honed black granite dark gray or black ?
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15 years ago
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zoenipp
15 years agoUser
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Honed or polished absolute black granite?
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 MoreIf I hone my absolute black granite will it still be black?
Comments (6)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)...See MoreGray areas in honed black granite
Comments (5)Two things come to mind. One is that your Absolute Black ("AB") was inappropriately sealed. AB is extremely dense and should not be sealed. Some granite fabricators seal everything by habit. But AB should not be sealed because the sealant will not absorb, and will just sit on top of the stone, causing marks and haze. If this is the case, you should remove the sealant with plain acetone (from hardware store, not nail polish remover) (google this process, as there are a number of articles on it), and then leave it alone, i.e. not seal it. A second cause might be, unfortunately, that some AB granite sold as AB, is actually not. Just from your photos, I can't know if that is the case with yours, but there have been reports of rampant doctoring or dying of granites to make them look like AB when they aren't. True Absolute Black is the most dense granite there is. It will not etch or stain. When cleaning, do not use Windex or vinegar or Lysol or other chemicals. A mix of 25% rubbing alcohol, two or three drops of blue Dawn and 75% water in a spray bottle works best, is cheap, and will not leave streaks. Some people add lavender essential oil to make the mix smell nice. Another recommended cleaner is Method Granite Cleaner, sold at Target. Article about Absolute Black...See MoreLeathered Black Pearl granite vs. Leathered Steel gray granite
Comments (7)Thanks! Virginia mist is almost double the price per square foot so it is a pretty big difference. However I am trying not to have a granite "look" and more of a soapstone or quartz look without the price. I like the horizontal movement of the Virginia Mist but can't seem to find another granite like that that is less in price....See Moreelljays
15 years agoUser
15 years agoelljays
15 years agostonegirl
15 years agolovemcm
15 years agohelenjoan
15 years agoigloochic
15 years agoNordic black is black as can be, and very tough to stain :) I love the stuff. This is it trimming the hood in an antique finish (some semi shiny and some matte which is a great finish to hide everything) but it's also gorgeous with no shine at all:
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