Honed Absolute Black Granite -- Sealer

[MSimpsonNJ]

Hi all -- great forum! I have a few quick questions, and I apologize if it they have been asked before. I did search the forum first but with little luck (though I AM tired....). Anyway, i just today had a honed absolute black granite countertop installed, and I love the look. However, I noticed the installer had a can of acetate which he at some point set down on the counter. I can tell because there is a substantially rectangular "stain" on the countertop, i.e., it is the shape of the bottom of the can. Four questions:

1. The installer said it would dry up -- it's been 12 hours and it is still there. Should I be worried?

2. What would he have been using the acetate for, is it used as a sealer?

3. Regarding sealing, he said he sealed it and I should reseal it again in about a year. I don't think he did a very thorough job of sealing it though, so would it be a good idea (or a bad idea) to pick up some sealer and do it again now?

4. Any recommendations for a sealer for honed absolute black granite?

Thanks in advance!

Mark

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[GraniteGirl]

Aaah - the old Honed Black Absolute chestnut! :stick:

First off - the "stain" that would have dried up - is is lighter or darker than the surroundings?

Second: You sure it was acetate? Could it have been "acetone"? Acetone is a solvent commonly used to clean stone installations and to remove glue and sealer.

About Black Absolute and sealer: The stone is too dense to absorb anything, so sealer is not required.

If you don't like the natural pale gray color of the stone, an enhancer would be in order. Bear in mind that the enhancer, even though it is designed to absorb into the stone - will not do so in Black Absolute because it is so darn dense. It will dry on top of the stone and make it look darker for as long as it takes to wear off. You will know it is wearing off when you start getting gray spots in your matt black counter tops. This is when you should clean the tops and re-apply the enhancer. There is no set time frame for this - it would just depend on how you use and abuse your kitchen :D

If your top is looking splotchy and yucky, by all means enhance them again. Just be sure to remove all traces of the previously applied sealer or whatever.

Do not gloop on the enhancer thinking that a heavy coat will do the trick. Apply it as per the directions on the bottle and be sure to buff off excess enhancer or you will end up with streaky, blotchy yucky tops again. You could do a second or third application if you wanted to, but wait a day or so inbetween applications so the enhancer will have sufficient time to dry.

Honed black Absolute has been discussed a lot lately, so another search should give you some more answers.

[MSimpsonNJ]

Thanks for the reply Adriana -- and yes, you were right, it was acetone (I told you I was tired!). ;) It is darker than the surroundings. There were two of them, and i seem to have been able to remove one by scrubbing with soap and water and a nylon scrubber. Will it go away on its own, or should I scrub the other off? I'm assuming the acetone won't stain the granite.

I actually like the color of the stone, so I will probably skip the enhancer. I did not know that Black Absolute did not need sealer -- a plus! Is there a recommended technique for everyday cleaning? Soap and water, or some kind of spray and wipe stuff? Are there things we shouldn't use on the Black Absolute? I'm new to this, i have never had granite counters before (I guess that's pretty obvious!).

I'll do a search on black absolute to see what else i find. Thanks for your answers and thanks in advance for answers to these.

[MSimpsonNJ]

Just following up my own post..... I did a search on honed black absolute and am now a better educated person. I'm guessing you are going to tell me that the "stain" on my top is actually a ring caused by the acetone removing the sealer that should not have been put on in the first place, correct?

Assuming this is so, should i just get some acetone and remove the sealer on the entire surface?

I also saw the references made to the "lemon slice test" -- I am considering doing this, but I want to be sure that it won't harm true honed black absolute (as opposed to the dyed version that I hope i don't have!)

Thanks.

[MSimpsonNJ]

Looks like this one got bumped down -- does anyone know if I should just strip the uneeded sealer off? (see my questions above). Is acetone the stuff to use ofr this?

Thanks.

[Stone cutter]

Your granite should be sealed!! The sealer is a penetrating sealer, if there is a residue, it is from excess sealer drying on the top. You can remove it with more sealer, and be sure to buff dry with a dry rag. Honed absolute black will absorb oil like a sponge, when its polished it is pretty bomb proof. Sealing any granite or marble with a penetrating sealer will NOT hurt it in any way. More expensive sealers like 511, tend to be more difficult to completly buff of the residue, use a green brillo pad or steel wool. After sealing, then you can apply the color enhancer to darken the look, or even out weird streaks. If you dont want to use color enhancer "smells like diesel oil", strip old enhancer off with acetone, and try "butcher block oil". It is thined down mineral oil, it leaves an nice satin finish, but needs to be applied every other day. Honed absoute is a maintence time pit!

[Jovi]

Honed Black Absolute will cause terrible problems if sealed. Read the following three posts at this forum called, Ripping it Out, Re-honing Problem?, and Honed Black Absolute Problem they are all on the first page of that forum and all support that it should NOT be sealed. Once Honed Black Absolute is sealed good luck in removing it all and I mean all, I too am ripping it out.

http://ask.marblecleaning.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=39064a6559b73242ee01fd5c52cb5168

[JetBlack]

I have also learned the hard way that all granites should NOT be sealed and when they cause a problem you will know what I mean. They are almost impossible to strip. Here is what I've found out:
To remove the sealer: you should use a paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride multiple times. Acetone will not be able to remove it. Water based and Petroleum based silicone IMPREGNATORS cannot always be stripped. Their effectiveness can be diminished by a high pH (alkaline) rinsing of the surface. These sealers may be unaffected by methylene chloride based strippers. You could also try RoVal Nu-Clean Concentrate diluted 1:1 with water. Apply solution to the area, allow to stand for several minutes and double rinse with clean water. Then you should re-hone the stone with honing powder to 500 or more for a more finished look. After, apply a stone color enhancer like MB-6, do not use Texex Ager it reacts to acids it is not for for Honed Absolute. So choosing the right enhancer is key (TEST). You could go through all this and still find that the enhancer won't take. Really, honed AB should be left alone with no enhancer however people do not like the dull gray look. Honed Black granites cause the biggest problems when sealer is applied but even polished dense granites or resined granites that cannot absorb a sealer will turn cloudy and have same type of problems. Always test each individual granite before sealing so see if indeed it needs to be sealed. Good Luck and could you post a follow up on what you decided to do? If you find a definate solution then others will benefit if you post.

[Stone cutter]

Silicone based penetrating sealer applied correctly leaves no residue. It cannot be stripped since it is not on the surface. Honed absolute black will show every greasy finger print when raw. The sealer is wiped off with dry rags until it is gone, the surface is dry. If you apply some kind of enhancer, be it oil or water, then its going to gum up the surface. I have done several honed black kitchens. I never use and enhancer, as it will streak. Mineral oil applied weekly, and buffed off, is about the best enhancer for honed black.