Cloudy Blotches on Silestone Countertop
by tom
(spartanburg,sc)
QUESTION:
We have a problem with our Silestone stellar night counter tops. It first started with a cloudy look underneath our drainboard. Now we have cloudy blotches in other spots!
The countertop is about 3yrs old and the problem started after about one year.
We contacted Silestone numerous times. They came to our house and tried to rub it out-no good! They said it had to be something we did to it! No way!! They wouldn't stand behind there product.
What can we do? We are contemplating going with real granite. I told my wife we would have been better off with Formica! Help. Tom
ANSWER:
Stains in Silestone or any other quartz countertop occur just like stains in stone... a substance absorbs into the stone creating a dark spot. (Yes, quartz / Silestone
can stain).
However, cloudy or light-colored spots on quartz countertops are usually from chemical damage and are permanent.
There really isn't a good reason or explanation why the countertop would suddenly change or "develop" a problem after a year.
All damage to any surface is due to something done to it by someone. Now, it may be that you didn't do anything that
should have damaged the surface or you may not have known or even guessed that a particular behavior/habit could be damaging (very common).
But in order to solve or just stop more damage you need to be aware that it is almost certainly the result of
something you are doing.
Although it could be related to the water in your town. Many treated city water supplies are slightly acidic and can do damage over time to certain surfaces.
Quartz countertops do not etch really, but again chemicals can damage it. So, maybe the water or some type of soap or chemical you are using (not all soaps are "mild").
Without seeing the damage and without information about what types of products have been used on the Silestone countertops, it's really hard to say what the cause is.
But if you are considering a change, then yes I would recommend granite countertops. Silestone and other quartz countertop manufacturers make a big issue about the need to seal some granite and that Silestone has greater flexibility, that Silestone countertops don't stain, etc.
Well, as noted... Silestone countertops and quartz countertops can stain, they can be damaged, sealing is not a big issue and not necessary on all granite countertop slabs, flexibility is essentially irrelevant.
For all intents and purposes, typical performance is the same when comparing daily use of
granite vs. Silestone or quartz counter tops materials, however, granite can almost always be repaired when damaged... quartz almost never can be repaired.
Silestone and quartz countertops are still excellent, but that's a big advantage. It's not going to happen in that many cases, but when it does it's nice to have some options other than live with it or tear it out.