No , it's not reasonable to ask that the resin be removed.

Further, I'd question the ability of a tile setter that would agree to your request even if you made it.

Most products/ materials have risks or drawbacks to using them. You might oughta choose a different product if the risk of that staining will keep you awake a night.

Thanks, xedos. I've weighed the pros and cons, and do realize no surface is perfect. I'm trying to make sure the surface I use is as protected as possible.

I'd read the mesh is applied primarily to protect the slabs during transport (don't recalll much/any discussion about the resin layer) -- sounds like the mesh/resin serves a larger purpose, such that the installer should NOT be removing it?

That's correct, the mesh is not designed to be removed.

The installer also needs to be sure that the thinset has 100% coverage on the tiles when they are laid. This takes a lot of time and thinset. They also need to be on the lookout for lippage as that tile doesn't appear to have any bevel on the edges, and you prob. want narrow grout joints.

EDIT: totally missed that this was a countertop - you don't need to worry about the thinset comment as I thought this was flooring. Mesh still doesn't get removed though.

To clarify, this will be a slab countertop/island, etc., not individual tiles. What I've pictured is a sample piece my fabricator gave me.

I posted about this recently, because that mesh is exposed on the underside of my counters. I received mixed responses. Some said it should be left on delicate stone. Some said it should have been peeled back on exposed overhang. I still don't know the correct answer. Maybe it just varies per stone.

Thanks, Wendy. I did recall reading through your thread a while back, but couldn't find it again when I posted last night. CG quartzite is definitely not a delicate stone. As with so many aspects of our kitchen reno, I'm trying to be as proactive as I can.

Wish I could have been more help.

How large is the overhang and how is is supported, if at all?

It'll be a standard installation -- countertops and island with 1.5" overhang all around, and 7' bar top with 6-7" overhang.

I appreciate the help nevertheless. :) I naturally wasn't going to ask installer to remove all of the mesh, but only the first couple of inches along overhang so the stone can be properly sealed. Or do you suspect the resin (appears very thickly and evenly applied) will act as sealant enough?

Mesh should be ground back on any overhangs so it doesn't contact your fingers or knees. Just on the overhangs. It's an extra charge, or the base price of the fabrication itself will be higher in order to cover the extra labor.

Sealing isn't coating a stone in plastic and bubble wrap. It just gives you some extra time to wipe up spills. It makes zero difference underneath the slab.

Your fabricator will likely seal at his shop and anything that you use in the field needs to be compatible or you can get s smeary mess. Ask your fabricator what he uses. And ask him if it would be compatible with Miracle 411. That is one of the better pregnating sealers on the market that is available to homeowners.

Thanks, GreenDesigns -- I do have a quart of the Miracle 511 Impregnator (was that a typo up there ^, or is there a 411?). As mentioned, he wasn't sure what his crew uses. But he's also offered to use whatever I'd like if I had a preference. I hope to meet with him this week to finalize the layout, so I'll get more details about the sealer (and whether he seals the pieces on site or at the shop).

The slabs we purchased are polished, and DH prefers honed; so we'll be paying the additional labor cost for that. What's a little more? :)

This mesh is to help maintain the structural integrity of the stone and was specifically put there by the manufacturer for this mentioned purpose. Do not have it removed. the amount of labor to remove it, with the end result of weakening the stone would never justify this need. The sealant issue is a different issue to address.

Stone is porous and unfortunately hold undesirable attributes because of this.

Some products are out there to perminatly seal the stone, so there are some solutions are available.

For sealant to be seaping into the edges of the stone in the picture the only thing that is safe to assume is that the person performing the seal job may not have done it correctly or had not used the right product for that particular stone. Or they may have used too much of the right product?

Also, piggybacking on GreenDesigns, yes that is true. Typically a good fabricator will grind of a little and smooth off the underside of the stone where the mesh is just around the basic counter edge overhang and an extended overhang so that if you rub your fingers underside the stone, you wont immediately feel this mesh. It’s fiberglass essentially and can be an issue.

Extended overhangs won’t get this treatment theough the entire space, only several inches in. As I mentioned in my other comment, removing the mesh compromises the structural integrity of the stone.

"Stone is porous and unfortunately hold undesirable attributes because of this."

@Jason Martell resurrected a 5-year-old thread to add an ignorant statement. For anyone reading this--now that he has brought it up to the top from 5 years ago--please note that while some stones used for counters are porous, there are so many that are not. Many stone counters, both of granites and quartzites, need no sealant at all, ever, due to their low absorption rate (i.e. very low porosity). Some stones have such low absorption rates that the use of sealant mars their appearance; since the stone is so dense, the sealant cannot be absorbed so it sits on top, and causes the counters to look hazed and streaky. There are a number of posts on this forum from people who sealed counters of a more dense stone, and got that result.

Quartzite, like granite, has different varieties that vary in porosity. Taj Mahal is one of the well-known quartzites that is not porous and does not need to be sealed. However, the OP's quartzite, Calacatta Gold, is not as dense and will need to be sealed.

A Deep Dive into the Properties of Quartzite

@Shannon_WI, I’m not ignorant, and nor was I being specific about a specific stone because yes they all vary. Each stone with it’s own unique porosity should be addressed with research and advice from stone experts (stone supplier). For example on that note some granites are porous enough for a stone sealer to be recommended. Quartzite itself is a whole different stone to get into and discuss what needs to sealed and what doesn’t. Again, every stone is different, so very different that a different method maintenance may be recommended per stone type, not just per category.

I’m sorry to offend you enough reading the comments that you have to try to tell me that I’m ignorant and I’m sorry I didn’t detail as specific as you needed. If you really need to, we can go back and forth about every stone and I can get rude too. Or we can advise a common recommendation that those that need knowledge on these wonderous materials, whether it’s Quartz, Quartzite, Marble, Granite, Glass, Concrete, Stone/Tile, etc. they should be sure to do their own research.

@javiwa that sucks that you had such a bad experience. The rough thing is that you can’t just pick a stone and expect everything to be ok. Every stone has such different properties sometimes, depending on which has been chosen.

One thing to consider is man-made Quartz. Companies like Cambria or Silestone offer solid material you’ll never need to seal. Both offer organic and natural designs in the stone to replicate the appearance of real materials.

Just to be clear, it wasn't the nature of the stone that caused the issues, as I'd done my research ahead of time -- it was the installation itself that was botched.

Hi all I have been trying for 6wks to remove stains in my quartzite top right next to my induction cooktop (no hot surfaces) . presume its spaghetti cooking water, been using baking soda paste to no avail. would refinishing the countertop take these out? any products i can buy? Many thanks to all.