Step-by-Step Guidance to Achieve a Wet or Polished Look on Slate: 1. Understand the Surface Finish You Have If the slate has a cleft (rough or layered) finish, polishing in the traditional sense is not practical. If the slate has been ground flat... Read More

Q. I’m getting ring stains on my honed Absolute Black Granite that is a year old. We’re careful about oil or anything acidic getting on the granite, and it seems all stains present themselves in the form of ring. Please advise as to what... Read More

Q: In India, I have heard that Travertine stone is doctored by adding a substrate to the base of another hard cheaper stone. How can I know whether it is so without breaking it? A: Many of the black granites from India are darkened with dyes, but to... Read More

Black Granite Fading By Frederick M. Hueston I have received numerous calls lately concerning the fading of black granite countertops. The most common complaints seem to be on Absolute Black, Black Galaxy, Zimbabwe Black and a few others. I have... Read More

Q. Why does black granite fade? A. The answer is, black granite should not fade. Black granite imported from Asia is sometimes doctored with dyes and oils to darken the surface. The fading is nothing more than the dyes and oils being removed. You can... Read More

Recommended Coating for Slate Floors Coatings on slate floors can enhance the appearance of the slate, inhibit staining on the surface of the stone, and lighten the load a little when it comes to maintenance. However, the wrong type of coating on... Read More

Q. My pickling vinegar bottle (7 percent acidic) leaked on my flagstone (limestone?) floor. I made a paste of baking soda and applied after washing the floor with Marbalex stone floor cleaner. I let the paste sit for the afternoon to no avail. I... Read More

Q. When we had our new slate hearth put in a few years ago we also had our living room plastered the following day. The plasterer did not put any protective dust sheets down which resulted in our beautiful new hearth being stained with plaster... Read More

Q. I left a DRY cotton cloth (it was attached to a floor mop like a swifter) on the tile floor overnight. I was planning to mop floor but never got around to it. However, when I removed the mop, the tile in that area was faded white. I have tried to... Read More

Q. The house was built in 1975, the entry and hall is the multi-color stone/slate typical of the 1970's There are faded red, dark gray, green-gray and light gray random shapes all with 90 degree corners. Can this floor be changed to a single... Read More