76"X42" x 1-1/4" or 3/4" 3 sides (2 long and 1 short sides) bullnose/oge, no back slash. E, island: 78" x 36" x 1-1/4" or 3/4", sides bullnose/ogee

C) Countertop: 25", 31", 37", 43", 49", 61" x 22" x 3/4", bullnose/ogee

D) Upon customers' designs

3 Incorporate basins

A) Dimensions: 25", 31", 37", 43", 49", 61" x 22" x 3/4", bullnose/ogee

B) Incorporate basin: 37" x 22" x 8"

C) Upon customers' designs

4 Basins

A)Dimensions: 435mm x 350mm (17-1/8" x 13-3/4"), 490mm x 405mm x 190mm (19-1/4" x 16" x 7-1/2")

B) Can be produced according to customers' pictures

C) Free CAD design available according to their sizes and finishes

5 Fireplaces

A) Dimensions: 43" x 56" x 13" (small), 48" x 64" x 13" (medium), 48" x 70" x 13" (large)

B) According to customers' designs

We can process kinds of stone carving according to your sketch. We would welcome the opportunity to quote for your specific needs when such opportunity arise.

findstone2008-12-26 18:04:25