skip to main content

If I hone my absolute black granite will it still be black?

14 years ago

I am thinking of having my absolute black granite honed for a variety of reasons.. But before I do, can you please post pictures of your honed AB? I just want to make sure it is still black and not more of a grey look..

Thanks so much for your help!

Elissa

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

sis2two
14 years ago
Yes it will still be black. My friend had hers honed and it is beautiful! She has had it installed for about 3 years now and it looks as good today as the day it was installed and she has 4 children! You will love it.
gillylily
Original Author
14 years ago
THank you.. I already have the ab granite, but I am having a problem with ring marks and other stuff coming through so I have been told if it is honed it will not show as obviously. I have no idea how much it will cost, but i want to look into it being honed as long as it still has the black coloring vs. a greyish color..

Anyone else have pictures readily available so I can have an idea of the coloring?
Related Discussions
Honed or polished absolute black granite?
Q
Comments (4)
Black ab honed or polished is one of my favorite stones-polished is acid resistant,virtually non porous and easy to deal with.Yes it must be a good quality slab as there are lesser quality (not true black ab)coming from china and india that have been doctored (dyed) to look blacker. There are methods to test this such as a simple lemon juice test.Anyway-I like honed as well. I think if the right cleaning products are used the stone will be easy to maintain. By right I mean products that are no rinse and contain no wax and or sealers to make the surface slimy and greasey which in most cases the fingermark complaints come from. Color enhancer works well too and will darken the stone quite a bit. It is a topical coating as the black absolute is non porous and the color enhancer just sits on the surface-it will wear so from time to time it will need to be refeshed. Misty grey can be porous so test for porousity and seal correctly-it will be fine. Stu Rosen www.mbstonecare.com www.stoneshine.com
...See More
Black Absolute honed vs leathered Black Jaguar
Q
Comments (3)
Do you have a link to it? I don't know Black Jaguar and couldn't find it on a search, but there was a Black Panther that was listed to be the same as Andes Black. Is BJ the same thing? I have Black Impala leathered which looks fairly close to Panther. I did look at AB honed as well and it was beautiful and felt good to the touch. I was concerned about fingerprints, though the slab I touched in the warehouse didn't show any when I tried. The Impala leathered shows almost nothing, and what does show goes away with a quick wipe-down. The thing about AB whether honed or polished that you need to be careful about is whether it's actually something else that is dyed/treated to make it look like it or authentic AB. I can't tell you the difference but there are several here who can.
...See More
Absolute Black Honed Granite- seal or not?
Q
Comments (6)
I have twice seen honed AB in showrooms and each time, I leaned my hand down on it hard. When I took my hand away, I could see a hand print, but it disappeared right away. If I were home and had to reach for a cloth to wipe it, it would have been gone by time I took a step. Is that it? Or do other people's fingerprint linger longer? I will confess that at HD, I took the tiniest smidge of hand lotion and rubbed it on the counter and that made a mark that didn't dissipate right away. Clearly it, and probably any other oil/grease based mark, would need to actually be cleaned off. But isn't that going to be true of anything that's honed, very dark and with little to no movement? What am I missing?
...See More
Honed Absolute Black Granite - Enhancer + Method Polish?
Q
Comments (44)
Rupes, After you tested the lemon juice on the sealer did you try to remove it? I'm wondering if it'll be permanent or if it can be dealt with. When our honed AB counters were first installed we had quite a few "stains.". For example, grease splatters. I could not get them out. They have since disappeared...whether they were absorbed into the stone or what, I don't know. I do periodically use the Method cleaner so I'm wondering if that helped. What I do now to clean the counters is use hot water and a tiny bit of dish soap, then use the Method cleaner every few days or so, with a microfiber cloth. I haven't seen anything on our counters like what you showed with the test above, even though our marble counter has etched quite a bit. I've heard the Cambria Black is less prone to fingerprints,etc., if that's an option for you.
...See More
buffalotina
14 years ago
I have AB polished and it is perfect - no ring marks or anything. Many times I have read here that ring marks etc are a problem with the sealer that is applied rather than the stone. But hopefully Kevin or the experts here will weight in on this point.

