Hi, Here is the web address for Gardener's Supply Company which just has thousands of helpful, pretty and different gardening supplies. I have been using their plant markers and their marking pen for about a year now. I can't tell you how long the writing will last yet, but so far it is holding up since last spring and the writing is as black as it was when I wrote the label. It says you can remove the ink with fine steel wool. Donna http://www.gardeners.com/ (type in the search box Plant Markers)

Looks like a natural variation in the stone to me too. When we purchased the granite for our kitchen, we went down after they had the template laid out on the slab so we could approve it. They worked with us to move it around to the extent it was possible to get the parts of the slab we wanted to feature and try to avoid parts we didn't like as much. Did they give you that option? You might see if to get them to cut another top from your leftover if they didn't, but I'd be surprised if they would without additional cost to you. When we purchased our bathroom stone, we did not go and approve the layout because there really weren't going to be any options. There was basically only one way to do it and get everything from one slab. One of the vanity tops has some areas where I notice some darker spots. In a perfect world, we would have worked around those areas but since that would have meant buying a second slab, I am going to accept it for what it is - a natural product with variations.

Hey MLC! I've been musing on this for days now...;-) I've noticed this phenomenon on our 10y/o Beige (yawn!) Wilsonart countertops... * When an aluminum/steel bottomed pan/pot is moved slightly on the surface, the gray "pencil" scuff-mark appears. * And yes...the mark can be "buffed" out with no damage to the surface...curious...! * Soooo, it's not just painted surfaces that this applies to... * I don't have a solution, but "a scuff mark that doesn't damage either surface" IS an interesting issue! I've thought of calling Wilsonart...maybe you could find someone @ a SW Technical-dept.?? Faron

Good catch G&S. The white lines between the planks are very subtle but they are there. The depth of colour (almost black) is making this situation look worse than if it were a natural coloured floor. Just because the original finish is compatible with the recoat, does not mean a bond will be "good". It comes down to contamination of the floor BEFORE the recoat (years and years and years of cleaning products, candle wax, road oils, skin oils, etc). The intensive cleaning prior to the recoat *should get rid of 90% - 99% of contaminants. If the intensive cleaning did NOT occur, then the contaminants would have remained. The buffing is meant to take care of the remaining 5%-10% of contaminants AS WELL AS scuff up the old finish to allow the recoat to bond to the original base. To ahead and do the "tape test" in a spot that isn't easily seen (behind a door, in a dark corner in a bedroom, etc) and see if you have adhesion issues. If the adhesion is OK, then you will need to decide how long you wish to put up with this problem before committing to a full sand/refinish.