My husband is building our new kitchen and has done all the work himself. We had been planning on him installing the Granite himself as well. The first fabricator/contractor told us it would not be a problem and the 2nd told us no way. We have picked Bordeaux Bronze from the warehouse distributor and have it on hold, right now. We were told that this color might be harder to install because of a chance of it cracking on us in transport or install. We can save over $700 if we do it ourself. What is your advise? Is there a similar color that we would have better luck doing ourself? It is a small kitchen. Maybe we should go without granite, if it can not be done ourself.

Thanks, Inga

Hello Inga,

Bordeaux is more fragile than other granites until it is installed. I can only say this: Paying for installation is like buying insurance. If anything goes wrong, it is not your problem. I would beg for a lower price, borrow the money, or barter with services if needed, but don’t try to install granite countertops yourself.

The odds are that you will either crack/break the top or at least install it out of level. Keep looking for installers that can meet your budget. Try www.GraniteStock.com for example.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

We recently installed honed green deoli in our bath and floors. 511 impergnator was then applied to seal the stone. The colors have changed dramatically. The honed finish is now dulled and the silvery shine is gone and many brown hues have appeared. Some of the “ostrich” markings that dotted the tiles are even gone. Can you tell us whats happened and is there anything we can do other than removal.

Thanks, Joe

Hello Joe,

The Green Deoli is a slate from India as I am sure you know. What you are describing is usually caused by the moisture in the mortar under the slate which is trying to leach our though the slate surface. I don’t believe that the sealer is the directly the cause but it is inhibiting the ‘evaporation’ of the moisture.

Most slates are a composition of muscovite, quartz, illite and some biotite, chlorite, hematite, and pyrite. That is a lot of stuff and they each have different absorption qualities. The evaporation is not a simple homogeneous wet-to-dry look transition and for this reason many choose not to seal slate at all.

I believe the setting material moisture is fighting to evaporate and the sealer is inhibiting it. This could take months to change back to the original colors but it should do so. You could try washing the floor with acetone to remove some of the sealer, but I would recommend hiring a professional to do so. The best solution is to patiently wait.

Think about this. If you could actually permanently change the look of natural stone as you described, you should patent the process.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

I’m in the early stages of planning granite counters for a new kitchen in a weekend house. My goal is both beauty and low maintenance. Are there any types of granite that are lower maintenance than others? Are there particular granites that I should not consider or that would be particularly good?

Also, The Countertop Company told me that their K2 Sealing System provides permanent stain protection by using a special silicone-based formula and application process designed to penetrate below the surface of the stone to protect your countertop from stains. The said that the homeowner never has to seal their granite. See http://www.countertopcompany.com/k2sealant.htm
What do you think?

Thanks! Becky

Hello Becky,

I will try to answer your questions about granite and the K2 Sealing System. First let me suggest looking at medium-darker granite for lower maintenance, as a rule-of-thumb. You can see many colors on www.GraniteStock.com. I always recommend granites from the Middle East for low maintenance because they are so dense and loaded with quartz for better hardness. Most of the lighter granites contain higher quantities of Orthoclase minerals and will be more absorbent. However, these granites are still harder than steel so you will not scratch them. For example, the granite in my kitchen is Kashmir White and is softer than dark granites. I have no problems with it because I seal it twice a year and follow proper cleaning methods that do not deteriorate the sealer.

About the K2 Sealing System: The quick answer is maybe, maybe not. We live in a world where advanced products are coming to us at the speed of light. I suppose there could there be a new sealer that performs as this one states. It is technically feasible. Silicone sealers traditionally do not functions as this one describes, but perhaps it was miss-promoted. I read the warranty and I found it short, simple and not full of ‘ways-out’ like most others I see. I do like the idea that they install it for you so that they are indeed fully responsible. I’ve always said, written warranties are worthless and the company’s reputation is where the true warranty lies. Look deeper into the company and see if you are in good hands.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

This past June we had Ubatuba countertops installed in our kitchen. We are very happy with both the appearance and ease of care. Having read up on the characteristics of different stones and having a masters degree in Earth science we were convinced that the darker stones were the way to go. I am opening a barbershop in my home and on my wife’s advice, chose Kasmir White for the countertop. This was a great choice to go with the porcelain floor and oak cabinets. I remain somewhat concerned about staining, etc. Other than periodic sealing ( and what sealer do you recommend? ) do you have any suggestions for care. I am a cleaning fanatic about everything so I do not mind taking extra steps to preserve the stone. Thanks much! RgN

Hello Russell,

Kashmir White is beautiful light colored granite from India and is definitely more porous than dark colored granites, such as Ubatuba. My own kitchen is Kashmir White granite and I seal it once every eight months. I use an anti-microbial sealer sold on Ebay via HomeGranite.com. For cleaning, I use a little mild liquid dishwashing soap and water. I have no problems with staining.

