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Kitchens
alfie521

Glare on Granite

Alfie
3 months ago

Hi people,


I have just had some new Blue Pearl worktops installed. They look stunning. There is just one annoying aspect which is that when you look at the worktops at a certain angle you get a glary, bitty look. When you look at it more head on it looks beautiful, deep and rich like this:








Just so stunning. But then if you look more at an angle and if it catches the light you get a bitty, glaring film on the top likle below. These bitty parts dull the granite and it loses its deep colour. They almost look like little scratches. I have circled some of the bits. These bits are part of the stone and everywhere, all over the worktops. It is these bits that catch the light and don't look great.







It is just such a different look when viewed like this. Is this true of all granites or just blue pearl? It is an Antolini Blue Pearl and the granite supplier said they are superior quality so I doubt it is a manufacturing issue.


Thanks in advance for any insights.











Featured Answer
  • Isla Cherry
    3 months ago

    I'll see if I can find out anything more. Did you chose this granite online or from a kitchen showroom? You need to compare it to another example which does not have this haze.

    Comments (11)

    • Isla Cherry
      3 months ago

      I think the granite may need repolishing. I had this once with a black granite with grey specs which was very similar. A few dull spots. Talk to your installer and see what is possible. These dull spots probably happened during installation or transportation. Was it polished before or after the install?

      Alfie thanked Isla Cherry
    • Alfie
      Original Author
      3 months ago

      Thanks Isla. He hand polished it all with Lithothin Stain Stop


      (https://www.protilertools.co.uk/product/lithofin-mn-stain-stop--choice-of-size-?gclid=CjwKCAiA8NKtBhBtEiwAq5aX2B_jSTe2vU64_eQh4-KEIs-IxvBdcXFP-pTwlXEYRXeLQR9lzUVz1hoCbcQQAvD_BwE)


      He had a mitred end panel and he machine polished that mitre edge but other than that no other machine polishing. When I asked if it only need hand polishing he said no polishing he does can contend with the polishing it comes with from the manufacturer.


      Would be amazing if that hazy, bitty film could go and look like it does in the first two pictures all the time.


    • Alfie
      Original Author
      3 months ago

      Thanks. I used a specialist worktop installer who sourced them from a local stone yard. The manufacturer is Antolini (Italian company) as its printed on the underside of the breakfast bar.

    • Isla Cherry
      3 months ago

      I last had granite a very long time ago so forgive me if I am not up to speed anymore. Could you contact Antolini directly? It sounds to me as though the initial sealant was not buffed correctly. I gather from what I've read that you apply it in sections (the sealant) allow it to penetrate and then polish the excess away. Try this website, it might help. I am still looking for more answers.

      https://granitegold.com/blogs/blog/cloudiness-on-granite-countertop-what-to-do. I suspect the product has dried on the surface and the excess was not removed quickly enough.

    • Alfie
      Original Author
      3 months ago

      Thank you for looking into this Isla. Yes good idea; I will contact them. I got a really good picture of it this morning as it shows both good and bad angles in the same picture.




      The bitty parts in the lower half look almost like small unfilled pits so maybe you’re right with your theory:



      This is the same patch taken from directly above where the light doesn’t catch them:




    • Alfie
      Original Author
      3 months ago

      Thank you for looking into this Isla. Yes good idea; I will contact them. I got a really good picture of it this morning as it shows both good and bad angles in the same picture.




      The bitty parts in the lower half look almost like small unfilled pits so maybe you’re right with your theory:



      This is the same patch taken from directly above where the light doesn’t catch them:




    • Isla Cherry
      3 months ago

      I would go back to them. It's a beautiful stone and obviously very expensive so it needs to be 100%. Very disappointing.

      Alfie thanked Isla Cherry
    • Alfie
      Original Author
      3 months ago
      last modified: 3 months ago

      That’s definitely not normal then? I notice even the smallest of imperfections on any job so wondered if it was just me? When you view slabs they are held up vertically so if it was there on other slabs I wouldn’t have noticed. I still have a load of large samples from various stone yards so going to see what they are like for comparison. Though if they are samples they are likely old and need polishing so may not make for a good comparison.

      I think I have a few Sensa granite samples and they boast on having the best sealing process on the market.

    • Isla Cherry
      3 months ago

      No its not normal and you should not have to accept it.


    • Alfie
      Original Author
      3 months ago

      Here is a close up and studying the issue carefully these bits seem to be located on the black coloured parts:



      I would probably describe it a bit like trapped air.


      Anyone else on here have blue pearl?

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