Are you talking about honing it in place? I am not sure how much mess that would create but I would think it could be a nightmare. In my experience the AB polished is very easy to take care of and I have had no problems with markings or staining etc.

Good luck!

Tina
Buehl
14 years ago
If you're having problems "with ring marks and other stuff coming through", are you sure you have true AB and not a dyed/doctored stone made to look like AB? I would test it b/f you do anything else. If you hone it and it's dyed/doctored, I don't know what you'll end up with.

Have you checked to see if a sealer was inappropriately applied? If so, it can cause all kinds of problems b/c it's sitting on the surface and was never absorbed like it's supposed to be. If so, you need to remove the sealer...then see how things are.

True AB should be impervious to rings, etc.

I think you should first test your granite b/f you do anything else. You don't want to make things worse.

(I also have AB polished and have no problems with rings, etc.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread: Stone Information and Advice (& Checklists)
gillylily
Original Author
14 years ago
So frustrating.. The fabricator came out once in February for one area of my kitchen. They "sanded " out the ring and then re-sealed.. It never completely went away but i kind of settled (my fault I know).. then it happened in a different area (that is near my sink and below a window). They came back out and "fixed" it again.. Unfortunately my DH was the one home when they did it the second time and when I returned I showed him it was not fixed it was still very obviously there... They re-sealed all of the countertops during that visit, but I continuously see new marks showing up. i have been in touch with them and quite frankly I think they are avoiding my call.. so i have to deal with that.. but i just thought maybe if I had it honed it would be less of a problem for me?

THanks so much for your continued help!
buffalotina
14 years ago
It definitely sounds like something is very wrong. My AB is been much easier to care for than I expected. If it gave rings like that I would be freaking. Good luck with finding the cause of this. Also, I agree with Buehl, don't rush into the honing - that might be a disaster waiting to happen. Best of luck with this.

Related Stories

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS Kitchen Counters: Granite, Still a Go-to Surface Choice

By Ivon Street Studio

Every slab of this natural stone is one of a kind — but there are things to watch for while you're admiring its unique beauty

KITCHEN DESIGN 5 Favorite Granites for Gorgeous Kitchen Countertops

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

See granite types from white to black in action, and learn which cabinet finishes and fixture materials pair best with each

BLACK Cooking With Color: When to Use Black in the Kitchen

By Jennifer Ott Design

Consider sampling Caviar or Cracked Pepper on your kitchen walls or cabinets for richness and impact

BATHROOM DESIGN 11 Smashing Black Bathrooms

By Becky Harris

Going dark in the bath amps up the drama and lets metallic finishes shine

DECORATING GUIDES Step-by-Step: Dress Your Home in Velvety Black

By Erin Lang Norris

Decorating with black: 12 ways to work up from a small dark accessory to an ebony-walled room

COLOR PALETTES Bet on Black and Red for a Winning Combination

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

A striking look is a sure thing when you pair red and black around the home

BATHROOM DESIGN White Toilet, Black Lid: Trending in a Bathroom Near You

By Becky Harris

Contrast is king with this look for the bath — and it works with any style you can think of

COLOR 10 Pair-Ups for Black in the Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Combine black with other colors to add drama, polish and modernity. It also can make a kitchen look more spacious

FLOORS Drama’s Afoot With Striking Black Floors

Be bold. Be brave. Drench your floors in black for a memorable interior scene

KITCHEN DESIGN 10 Smashing Black Kitchens

By Becky Harris

Looking for something different from an all-white kitchen? Think about going stylishly dark instead

Sponsored

J.Holderby - Renovations

4 Reviews

Franklin County's Leading General Contractors - 2X Best of Houzz!

More Discussions

contractor chooses kitchen

33

Support for seam over DW

12

Americana Cabinets by Midwest

0

Viatera Cirrus Photos?? Backsplash & Cabinet Color

1

how accurate should a countertop template be?

5