What is this on my granite?

[Meig]

Hi, guys.

This is a picture of the granite around my kitchen sink.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/3805158087_296070fdd7_o.jpg

The faucet seems to have a slight leak. Whenever we turn it on, it leaks from the seam there and it is always wet around it. As you can see there is what looks like mineral build up on the faucet, but we have totally soft water. We have never used that faucet without a softener, and we have a softener that has two tanks, so when one is low the other kicks in...so we never have hard water coming out of our faucets.

The white stuff on the granite is only on the edge there, and it is very rough. Nothing will remove it, but it doesn't seem to affect the flat, polished part of the stone and you can even see the obvious demarcation point where the white stuff stops and the polished part starts. The stone is UbaTuba (which I am sure you all recognize, but in case you didn't...)

So, what the heck? Is this water damage from the stone being constanly wet there? We obviously need to get the faucet fixed, but even so, water is probably going to collect there from wet hands using the faucet, etc..

I just want to know what is happening here. Thanks!

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[pooky]

she's kind of an evil genius

What strikes me is the fact that the stain follows the contour of the sink --

It makes me think that whatever was used to bond the sink is leaching from the
bottom of the slab. Maybe salt . . . maybe latex not sure but I bet there is a way to mitigate the staining-- could be that the water is penetrating to the substrate at the valve stem area. seems like the moisture is exacerbating the issue though.

I would unmount the faucet to get a better look . . . i mean, you need to replace it anyway hmmm?

Anyway, PM granite girl -- she's a real whiz:D

[Davy]

Just a guess but is that soap on the right side there? Could it be soap has gotten into the rough part that never was polished well?

We have some sharp stone guys and gals here, stay tuned. :)

[Meig]

Davy,

The soap isn't usually on that side of the sink, so I don't think that's it.

[ob1kanobee]

I think it is hard water or minerals in the water and it's on the contoured polished part because that was where the granite was polished and it's more porous there, plus the water rolls over there.

Granite Girl or davestone should give you an answer soon.

[GraniteGirl]

You said that nothing would remove the scale - have you tried scraping at it with a single edge razor blade? The blades won't do anything to the stone itself, so no worries there.

From all appearances it looks like mineral build-up. If you have a water softener, it does not mean that your water has no minerals left in it after treatment. The "hard" minerals like calcium and magnesium carbonates merely get exchanged for things like sodium and potassium.

Why it would congregate only on the edge of the sink, I have no idea. (Well, I have an alternate idea, but let's see if you can scrape up the white stuff first)



... evil genius?!... me?!... nah - just evil, in the nicest way possible, of course :D

[ob1kanobee]

The water has a tendancy to congregate there due to its molecular structure and its propensity of non forced mitigation similar to a roofing detail.

I don't know the technical term for this but if you scored the granite below the rounded part it would drip instead of congregate. I think it is called a "drip edge".

Anyway that is why the water stay where it does. Nothing you can do about it, it happens to every counter, just some water isn't as bad or bad like yours like Granite Girl says.

I would try the razor blade as well. Just be careful to not dig into the granite. Just pretend you are trying to remove nail polish from your nails with a razor blade, be gentle, sheer with the blade and don't dig in. Use a single edge blade. (note I have not done this to my nails only did it with a pocket knife but my nails were painted when I was sleeping so not my fault).

Looks like your faucet is showing signs of hard water or mineral deposits too. If you replace it next time, get brushed stainless steel not chrome.

[matman]

Looks like you got the same stuff at the base and seam of the faucet and maybe the sink edge on the left too? I think Adriana is right about the water.

[MDS]

Are those deposits on the surface of the chrome or is that corrosion beneath the chrome plating?

If it is the latter, then that explains most of this. Soft water is corrosive and with happily react with die cast metals and the like. The leak could well be picking up, or rather creating the minerals right in the faucet and leaving them on the rough edge of the granite as the water weeps out.

Stick with either solid gold fixtures, SS or plated brass should be OK.

[dbitton]

It's calcium buildup, you should be able to scrape it away with a razor blade. :tup2:

[Shaughnn]

I'm less of an expert in this field than many, but I wonder about the treatment to that contoured edge? If it was only polished enough to get by, and then finished with a rouge might it not have a raw structure like that and the wax from the rouge then traps moisture and salts to accentuate the problem? If it were only the water quality, then it seems to me that it would affect a much wider area. Instead, being isolated only to the fabricated edge, I think the problem lies with the fabrication itself.
Shaughnn

[ob1kanobee]

Like I said in post 5 the pores have been opened up there.

[doitright]

Hi Lesa :)

As suggested several times, the place to start is by trying to remove the build up with a single edged razor blade.

I also agree with Shaughnn that this may have been a substandard edge polishing job. A good diamond polish would not have allowed any penetration of the minerals.

I disagree with ob1kanobee's correlation of this to a roofs drip cap. I have removed many mineral deposits from granite tops around the faucet, but have yet to run into one on the edge.

Since this faucet is leaking could attribute as to why no deposits are on the surface, but only the edge.

Try the razor at let us know what happens. ;)

[Stone Dude]

its hard water

minerals dont stick to well to highly polished surfaces like the face of Uba Tuba granite.



more often than not, the fabricator will not be able to match the factory polish on the edges. because this is significantly rougher (still very smooth to the touch) than the face, the water slides off and is stuck on the edge.

also when a polish is inferior, there tends to be more pitting, almost on a microscopic scale, which will allow more things to build up on the surface.

most likely a razor blade and a blue dish scrubbing pad as well as a few minutes of elbow grease will get rid of this .

[Meig]

Hey guys, sorry it took forever to get back to you. School is starting tomorrow and the past week has been the usual back to school insanity.

I am able to scrape the stuff off the granite with a razorblade. Does this mean it is just minerals? Can I use CLR or anything like that on the stone or will that eat away at it? It looks pretty nasty and the edge there is pretty rough now.

Thanks!

[Davestone]

CLR won't harm a true granite.By the way if the clr doesn't remove it it is probably mixed with soap.

[Ingeborg]

OB1 Kanobee said

"the water has a tendancy to congregate there due to its molecular structure and its propensity of non forced mitigation similar to a roofing detail."

You sound like a potter with an MFA and a lot of fou fou to describe something very simple. :) Sorry but I couldn't help laughing at the entire sentence. Sounds a bit like art speak. Do You have an MFA? I don't but you probably do.:)

Best wishes

[cx]

The water has a tendancy to congregate there due to its molecular structure and its propensity of non forced mitigation similar to a roofing detail.Well, I have no doubt that Ben meant something there, but I bet it ain't what he said. :shake:

How 'bout puttin' your name back in your signature line for us, Ben. :)

[doitright]

Hi Lesa :)

I'm going to have to correct the info previously given for the use of CLR on your Uba Tuba. Uba Tuba is acid sensitive, and I don't recommend it's use.

I had a client that used their top (not a cutting board) to cut lemons. While it didn't dull the surface, it did lightly bleach out some of the color. I ground and repolished approx. 8 square feet of their countertop to repair the damage.

You may want to consider a high quality sealer such as STT SB for this stone.

Did you fix your water leak? If so, it won't be such a maintenance problem. Just wipe up any standing water around the faucet. A clean countertop is a happy countertop. ;)