The problem isn't that the marble can't be re-surfaced to polished finish, it is the idea that it will continue to happen. Honed finish is already the matte appearance that you'll see as the polished surface etches so if that is your baseline there is more uniformity across the stone. Leather/Antique finish is very beautiful but not for everyone.

we got the leathered finish and oh my gosh i love it! ours is a rustic 1920's old English house and this fits right in...

Our highly polished finish is 5 years old and still perfect. It has been used as hard as any kind of kitchen surface. It gets no extraordinary care but i do use cutting boards and wipe down with a damp cloth after food prep.

thank you for replying and helping me with making this decision, I appreciate it!

I should also add that the fabricator put a sealant (Dry Treat) on the stone before installation. That came with a 25 year warranty.

Do most stone yards allow samples of your specific slab? I've seen many folks on here talking about testing the specific slab you are considering. Obviously with so many different variations in color and geologic makeup, they would wear differently. If the stone yard will not give you a sample to test, is there any way to know how it will hold up?

I think that they are testing a sample, but I don't think they will give someone a slice off the actual slab unless it is purchased; I did try some experiements on the showroom sample though...it seemed fine.

Most granite yards have samples to take and may be of a similar patten or color based on a desired slab. Some retail showrooms have larger pieces they may let out as well.

I didn't think it through- thank you for this. I will ask :)

Hello, I'm ready to buy fantasy brown brushed, super nervous... I just had sea pearl installed the day before Thanksgivingand it stained from water and cooking, horrible... the stone is quartzite. So undecide what to get love the FB brushed, cant find a granite I love, my kitchen remodel is on hold, please let me know thoughts

There's hundreds of comments above yours, spanning a couple of years at least (including mine). If you get a reputable installer and distributor, ask them questions. And ask how they seal it, and with what. Read all above, most people love it. It's a dolomite (hard marble) so it's not super hard like granite, and can etch or stain, but a proper seal will offset it. Also honed or leathered will be more forgiving. Ours is polished and still awesome 2 years later. If you treat it expecting it to be indestructible, that's on you... treat it like marble. But most people use it. A kitchen is meant to be used, not babied.

I've been asking and get some diff answers from dealers. I cook and entertain, I don't want to have that kitchen that I have to worry about a spill. Trying to find newer post, I feel it's better to hear from people that have it, just super nervous after the top that is in now, thank

Still love my leathered FB countertops! Had them installed in kitchen, master and guest bath over two years ago. I'm careful (cutting boards, sealed, wipe down used area when done, etc) but it doesn't rule my life. If there is etching from a spill that I didn't get to quickly enough I have no idea. I cook, entertain and don't stress out. With the leather/brushed finish to be honest I just don't see it. With a good sealer my countertops are still as beautiful as the day of installation. Best wishes in making the right choice for you.

I also still love my polished FB. In two and half years, I’ve had a couple snafus with red chili sauce and a lily that had dropped pollen on it. I learned the hydrogen peroxide trick and you’d never be able to tell where those things happened. I don’t baby it by any means. I’m definitely glad I went with the FB; I still pause to admire it in my kitchen. It’s just so pretty.

Thank you, I plan on doing the brushed fantasy brown, I've been told it's forgiving. This is the slab.

Thank you Kate. Have you revealed since u had them? I'm a beach everything, what do you clean them with? After 2 weeks of hell with this quartzite I'm so nervous not to do granite again, I know I'm safe with granite, but can't find a stone I love.

I installed honed FB 3 years ago and love it. I worried a lot at first but have learned the hydrogen peroxide/dawn/flour paste takes up any stains I’ve had, including the stamen from a lily. And with the honed, etching may show but you really have to know where to look. I use my kitchen a lot and have been very happy with it. Enjoy!

Thank you.. Appreciate everyone comments, hard to trust yard people cause they want to make a sale.

What do you think about hot pots and Fantasy Brown? I regularly slide hot pots off the cooktop onto my builder grade granite but am about to redo the kitchen. I've successfully used FB in another home, but in the bathroom. Can it handle heat?

I've been told it can handle hot pots on it, my granite I did everything on it.

i wouldn't use hot pots on anything but hard granite... Fantasy Brown, is NOT granite... it's a hard marble.

I have polished fantasy brown in my master bathroom and have left my hot straightening iron on it more times than I’d like to admit. It still looks the same as the day of install. We’ve had it for three years.

