New granite countertops feel gritty

[mimimum]

Hi,
I just had Giallo Ornamental installed in my remodelled kitchen. The installers used Regent Silicone Impregnator,once, on installing and told me to seal it atleast 2 times before using. Which I did, but they feel gritty, almost like they have salt on them. I clean them and then its there again. Could it be the excess sealer? Or the fact that they were not properly polished. They also have a lot of fissures and are covered by what look like water marks, which I have put down to the fact that its the nature of the stone. I was expecting a smooth, glossy glass like suface and I am very disappointed. Please advise this is my first experience with Granite. Thanks, Mimi.

[Mark D.]

Mimi,
On all natural granite tops there will be some imperfections like tiny pits or possibly hairline fissures. That is the nature of the stone. It is NEVER like a sheet of glass. Part of the reason for this is granite is made up of 7 components, the three most common are feldspar, quartz and mica. When they flat polish the face of the slab at the factory they tend to pull out some small pieces of mica during the polishing process. That's what the pits are. If there are hairline fissures (they look like spiderwebs when you look across the slab with your eye level just above the slab) that is also a natural occurrence that you see on some granites.
I have run into this grit a few times. Before you do anything try buffing the counter with fine steel wool and then wet vac it. According to the MIA it is swerf that got stuck in the stone. Try wet vacuuming it out and see if you can keep the grit down to where it is a couple of weeks before it reappears. When you get it to that level we will strip the sealer and topically apply a water based resin that will impregnate the stone and act as a barrier to the grit coming through to the surface. Keep in touch with me on that.

The fissures can be treated with Pectro to hide them. Here is a link for that:
http://www.defusco.com/Glues:-Epoxy,-Polyester,-etc.-Waxes-&-other-Stone-treatments/c82_505/p2303/TENAX-PECTRO-BLACK-STONE-TREATMENT---1-LITER/product_info.html

What do you mean by "water marks"? Could you give us some pictures? You can always repolish the granite with a polishing compound and that will enhance the gloss level, but if the water marks are stains and you sealed over them you will have to remove both the sealer and the stains with an alkaline solution. Get in touch with me here or call my office at 800-289-6834.

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[mimimum]

Mark,

Thanks for your quick reply, the water marks look like rain drops (dull marks) like the other person who has posted, like him my edges are smooth but the countertops are not. I will try and get some pics.
As I ran my hands across I pick up tiny flecks of shimmering quartz and whitish very fine particles (very minute amounts). I feel as if I have been sold a sub standard stone, I feel that the fabricators should take care of it. I just wanted to know if this happens in the begining this shedding or is it rare. Also if the particles are coming out of the stone then other things can get it even though its been sealed three times and cause it to stain.

Thanks

Mimi

[mimimum]

Mark,

One more thing, I like the color of the granite more when it wet, "the wetlook", is there any product I can get that will enhance it to stay like that permanently?

Thanks

Mimi

[Mark D.]

Mimi,
If the grit is what we came across before, according to the MIA it was at the bottom of the block when they cut the saw with a gangsaw and the swerf and water collected through the pores. It doesn't make the stone substandard. Eventually it works itself out, but how long is eventually? That varies from stone to stone. I would try the wet vac and if you get it to where it comes back infrequently we will get you some Antipol which is a topically applied resin that will sink into the stone and act as a barrier.

For the wet look use Ager. Wipe it on and allow it to sit for 15 minutes, then buff off the excess. Do a second coat just like the first and you will give your stone a wet look. I want to point out to you that if the stone is already sealed it won't work until and unless you remove the sealer that is on there now.
Here is a link for Ager:
http://www.defusco.com/Glues:-Epoxy,-Polyester,-etc.-Ager-Sealer-&-Ager-Tiger-Sealer/c82_503/p1437/AGER---1-LITER/product_info.html


Glad to be of service,
Mark

[mimimum]

Mark,

Since its already been sealed with Regent Silicone Impregnator how would I remove it? and secondly, if the wet vac works and then the resin is applied can Ager be applied on top and is it a sealer as well as an enhancer?

Thanks

Mimi

[Mark D.]

You remove sealer the same way you remove a stain, and that is with an alkaline solution. Sodium Hydroxide is great for this.

Once the wet vac works you can use Ager and Antipol, but I will call the manufacturer to see how they recommend doing this application. The Ager is a color enhancing sealer, that is correct.

Glad to be of service,
Mark