We have had a solid island slab..no cut outs...of resined Bianco Roamno..which is esentially a white granite.
Zero maintenance..wipes as clean as a whistle with Windex with vinegar...and nothing stains it..at all.

Once a week I give it a once over with the cleaner they gave me..I think it's Stone Tech.

Our island is not huge...and we were therefore fortunate to find remnant slab that had been part of another job...however, I had them change the edging from pencil to ogee...and the edges look exactly like the surface.

That said..I don't know how they accomplished that...however I am assuming the same would be true for a sink cut out..

Others here may be able to explain further...

i may be mis-remembering what i read here. but i thought resin fills in pits etc and is unrelated to need for sealing. have you tried searching here for resin or resined?

sail-away,
Let me assure you that resining is a good thing, very good.

Prior to slabs being shipped to the stoneyards, they are either hp sprayed or dipped into the resin and then heat treated. The resin not only fills in pits and fissures, but acts to impede staining. Resining also allows more fragile and/or exotic stones to be shipped and fabricated without issue.

Once the counter is in place, most (not all) can benefit from an application (or two) of sealer. You're left with counters that are pretty much maintenence free, although neither resining or sealing will help with etching - an issue in very few stones.

Some resined stones will show a lighter profile (edge), especially with an ogee. It is a temporary thing and the edge darkens naturally within 6 months or so. I, personally, like the slightly lighter edge as it highlights the look.

You can usually spot resined slabs at the stoneyard by the amberish colored 'spill line' that runs around the perimeter (front or back) of the slab. Additionally, a knowledgable fabricator should be able to assess whether a slab is resined.

Seafoam Green is a gorgeous stone. The fact that it is resined and non absorbant, to boot! makes me feel that it's a perfect choice for kitchen counters - best of luck!

I'm starting to wonder if mine is resined. I didn't know that much about resining - probably not at all - when I got it. But it is a more fragile stone with more pits and fissures. It's always been completely impervious to everything. I've had it three years now - I sealed it a couple times early on but haven't sealed it in probably 18 months - and it's no muss - no fuss. I feel like calling the stone company and asking if they resin their juparana bordeaux. If it is does that mean you can use any usual household cleaners rather than being so careful about that?

Another question comes to mind: How can you tell when your granite needs to be resealed?

I'm concerned that some of the things I use to disinfect my counters from time to time (i.e., bleach/water mix or vinegar/alcohol/water mix) will affect the sealer and perhaps make the finish look blotchy. If that happens, then do you need to remove the original sealer somehow and then reapply sealer in order to make it look uniform again?

Sail-away, reseal if you notice that water does not bead up anymore or if it darkens the counter.

When you reseal, use the same brand and it will revive the small amount of sealer on the counter and when you buff it, you'll have a uniform coat.

paulines: I think that's the problem with our granite. Here's a photo:

I don't like the difference in color, because the top is a warm brown and the edge is more white/gray. We've had it in for 2 months now and it hasn't changed. What will make it change in 6 months if the edges aren't resined?

This forum is here to help people with problems to help correct the problem with products or tools etc. Many in the kitchen and bath industry answer questions to help homeowners in this forum and suggest certain products. Freely people in the stone industry answer questions including people associated with DuPont and Stonemark and suggest certain products that can correct problems on this forum. I am also in the real estate business that come across many problems associated with problems with granite and man made countertops and yes I'm in the stone industry. I'm associated with Granite Shield and even own a granite fabrication shop and 6 kitchen and bath interior design showroom. I come across many men and women seeking advise to correct problems and two of the problems is pits and fissures and edges from presealed granite and resin filled granite that once the edges are done the color and polish doesn't match the top of their granite. People are free to purchase granite anywhere they want or do want granite but can't afford the prices some fabricators charge then have problems so they want to correct problems they do have. In the case of the two problems I just mentioned I know of a product that can correct the problem. The problem is with some assocated in the stone industry they only want the public to know of certain products available instead of letting the public know what is all available and then let them make that choice. It's not a sales pitch I know for a fact that Granite Shield's process can correct this problem easily and she's free to choose which direction she wants to go. I don't understand why many in the stone industry want to keep Granite Shield a secret when it can help so many and won't let people freely talk about Granite Shield. I do get asked that question by the public all the time why Granite Shield can't be freely talked about on forums because if they do they are attacked or their questions and responses are deleted on the forums. I can say Granite Shield will soon be taking stone samples of Dupont Certified Granite, Stonemark granite, Sensastone and Artisan Stone Collection. Half of the stone samples will be sealed with Granite Shield the other half left alone and it will show the improvement Granite Shield can do to those stones seal, color and polish. Another stone sample from a slab yard will be half sealed with the Granite Shield process. Granite Shield will soon be presenting these samples at home and garden shows and video taping responses and presenting it on You Tube.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.DebbieBurton.com

Back to the photo & question posted by Weedyacres --- our granite was installed yesterday and it looks exactly like that, and we don't like it. I have the same question ---- what makes the edges darken after 6 months??? Sure hope they do but I don't understand why they would darken on their own.

The fabricator told us that neither the countertop nor the ogee edge need sealing!

Any "stone experts" out there? (who are not selling a product).

Thanks

Hi Ronald2, I'm not affiliated with Hardrock Tools. You can purchase Edge Match to darken your edges.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.DebbieBurton.com

good day folks,
I do not know Edge Match or Granite Shield.
I do know the fabricator should have used any one of many edge matching sealers, the one I am familiar with is Tenex Ager, they make the edge match the top. It is a fairly inexpensive efficient way to assure customer satisfaction.

Blessings

Ours is resined, has a lighter edge, and has been installed for around 6 months now and no... it didn't darken up over time. At first it bothered me but I just let it sink in that it is part of the characteristics of my stone. Of course I just have a square edge so its not as noticeable.

Hi,

I just caught that sealer Granite Shield on You Tube and it looks impressive. They have a customer saying it made his granite about 25% shinier and real slick and has a lifetime warranty.

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=Q4tpQ8u7Bng

Jenny

Here is a link that might be useful: You Tube video presentation

I am having a problem with the granite edges much lighter than the granite tops. I have tried using Ager to darken the edges but the Ager rubs off with water even after days of curing. We tried stripping the edges with lacquer thinner but that didn't help.

I am a fabricator.

Slabs are resined primarily to increase their market value by filling the small pits and surface irregularities which are present after polishing on a lot of stones. The resin is applied to the raw slab prior to polishing.

weedyacres countertops should have never left the fab shop looking like that. Resined stone typically has a slightly different color, usually darker, that the raw stone. (the fabricator also left the sharp 90 degree corner at the top of the edge. Inevitably, that edge will be full of chips after a few years of use. It should have been radiused a bit but that would take some additional shop labor)

many fabricators don't like to deal with color matching the edge because, most of the time, to do it properly it has to be done after the edge is shaped but before it is polished. this is a big interruption in the normal process in a fab shop where the edge is shaped and then polished during CNC processing. It can be quite difficult to get a polished edge to accept any coloring agent as texasdude is discovering.

IMHO this is another example of the "pump it out the door" production approach which is prevalent in our industry.

Regarding the Granite Shield product; it's supposed to provide a real barrier against staining and what is reported to be a good lifetime warranty. However, in my experience it's quite expensive and unnecessary unless the stone is a particularly porous one like limestone or travertine.

Thank you oldryder but your reply does not help solve the problem. I need techniques, etc. that can help save this job!

texasdude:

Join the Stone Fabricator's Alliance for $250.00. You'll get in the back room and probably find the information you're looking for.