Comments on: The Possible Nightmare: Honed Granite http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/ The Rock Blog Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:21:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: joan franklin http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-6415 joan franklin Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:50:11 +0000 http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-6415 I am trying to do a kitchen remodel based on the movie," Something's got to give" with the white inset cabinets with all glass uppers, white apron sink and a large island in the middle. I will have white walls as well as white subway tiles. I had assumed I would do honed absolute granite until I read all your posts. In the movie set they used fake soapstone. I would like to use a honed granite in black and would love ideas that would give me the dark black look with little to no sheen and frankly as few flecks or design as possible. We love to cook and I will be crazed if my granite stains or looks crummy all the time. Are there black granites out there that will take honing and hold up to water, fingerprints and be stainproof. If so, should they be sealed and how many coats should be applied and how often. I am trying to do a kitchen remodel based on the movie,” Something’s got to give” with the white inset cabinets with all glass uppers, white apron sink and a large island in the middle. I will have white walls as well as white subway tiles. I had assumed I would do honed absolute granite until I read all your posts. In the movie set they used fake soapstone. I would like to use a honed granite in black and would love ideas that would give me the dark black look with little to no sheen and frankly as few flecks or design as possible. We love to cook and I will be crazed if my granite stains or looks crummy all the time. Are there black granites out there that will take honing and hold up to water, fingerprints and be stainproof. If so, should they be sealed and how many coats should be applied and how often.

]]> By: Carol Baden http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-6305 Carol Baden Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:22:31 +0000 http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-6305 We are interested in Verde Peacock granite and can't decide on polished or honed surface. Polished Verde Peacock granite seems too shiney, so we are considering the honing process. Please tell me what are the pros and cons of honing this color. Is this type of granite with many gold veins more apt to crack? Thanks, Carol We are interested in Verde Peacock granite and can’t decide on polished or honed surface. Polished Verde Peacock granite seems too shiney, so we are considering the honing process. Please tell me what are the pros and cons of honing this color. Is this type of granite with many gold veins more apt to crack? Thanks, Carol

]]> By: Anne http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-5439 Anne Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:08:45 +0000 http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-5439 I really wanted to use soapstone in my kitchen. I love the look. But I am building in an area where most of the builders are not familiar with the product. I have read your post on honed absolute black granite and the finger print problem. My other searches provide mixed reviews good/bad. What product do you recommend to me that has the look I am trying to get in the color black. Thanks so much. I really wanted to use soapstone in my kitchen. I love the look. But I am building in an area where most of the builders are not familiar with the product. I have read your post on honed absolute black granite and the finger print problem. My other searches provide mixed reviews good/bad. What product do you recommend to me that has the look I am trying to get in the color black. Thanks so much.

]]> By: Cort Maddux http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-4233 Cort Maddux Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:25:29 +0000 http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-4233 Tom, We are buliding a new house. My wife thought she did not like the look of highly polished granite and decided she wanted honed granite. We chose Giallo Ornamental. The countertops were brought to the house polished and "honed" on-site with grinding wheels. They managed to get all of the wheel marks off but now it has a dusty and dirty appearance that we do not like. In addition, water changes the color of the granite until it dries. It has not yet been sealed. Here are my questions: 1) Can it be re-polished on site? Even if it cannot be returned to its original high gloss we might be happy with a lesser degree of polished finish. 2) Should we treat it with something (like a color enhancer) before sealing? 3) What kind of sealer should we use? 4) Should we just admit our mistake and just have it replaced? Any help is appreciated. Thanks Cort in Houston Tom,

We are buliding a new house. My wife thought she did not like the look of highly polished granite and decided she wanted honed granite. We chose Giallo Ornamental. The countertops were brought to the house polished and “honed” on-site with grinding wheels. They managed to get all of the wheel marks off but now it has a dusty and dirty appearance that we do not like. In addition, water changes the color of the granite until it dries. It has not yet been sealed. Here are my questions:

1) Can it be re-polished on site? Even if it cannot be returned to its original high gloss we might be happy with a lesser degree of polished finish.

2) Should we treat it with something (like a color enhancer) before sealing?

3) What kind of sealer should we use?

4) Should we just admit our mistake and just have it replaced?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Cort in Houston

]]> By: Debbie http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-2861 Debbie Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:56:00 +0000 http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-2861 Before finding your admonition against honed absolute black, I almost chose an absolute black with a brushed finish. Does brushed present the same issues as honed? If so, is there a low maintenance, fairly uniform, charcoal colored granite you would recommend, preferably in a brushed finish? Would something speckled work such as impala black? Our walls are gray-blue, our appliances are stainless, and our floors and cabinets are oak. If we must go with polished, the cambrian black leather (polished) seems very, very interesting. Any experience with this? Best, Debbie Before finding your admonition against honed absolute black, I almost chose an absolute black with a brushed finish. Does brushed present the same issues as honed?

If so, is there a low maintenance, fairly uniform, charcoal colored granite you would recommend, preferably in a brushed finish? Would something speckled work such as impala black? Our walls are gray-blue, our appliances are stainless, and our floors and cabinets are oak.

If we must go with polished, the cambrian black leather (polished) seems very, very interesting. Any experience with this?

Best,
Debbie

]]> By: Marianne Barber http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-2756 Marianne Barber Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:58:59 +0000 http://tomcordova.com/152/the-possible-nightmare-honed-granite/#comment-2756 Hi Tom, Well, we thought we had made it through the kitchen reno with flying colors: beautiful wood floors, shaker style maple cabinets stained a rich praline, elegant, understated light fixtures, stainless appliances, tumbled marble backsplash. But guess what we picked for our countertops? Your all-time Must Avoid: Honed Black Absolute. (We loved the look of slate, but our kitchen designer said that slate was too high-mainenance and fragile, so steered us to the black granite.) We have had it for a mere week, and yes, I am living the nightmare. But being an eternal optimist, I just have to believe there's a way out. I have read some Web postings that say not to seal the honed Black Absolute (or strip off the sealer), and just clean it with Dawn and/or Bon Ami. I am also wondering if we could forget about the "honed" look altogether, and just polish the countertops on site, if that would solve the problem. There has got to be a way out! Please help!!! Thanks so much, Marianne Hi Tom,
Well, we thought we had made it through the kitchen reno with flying colors: beautiful wood floors, shaker style maple cabinets stained a rich praline, elegant, understated light fixtures, stainless appliances, tumbled marble backsplash. But guess what we picked for our countertops? Your all-time Must Avoid: Honed Black Absolute. (We loved the look of slate, but our kitchen designer said that slate was too high-mainenance and fragile, so steered us to the black granite.) We have had it for a mere week, and yes, I am living the nightmare. But being an eternal optimist, I just have to believe there’s a way out. I have read some Web postings that say not to seal the honed Black Absolute (or strip off the sealer), and just clean it with Dawn and/or Bon Ami. I am also wondering if we could forget about the “honed” look altogether, and just polish the countertops on site, if that would solve the problem. There has got to be a way out! Please help!!!
Thanks so much,
Marianne

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