For your specific use at your barbershop, just be sure to seal it about every 6 months. Do not use any chemical cleaners as they will gradually deteriorate the sealer and expose it to staining potential.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

Tom, I watch the remodeling and house flipping shows all the time. If we put a very nice new granite slab on our countertops won’t future home buyers expect the rest of the house to be upgraded to that standard as well? I was thinking of granite tile to go along with our outdated oak cabinets in order to not have to remodel the entire kitchen. But I see you are not a fan of the tile. We just don’t want to have to spend thousands of dollars on the rest of the house to keep in line with a new granite slab. Currently we have 4 inch White tile with gray grout that is impossible to keep clean, so I would love to be groutless. What is your take on this quandary? HELP

Thank you, Ed

Hello Willow,

It is well known that remodeling the kitchen and baths are critical for flipping home for the most profit. It is also critical that it is done tastefully or buyers will look at it just thin they are paying a lot of money for something that really don’t like. That is the problem with tile. Consider the buyers that will pay the most money for your home to be very sophisticated. It is simple enough to say, “Granite tile is not sophisticated”. I can not over-emphasize the importance of using granite slab to attract the buyers who will pay the most.

In your specific budget situation, I recommend searching the Granite Distributors on www.GraniteStock.com and look for those that have marked “prefabrication tops” in their stock list. It is designated by, “others” in the list on their profiles. As I have written in other articles, I am not a big fan of prefabricated countertops for several technical reasons but if you want to save money, that is the way to go. You can also find an installer on www.GraniteStock.com that can help you.

Choose a light gold color like Santa Cecelia or Giallo Ornamental. These colors will appeal to the multitude of buyers. Also consider going to Ebay and buying a prefabricated granite vanity top. They are so inexpensive now. If you upgrade these two areas in a simple and classy way, you will make at least three times your invested amount.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

In the back buttering of 18″ travertine tile, do you use a notch trowel or flat edge putty knife to fill holes in the backs of the travertine tiles and let dry in installation, Also how thick should thin-set be applied–I am using flexbond fortified thin-set mortar?

Thank you, Ed

Hello Ed,

Excellent questions! It is very important to use a 3/8″ square notch trowel on floor and be sure that the floor is dust free. Using this size notch trowel will allow you to press down on the tile to get it level with the adjacent tile.

You may want to have a wet sponge handy to wipe the floor just before applying the thinset. Use white colored thinset. For the back of the tile, the best procedure is to use the flat side of the trowel and apply a quick paper-thin smooth flat coat on it. Also put a little glob on each corner. This is really the premium way to set the tile but most tile installers do not do this because of the extra time it takes. Doing this will support the corners and reduce the hollow sounding, which is common with travertine.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

What specific chaulk/adhesive/sealer is best to glue a stainless steel undermount sink to granite? After 2 years, the builder installed sink is leaking due to the breakdown of whatever sealer they used and is totally mildewy. I plan to drop the sink, clean up and re-seal. It looks like there are several screws with brackets tapped into the underside of the granite counter to further support the sink.

Thanks, Dave

Hello David,

I believe the glue you are referring to is the caulking between the sink and granite. This in not used to support the sink in anyway. This is only for stopping water seeping into the cabinet. 100% silicone is best but it can be quite messy to work with because it is not water soluble. Personally, I would use latex caulking because it can be smoothed out with a wet finger and cleaned up with a wet towel. It is still very good quality. Look for the words, “Tub and Tile Caulking” on a tube in the tile section of your home improvement store.

Note that it is common for caulking to only last a few years at this joint because of the movement from your sink. This is a maintenance issue and it is good to replace because the mold that can grow can cause health problems.

The anchors underneath are used to support the sink. Be sure to not over-tighten these clamps and that can pull the anchor out of the granite.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

I found the perfect granite at one place and they had it categorized by numbers, not names. My husband and I narrowed it down to Juperana Verandis (I think). Now that I am looking at that color, it looks completely different than the first one I saw. My cabinets are off white with a glaze, can you recommend a color that will enhance the cabinets. I am not sure if I should go light or dark?? The appliances are stainless so I need a little gray/silver in the granite and a little gold to bring out the cabinet.

Thanks, Holly

Hello Holly,

I am asked for color recommendations quite often and I always begin by saying that most of the decision is based on your taste. I believe that you should find about 5 different colors and then go with the one that ‘moves’ you. Also remember that you are going to see this granite every morning and every night so what might be appealing in the morning might be too bright and sunny in the evening.

With that said, let me suggest the following. First, don’t try to match the colors with your fixtures. It is good to know that you have stainless, so I can recommend you go with a little darker color. However, stainless steel will compliment both dark and brown granites so there is no need to find a silver color in the granite to match the stainless.

The Arandis is beautiful granite and is identified with the caramel brown color and sporadic thin white lines that almost look like spider webs. This granite is a little light for white cabinets but if you like the color then I am sure you will be happy with it. Take a look at the golds and browns on www.GraniteStock.com so that you can see the many other colors out there. Then call your local distributors to see if they have actual slabs that you can view. Remember, go with the granite the really moves you and then see if the cabinets blends in.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

We chose Madura gold granite counter tops for our new house. The color counters that were installed are a medium brown color instead of the pale gold that we chose. I am so upset! I am not sure if they installed a completely different type or if this could be madura gold too. Is it possible that there is so much variation in color? Do I have any recourse with the company if this color is also called maura gold?

Sally

Hello Sally,

Madura Gold has a huge variation from block to block. You could easily select a Madura Gold color range that does look the same a prior sample. However, as stated in my article, The Homeowners Checklist, you should always hand selected your slabs. If you did this, then the installed slabs should be the exact same slabs that selected. If you want to email me a photo of the granite, then I can tell you if it is Madura Gold. It sounds like you need to revisit the steps you made with your fabricator in the selection process.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova