New granite countertop stained by Akemi?

[MoniqueG]

HI everyone. I'm a realtor/contractor and have a new kitchen I installed about 2 months ago on a house I am planning to resell. The contractor just put the granite in 2 weeks ago, and put Akemi sealer on it and left the job while it was still very wet, which I have since found out is not good. Now I am left with this color change/staining that hasn't gone away. The contractor came back and said he didnt know how to fix it but said maybe it needs more sealer so he resealed the counter again. This did nothing except darken additional areas.

The stone is Moon White. I am wondering if it is the sealer being applied wrong or just the way it absorbed into the stone. It literally looks like someone poured oil on it, it looks bad. I don't know what to do. I tried 0000 steel wool and acetone in one small spot but it's the Akemi Stone Impregnator that they used so I don't think acetone will break through. Could it be that moisture got trapped underneath? No one lives in the house so no one spilled anything on it.

I attached photos taken with a flash and without.

Any advice is welcome!!

[John Bridge]

Hi Monique, (Like your name - spent some time in France)

I'm not the guy to pronounce on this. Hang tight.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Sealer is meant to be applied, allowed to dwell for a short time (like 5 minutes), then polished completely and totally 100% dry.

Unless the sealer they used specifies such, to apply the sealer and let dry on its own is a day-1 kindergarten mistake. When he came back to apply more, did he again allow it to dry on its own, or did he polish it dry? Was there any positive or negative change after this 2nd attempt? Do you know what sealer was used?

Have you paid for the top? If so, was it by check? Credit card?

[MoniqueG]

Thanks for the reply. It was Akemi Stone Impregnator that he used. The company sent a different guy to come look at it the 2nd time, and he ALMOST walked out with it wet again! I asked him to show me the container of sealer, and right on it is the statement not to let dry on the stone. He looked at the container as if he didn't believe me and didn't know what I was talking about. Then he left and said to wipe it dry in 15 minutes. It had already been on there at least 10 mins when he left. I dried it but there really was no change other than a couple new areas darkened. Clearly they messed up but they aren't giving me any timeline for fixing it.

Unfortunately I paid them by credit card over 90 days ago but I paid the main contractor, the installer was a sub. They are both blaming each other. I don't think I have a window for getting my money back but am considering my options.

Honestly I just am hoping someone knows how to fix this. Personally I know Akemi has a remover that is supposed to take this sealer off, anyone know if it will work? What would you do to fix it?

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Good grief. Installers who don’t want to even read the little directions on the package.

Your beef is with the contractor you paid. Put the heat on them to correct. If it was as simple as wiping on a stripper, that would be wonderful. But stone is porous and it doesn’t work that way. The sealer isn’t on top of, but in the stone. If you really want to shoulder the responsibility, I would call the manufacturer to explain the problem and they will likely recommend using a mixture as a poultice that you could work on repeatedly to try improving. Or, they may have another solution based on their intimate knowledge of how their sealer will react under different scenarios. But, I’d recommend avoiding all of that and putting the heat on the contractor.

[MoniqueG]

Thank you so much. I honestly just don't trust the installer to fix this. I will call the main contractor and see what they can do. I appreciate your advice.

[John Bridge]

Monique, Small claims court.

[MoniqueG]

I hope it doesnt come to that. Im just trying to get this on the market asap and Ive gotten everything else done. So frustrating.

[John Bridge]

I mentioned small claims court because it may be you're only recourse. I am about as far away from stone restoration as one can be, but I've learned that there can be problems that are incurable. That may be the case.

As Kurt (Tonto) mentioned above, the guy to go after is the general contractor, who is ultimately responsible for all work performed on the project no matter which subcontractor performed it. Just being served might move someone to get something done.