resin treated granite with different color edge

[acpa4u]

I have Kashmir gold granite counter top but the fabricator did not color match the edge before he sealed the edge.  The fabricator wants to apply tenax ager to the edge without sanding the sealer.  The fabricator says its standard procedure to color treat the edge in the home.  What?  Does this make sense.  Where is fabrication suppose to take place?

[Mark D.]

If the edge detail is a shade lighter using a color enhancing sealer either in the shop or at the place of installation is fine. He is not grinding the granite or polishing it when he puts a color enhancing sealer on it like Ager. All he is doing is wiping it on the stone to give it the wet look to match the resined top.
If it is a lot darker ask the fabricator if the stone has been dyed. If it is a lot darker he should dye the Ager to match the color before applying it. If he seals the top and then has to remove the sealer to dye the stone he may have to repolish it in place just to remove the resin in the sealer.

Can you post pictures of it BEFORE the Ager is applied?

Mark

[Stone Dude]

if he sealed the edge already, im pretty sure he's never going to get any enhancer or colorant in there. it is standar practice to darken the edges in the shop, because it is usually done before the polishing process is complete. there is no real guidelines or set way to do this, its not even required. resin slabs have become a problem for most fabricators unfortunately. let him do his job, then inspect the final product. if you are not happy, esxpress your concerns and give him a chance to fix it.

we have had this issue before, and the fastest and easiest way (in the shop) to do it was to regrind the edges, then go through the process again. this is why i recommend completing it in the shop.

[acpa4u]

Picture attached.  Thanks!

[Mark D.]

This is a job for Tepox-V. It's a stone stain made by Tenax that we used with a fabricator in a similar situation so he could match the light edge detail with the dyed top. If you used a color enhancer on it and it is still nowhere near the color you need it to be here is what you are going to have to do:

If you already sealed the edge you will need to repolish the edge starting at 100 grit. The reason for this is it will knock out the sealer that you put into the stone making it more porous. This is only necessary if the dye won't take to the stone so I would try that first.

Get the Tepox-V colors that you need to make the edge match the top. It is available in black, blue, brown, green red & yellow. I would practice on some scrap pieces to make sure you have the correct recipe. You want the dyed edge to match the top edge. The Tepox-V may be applied straight to the stone or you can dilute it with a resin based product like Ager or Pectro if you do not want the dye color to be full strength.

Once you have the dye the right color go ahead and wipe it only onto the lighter edge and allow it to stand for 15 minutes then wipe off the excess. Remember that this is a stain and the longer it sits on the stone the more color will get into the stone. If it is still a little lighter do a second coat just like the first.

Once the Tepox-V has dried (24 hours) it is a fairly permanent product. Seal over it and get the customer to sign off on the job. I think you need Brown and yellow, but that is your call. Here are the links for Tepox-V brown & yellow:
http://www.defusco.com/Glues:-Epoxy,-Polyester,-etc.-Waxes-&-other-Stone-treatments/c82_505/p2758/TEPOX-STAIN-FOR-STONE-(1LTR)---BROWN/product_info.html
http://www.defusco.com/Glues:-Epoxy,-Polyester,-etc.-Waxes-&-other-Stone-treatments/c82_505/p2761/TEPOX-STAIN-FOR-STONE-(1LTR)---YELLOW/product_info.html

If you need Ager here it is:
http://www.defusco.com/Glues:-Epoxy,-Polyester,-etc.-Ager-Sealer-&-Ager-Tiger-Sealer/c82_503/p1437/AGER---1-LITER/product_info.html

If you have questions please call me during the week at 800-289-6834. I will be happy to walk you through this project. In fact, call me before you start so I can give you the benefit of the projects we have done with this type of project and to see what you have done already so you know what to expect.

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[tims]

STONE DUDE,

"it is usually done before the polishing process is complete"

What grit do you recommend to stop at before applying tepox ?

[Stone Dude]

it depends on the stone. the stones that have a high surface tension when polished will not really accept any liquid, icluding a sealer. this is why i recommend coloring in the honing stage. i would say usually after the 400 grit, that way the pores are opened up enough, but the following grits arent aggressive enough to grind away anything you just did. you can do it at 400, then 800. the critical thing is to make sure the stone is dry before staining, and that the stain is 100% cured or dry before moving on to the next stage.

[tims]

Thanks, I just bought a can from Marks store on Ebay. Regular ager isn't working as soon as I get the TENAX TEPOX I'll try it, hope it works I allready had to reschedule
install.
Thanks again !

[Mark D.]

If you already used Ager you will have to get the resin out of the stone for the dye to take...look up a few posts before this one.
Let me know if I can help.

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[tims]

Mark, I did catch that, we did age some pieces but not the whole job so I'll be using both of your advice on this job.
I thank both of you for your quick replies and professional advice
(even on sunday)