I suggest you stop payment until you can resolve all these issues. Sorry you are having such problems. But it's true that it is inevitable that problems crop up. Many on this forum can give advice about the stone issues and that will help you work it out. But you need time and stopping payment will buy that time. Good luck.

Sounds as though too much enhancer was left on the stone to dry - probably the bumpy surface had something to do with collecting excess sealer in the depressions and the excess was not thoroughly wiped off in all directions before it dried. I think enhancer can be removed - perhaps by acetone - but ask around about that. When the original sealer/enhancer is removed try reapplying according to the directions on the bottle.

Did your contract specify getting Lido from the location you indicated in your OP? If so then ask for proof that what you received is what you ordered.

Bottom line is I think your problem can be solved by a competent stone restorer - or you could try a fairly hidden area yourself and see if removing the existing enhancer and reapplying will do the trick.

It appears your installer really didn't have a good experience with an antiqued finish such as is on Lido. I thought that their stone came already specially treated. Other posters who have Venezian finish might chime in. Let us know what happens.

I'm sorry this is happening to you, it makes me very angry when people who are doing jobs for others don't do what they say they are going to do. It seems to me that true craftsman are few and far between and people no longer take pride in their work. It sounds like they cut corners buying cheaper stone all for the sake of the all mighty dollar then didn't even read the directions on the bottle of sealer when they were trying to fix it. Geez this soapbox of mine is getting taller...
Insist that they provide the stone you signed for or make them take their stone back and be done with them, after stopping payment of course. This is a big investment and it will bother you forever if you settle and keep what they brought.
I'm sure others will chime in and tell you what you can do from a legal standpoint. I hope it all works out for you.

Paul ma:

It sounds as though you may not have gotten what you had specified.
The "Venezian" process is one that uses a flaming device
to blast off the top few milimeters of material,
then, diamond brushes are used to smooth down the surface
of the stone to acheive the shiny patina that everyone
is attracted to.

From your OP, it sounds as though the installer may not have had
much working experience with a "Venezian" type of stone,
AND you may have gotten as substitute -

Vwwhippiechick is giving you some golden advice -
find out IF you got what
you had originally specified -

contact ASN and see IF ASN REALLY sent the slabs you selected to your fabricator -
ASN should have a record of the delivery
with confirming pick tickets as proof -
IF this did NOT happen -
I'd call the credit card company and put a stop payment
on the transaction - which will BUY you some
time to get everything sorted out with your fabricator.

Hopefully, your Fabricator has been "on the up & up" with you on this project,
and this is just a case of too much enhancer left on
the stone - which in most cases, is an easy fix. I'm
trying to give your Fabricator the benefit of the doubt
as everyone makes mistakes from time to time....but deliberate
switching of material to increase profits is wrong - so you need
to find out what has happened,,,,

my .02 cents worth

hope that helps

kevin

Kevin M. Padden
Fabricator, Trainer & Consultant to the Natural Stone Industry
www.azschoolofrock.com
www.naturalstone101.com

Hi Paul,

Would you mind telling me who you went with in MA for fabrication? We are in the same general vicinity and I'm wondering if I have the same fabricator.

Thanks!
Tracy

I'm sorry you are having this trouble Paul. My granite installation was the worst experience out of the entire remodel. The owners and sales rep were nice and knowedgeable, then they sent the installers from hell to my house.

At least they gave me the slabs I personally chose. Hang tight and get your rep on the phone and make sure they are willing to see this installation through the way you paid for it.

Let us know what happens - good luck!

paul ma,
Just read your post before it fell off the forum.
Please tell us what happened with your countertop install.

hi napagirl,

I think I posted a followup somewhere else, but I see I never did here.

After the enhancer dried for several days it looked better - pretty much as expected - in some places, but was still blotchy.

The granite people came back and re-did the enhancing, more carefully following the instructions. When they were done and it dired again it looked quite a bit better, but still not as good as it should. There were still places that seems incompletely coated that are ligher looking. And a couple of spots 6-12" across that really stand out.

I inquired on the stone advice forum and got an answer from a guy who seems to be the guru for Venezian. Based on what I heard from him it seems that this is all a matter of how the enhancing was done, and it should be fixable.

Since then I have been procrastinating. I decided that my granite people weren't going to be able to do any better. And it wasn't bad enough to try to force them to take the stone out and start over. So I dedided I would at some point see if I could do better myself. And if not, maybe I will try to hire an expert to redo it. But so far I am just living with it.