http://www.countertopspecialty.com/countertop-blog.html The Countertop Specialty Blog keeps you up-to-date with the latest kitchen counter top news and new information available at the countertopspecialty.com Web site. Subscribe here. en-us countertop Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:34:53 GMT Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:34:53 GMT countertopspecialty.com http://www.countertopspecialty.com/vinegar-on-marble-and-granite.html QUESTION My question is my cleaning lady insists she can clean my marble bathroom countertops (and kitchen granite) with water and vinegar. I have Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:34:50 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/pink-granite-to-match-marble-rosalia.html QUESTION: Hi, could you please let me know which pink granite is the closest to pink Rosalia marble? I have the pink Rosalia marble on the kitchen Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:14:57 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/sealing-travertine-shower-frequency.html QUESTION: How often should you seal travertine tile installed in a shower and what type of sealer would be best for water and soap scum? ANSWER: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:46:10 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/cleaning-gentian-violet-stain-on-marble-top.html QUESTION: Recently I had a bottle of gentian violet which is purple on the top of my white bathroom marble sink counter and some spilled and left a Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:17:26 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/bleach-damaged-marble-floor.html QUESTION: I bleached my black marble floors and it damaged them. Also, my black granite counters look very dull and have a small spot that needs Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:10:46 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/is-high-quality-sealer-worth-it-for-high-quality-granite.html QUESTION: Does this chocolate bordeaux granite need a sealer?? If so, is this worth (also let me know if it will penetrate/be effective to apply) the Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:43:19 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/blue-stain-on-marble-vanity-top.html QUESTION: Hi, I discovered a pale blue stain on the marble vanity top in my kids bathroom. My girls like cosmetics but I am wondering if it has been Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:48:11 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/warped-outdoor-kitchen-countertop.html QUESTION: I have an outdoor kitchen with 3/4 granite countertops. It is about 7-years old. The grout from the seams wasn't installed properly and the Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:53:36 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/problem-sealing-honed-absolute-black-granite-floor.html QUESTION: Our installer sealed our honed absolute black granite floor with 511 by Miracle. The sealant left a residue that appears uneven and smeared. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:50:05 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/treating-cambrian-black-antiqued-granite-with-a-sealer-mineral-oil-or-nothing.html QUESTION: I purchased cambrian black (antique finish) tops for my kitchen. My internet research returns various results--yes, seal it; yes, seal it Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:49:52 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/which-type-of-sealer-applicator.html QUESTION: I want to seal my granite myself but don't know what kind of applicator to use to get the smoothest application that won't bubble or streak. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:32:05 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/sealing-peacock-green-granite.html QUESTION: I have peacock green granite that is a black with green and gold highlights in the background that was installed a year ago. Do I need to Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:19:34 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/metallicus-granite-mica-flecks-coming-off.html QUESTION: I work for a granite fabrication facility, and recently we installed a kitchen for a customer, using Metallicus for the Island. The Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:10:40 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/dull-cup-ring-forms-with-5second-exposure-to-acid.html QUESTION: I left a cup of diluted tile cleaner (Heavy Duty Acidic Cleaner from Home Depot, hydrocholoric acid based) on the vanity top for about 5 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:10:08 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/outdoor-kitchen-plan.html Have an outdoor kitchen plan in mind? Summertime has always meant barbeques and pool parties, but now more than ever homeowners are expanding and upgrading their outdoor living space for entertaining Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:14:32 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/corian-outdoor-kitchen-countertop.html QUESTION: Can I use Corian outside without it turning boiling hot? I would love dark granite but since it will be in the sun most of the time probably Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:11:37 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/marble-floor-plastic-coating.html QUESTION: My marble floor in my entry way looks as if it has a plastic coating with little bubbles all over it. What is it and how can I fix it? Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:52:03 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/marble-durability-stain-resistance.html QUESTION: How durable and stain resistant are marble countertops? ANSWER: Well, that question is answered on several pages of this website and it Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:39:07 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/marble-countertop-shower-design.html QUESTION: I have a shower that is tiled in our guest bathroom. I would like to put a marble countertop on the vanity. Can I mix the two if I keep it Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:24:52 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/granite-tile-countertop-edge-ideas.html QUESTION: I am planning to install 12-inch black granite tiles on my kitchen countertop and am wondering what to do about the edging. If I use a wood Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:11:14 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/rough-marble-table-top.html QUESTION: I have a white marble table. I might be a little careless. Place some warm stuff on the table top. It got a little rough on that spot. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:03:14 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/cleaning-mildew-on-carrara-marble-shower-tiles.html QUESTION: I have Carrara tiles with white grout on my shower floor. Because I am afraid to use any harsh cleaners, I now have a mildewy shower floor. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:57:23 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/yellow-stains-on-honed-marble-shower-wall.html QUESTION: Hi, two years ago we had a honed Carrara marble shower installed. Over time I've notice that we are getting some staining on the tiles that Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:49:55 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/removing-marble-vanity-top-stains.html QUESTION: How do I get rid of stains on marble top that has aged? ANSWER: Stains are dark spots caused by a substance that has absorbed into the Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:13:54 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/type-of-sealer-guarantees.html QUESTION: I am thinking of buying Sensa granite which has a sealer guarantee of 15 years, but I read about Granite Shield which is supposed to be Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:24:18 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/white-film-on-tumbled-travertine-shower-floor.html QUESTION: I have a floor in my shower made of Noce Travertine Tumbled Mosaics. The shower is about 4 years old. Recently the 2-by-2 squares started Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:41:53 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/caremaintenance-of-antiqued-granite-in-the-kitchen.html QUESTION: My client is purchasing Arctic Cream granite and is having it antiqued or possibly just honed. We are trying to find out how the care and Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:35:13 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/body-wash-on-marble-shower-seat.html QUESTION: A body wash leaked all over the marble shower seat - what should I do??? It's was there about 48 hours before I noticed it. ANSWER: I'm Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:23:35 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/film-on-new-marble-floor-tile.html QUESTION: I have 12x12 marble St.Croix brown made by international collections just installed. It has a film on it. How do I get it clean? Can I mop? Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:16:32 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/honed-white-carrera-countertop-with-water-spotscooking-spots.html QUESTION: My kitchen counter is Honed White Carrera. Is there a product or a special detergent that is magical in removing spots? ANSWER: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:07:06 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/glass-rings-on-carrara-marble.html QUESTION: We have some glass rings on our Carrara marble, how can we get rid of them? ANSWER: The glass rings are from acid etching and cannot be Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:44:00 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/hot-pans-on-marble-kitchen-countertop.html QUESTION: Can you set hot pots and pans on marble without hurting it? Also using the lemon juice test on a sample anything else i can use besides Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:40:12 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/sealing-arabian-black-granite.html QUESTION: I have a client wanting to install arabian black granite, will this need sealer? ANSWER: It likely will, but as with any stone the only Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:32:29 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/granite-guard-lifetime-sealer.html QUESTION: Our fabricator bid $300 to apply Granite Guard Lifetime Sealer to our Giallo Tropical granite kitchen countertop (brown, gold with some Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:23:14 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/outdoor-kitchen-countertops-bartop.html QUESTION: We are building an outdoor kitchen island of 36 inches high by 115 inches with a bar going up on the opposite side of the stove of 42 1/2 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:40:32 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/yellowing-carrara-marble-bathroom-counter.html QUESTION: My Carrara Bathroom counter is turning slightly yellow. What can I use to restore it? ANSWER: Well, if the entire countertop is yellowing, Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:15:56 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/hair-gel-spot-on-marble-vanity.html QUESTION: There is what looks to be water spots on my light color bathroom vanity. It is either water or hair gel. The stain does not have a color. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:59:51 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/hot-sauce-spot-on-marble-table.html QUESTION: Hot sauce was spilled and spotted that once dried has the table looking as if it's an ashy spot. Can I clean or will it need professional Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:52:42 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/old-stains-on-marble-statue.html Hello all, We were asked to strip an old white marble statue (which had been painted some decades ago and that had several coats of different types Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:45:13 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/marble-sealing-mistake.html QUESTION: My usually brilliant wife mistakenly applied a stone sealer to our new polished marble table top. As mentioned in an earlier reply, it did Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:35:11 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/soap-scum-on-marble-shower-floor.html QUESTION: We have a shower with marble sides and floor. The sides are easy to maintain. However, we are having a problem cleaning the soap residue off Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:04:46 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/dull-scratched-polished-marble-fireplace-surround.html QUESTION: Marble fireplace surround is St. Laurent polished. Gas logs only, Marble above the fire is dull and discolored and appears to be Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:10:04 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/baby-wipes-to-clean-cultured-marble.html QUESTION: Can baby wipes be used to clean a cultured marble sink top? ANSWER: I don't see why not. Since they are made to wipe babies, I don't see Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:54:09 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/plastic-wrap-stain-on-marble.html QUESTION: We bought a bathroom sink console and the top is made of marble. When we unwrapped it we noticed the plastic wrapping left line marks on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:08:08 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/white-writing-marks-on-marble-vanity.html QUESTION: I have just had a marble countertop installed in my bathroom. The installers had written on the top of the marble indicating where the hole Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:37:55 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/repair-etching-on-marble-tops.html QUESTION: What products can I use to repair a marble counter top that has been etched? ANSWER: The product I like best for repairing marble etch Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:28:50 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/hairline-cracks-in-new-granite.html QUESTION: We have just installed new granite. The cutout for the stove top was too small, but the installer shoved the stove top into the space. The Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:24:31 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/cleaning-zodia-quartz-countertop.html QUESTION: I gave a zodiac kitchen island counter top that is a dark burgandy. The cooking range is in the center of the stone. what do U recommend to Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:04:42 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/concrete-countertops.html Concrete countertops are more stylish than you might imagine. With many colors, concrete countertops can be customized to any shape, size or surface finish. Heres the Pro's and Con's ... Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:29:51 GMT http://www.countertopspecialty.com/polishing-matte-finished-marble.html QUESTION: Can matte finished marbled be polished so that it looks glossy/shiny? I've tried many polishes without success. ANSWER: Yes, matte finished Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:13:35 GMT