Thank you. My granite tops were the best, I know FB isn't granite, that's why I'm asked about it.

I am curious what problems you have had with your sea pearl quartizite...I have also considered this, so can you elaborate? Thank you :)

Water spots and oil,

That is a gorgeous slab!

what do you think is wrong- was it improperly sealed?

Had to be, so upset. Now on the hunt but nervous. Read good reviews from people on FB Brushed, probably going that way.

I have never heard of a "brushed" finish. That sounds like hell to clean. Do you mean "honed" perhaps?

It's just a little bumpy. So many diff names, leather, honed had that before no problems cleaning it.

We have installed Fantasy Brown with a leather finish in our last 2 flipper houses that both sold quickly! Everyone wanted to know the name of that granite. We LOVE the leather finish in the lighter colors. Just seal it with a good sealer twice a year. There are lots of good sealers out there- we used Granite Gold and it’s so easy to do! Enjoy your countertops with no worries!

Ellen Williams - just know that it is not a granite. It is a type of marble. Leathered FB is beautiful though.

We had leathered Fantasy Brown installed in our kitchen 3 years ago. I tormented myself with reviews - just not sure I would be happy with it and reading relentless stories of etchings. We had it professionally sealed. Once and done. And it is still as beautiful as the day we installed it. People come in and touch it and remark how much they love the leathered look.

Is Fantasy Brown granite also called Ocean Beige? We were told at 2 different granite suppliers that it is the same granite, just a different name.

HU-427774320, Fantasy Brown is NOT granite. It's actually marble.

From what I can tell, yes Ocean Beige is just another name that someone came up with. Same stone - MARBLE. It is one of the less "persnickety" marbles though. It certainly WILL etch, so be aware of that. If you get it leathered, it will hold up even better. Read the rest of the thread and do some research.

i did a comple kitchen remodel with Fantasy Brown ( which was thankfully mistly blues) in the leathered finish... the absolute BEST counters i have ever had….did several ”tests” with a leftover piece.. olive oil, red wine, vinegars of all kinds… left it overnight… not one single sign of etching!! i would give this 11 out of 10 stars if i could!!

And yes, seal it every couple of years!

yes HU-427774320, Ocean Beige is just another name. They are both the same stone which is a dolomite. Treat it like a marble but a brushed/leathered/honed texture will hide any etching.

Asked for quartzite, was shown FB and loved it. We were told FB was quartzite. Not long after it was installed we noticed chipping along the sink. That is when i did a google search to find out it is like a hard marble. it has etched and there are rough patches so not at all happy that we were not told in advance the type of stone. i wo not recommend it for a kitchen. We have had it for 4 years now. lots of chips along the edges. finish is dull.

Did you seal it initially when it was installed? We were told to use Stain-Proof, but my husband took his time doing it and the surface was etched with a small spot of tomato sauce. At that pount I bought a polish and got most of it out and then we sealed it. We have not had anythjng really etch it since and no one, aside from myself, is careful. You should re-seal it every year, but we haven’t. I also have a chip where a glass fell out of the cabinet and broke on it. It is disappointing, but i feel like if we took better care of it from the start it would be fine at this point. We have not experienced any edge chips. the Stain-Proof is miraculous as far as keeping it from etching.

We had it sealed by a professional as soon as it was installed and it is still beautiful 5 years later we only use Windex on it per his instructions

Forgot to say ours is leathered nit sure if that makes a difference in how it wears

Ours was sealed by the fabricator and was done before it was delivered and installed.

Ours was as well, however the 'experts' also told us it was quartzite, so I have no faith they used the proper sealant.

I have a light leathered fantasy brown. Can you guys share your tile? I'm perplexed!

There are pictures of mine in this thread it looks like yours. seems darker in the pictures. it is 5 years old now and there is not one thing wrong with it it has a leathered finish which is beautiful We had it sealed when it was installed 5 years ago and that was it We only use Windex on it I love it and so does everyone who visits us

Here’s ours. I wasn’t interested in white or off white.

I commented on here after I put leathered FB in my kitchen almost 8 yrs ago. The installer sealed it after installation. I have never resealed it (I'm lazy). I definitely don't baby it, I've had lots of parties with lots of spills. It still looks great. I'm so happy with it.

Christine Waghorn I used a neutral color glass subway tile. I wanted the countertops to be the star.

It's basically indestructible.