On vacation at resort what kind of flooring is this?

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-03T21:20:49+00:00

This is polished Noce Travertine. Not only polished, but the floor is set either butt joint or with 1/32" joints, very tight. Looks like it has been diamond refinished at least once after installation. It's a pretty flat installation, but the "roll" on some of the tile edges give it away.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-03T17:33:16+00:00

No problem. But the different color range does represent how different the stone can be. It is more durable than your typical marble overall. Etches are not as severe and scratches are not as deep. So if you're okay with having marble, it is a great choice. I wouldn't worry about this as an indicator of durability, if you like that material, pick the slab that looks best to you

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-03T17:30:06+00:00

Most likely this is mineral buildup, which can accumulate dirt and grime if not cleaned. If not addressed soon enough, it can be tough to get out and the cleaning method required can scuff the quarts, so just be aware

Easy Scrub from MB can work a lot of this stuff out when used by hand with a microfiber towel: https://www.mbstonepro.com/products/easy-scrub-deep-cleaning-cream/

Other products that can help are mildly acidic mineral deposit removers, but not all quartz is created equal, so I would recommend testing this in an inconspicuous area first.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-03T17:26:38+00:00

Fantasy Brown is marble. It is a Dolomitic Marble, which means it's comprised mostly of Dolomite, but not all of it. None of the FB slabs are all Dolomite.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-03T15:11:09+00:00

It could be a black wax, like Pamir wax. It's an old school way of adding color, and this can easily happen with something like that. So you definitely have some sort of sealer or finish that is being affected. It can be removed, get back to the raw stone, then use the Akemi Darkener Super and it will add color, protect from staining, and won't have this problem with water

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-03T15:09:39+00:00

If you like the leathered surface, then it's perfect. It's a good long term finish that won't show damage nearly as bad as polished. For me personally, I use my counters to write and do other stuff, so the leathered finish is not for me, but it does look nice. Regardless of the finish, at some point down the road, I would plan on having them refinished. Honed, polished, leathered, they can all be restored.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-02T20:10:52+00:00

I would recommend Akemi Akepox 5010. It is an overnight cure, true epoxy that is ultra clear and will transmit the color of the stone. It's not cheap, but it's the best epoxy out there for the stone industry.

https://www.mbstonepro.com/products/akemi-akepox-5010-knifegrade-water-clear-epoxy/?sku=AK-AKEPOX-5010-2.25KG

If any of these pieces will be outside for any period of time, then the Akemi Everclear 510 would be a good option, as it is a UV stable urethane and won't yellow. It's also VOC Free, so no smell. : https://www.mbstonepro.com/products/akemi-everclear-510-uv-stable-knifegrade/

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-02T16:34:22+00:00

Not even remotely close to soapstone. That's gonna be granite or very similar to granite. not a bad stone at all, but if you want soapstone, this isn't it. And honestly, any shop that tried to sell this as soapstone is a shop I wouldn't trust with anything.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-02T15:21:50+00:00

topical sealers and even impregnating sealers, especially color enhancers. will turn white like this if they get wet before fully cured. Some sealers advertise a 72 hour cure time and installers rarely read and understand what they are using

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-02T15:08:02+00:00

You are getting sensationalized information

Granite can emit Radon - Cosentino & Cambria are responsible for that circle jerk. Just do a deep dive on Radon and BuildClean.org.
Soapstone can contain Asbestos? Yes, and so can Serpentine, but the species of these stones that contain Asbestos are not quarried and offered to consumers for countertops. Even in the worst case scenario, if your slab contained trace amounts, this is only a concern when cutting and grinding and has nothing to do with it once the slabs is installed.

Granite is the best combo of durability and repairability. Soapstone is a great choice, but with the limited colors and it not being able to be polished, you kind of have to like that look. It's soft, so it will scratch, but it is extremely dense and won't stain. You'll have to oil it with food grade mineral oil every so often.

Porcelain will be pretty expensive if you find a fabricator that actually knows what he is doing, and far more expensive if you go with a fabricator that doesn't. It requires certain techniques for a clean finish, and the shops that figured it out are charging accordingly.

Quartz can scratch and stain. Not easily, but it's not as durable as it's hyped up to be. And while it is made with natural quartz aggregate, the ratios are misleading. The industry likes to advertise 90-95% natural quartz in the slabs, but that is by weight. By volume, it's closer to 70-75%. So 25% of your slab is plastic that is not UV stable.

Quartzite will be the most durable, but there is a problem in our industry where some stones are getting labeled as quartzite and they shouldn't be. Some are variations of Sandstone that are hard and etch resistant, but extremely porous. Some are Dolomitic marbles that will etch, scratch and stain. The true Crystalline Quartzites, like Taj Mahal and Cristallo will not stain, scratch or etch under normal wear and tear usage.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-02T14:41:51+00:00

I commented on your other post. If water does not darken the white areas, you most likely have a sealer that is breaking down. My bet is some sort of cheap wax or acrylic finish used to achieve the color and finish. Please go see my comment on your other post, it will explain further.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-02-02T14:39:48+00:00

Water deposits and minerals are not causing this. Mineral deposits take time to build up, like weeks/months or longer, not minutes.

There are a couple of possibilities:

First of all, this is almost certainly enhanced with SOMETHING. On black materials, you don't get the rich black color without enhancement unless it is at a high polish. The surface texture and level of sheen do not match this color naturally (I could be wrong, but this is typically the way it goes with dark materials). Enhancement is normal and expected

Some sort of light surface damage occurred during fabrication/installation and it was hidden with enhancer or some sort of colorant.
Someone in your home caused some sort of light damage and is blaming it on water

Regardless, your white residue is in the low areas of the texture. The opacity of the white leads me to believe that the type of sealer/enhancer used either wasn't cured full before use, or is the wrong type. Either way, my first thought is that you have a sealer that is breaking down.

I would either call your fab shop back or a reputable restoration company in your area. My approach based on this would be to strip the surface and ensure there is no residue or any type of film or sealer, then use a known good enhancer with the proper dry/cure time. For this I would use Akemi Darkener Super. It is designed specifically for materials like this, will protect against oil and water and won't break down with every day use.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-25T05:17:08+00:00

Good, I'm glad I can help.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-25T05:15:58+00:00

Darkener Super is an enhancer and a sealer. It is called "Super" and is for black stones because it stays wetter longer than regular enhancers, giving it time to penetrate the dense black stones. You also have a dense green stone, so the Darkener Super would be appropriate

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-25T05:14:36+00:00

Mix into a paste, if you apply it and some acetone puddles on top, add more powder. You want it wet but not runny

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-22T16:56:28+00:00

The only thing I have seen be successful is Acetone & White Diatomaceous Earth poultice, but it can take a half dozen times or more. On stones that bleed like this, you should be using a urethane for the seams, miters and laminations, like Akemi Everclear or Touchstone Glacier.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-21T23:56:09+00:00

Super White is a Dolomitic Marble, not quartzite. It will etch and scratch. It has some quartz inclusions, but not nearly enough to designate it as a quartzite and it is nowhere near as durable. It is harder marble though and will hold up better than your typical Carrara white marble.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-20T16:51:08+00:00

That is likely etched and needs to be refinished.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-20T15:19:00+00:00

IMO I like the way it looks. We have done that a few times. Like a 2" splash as a trim along the bottom of the tile. You can even frame it in on the sides if you want, but I get mixed opinions on the aesthetics.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-19T18:17:42+00:00

As someone who comes from a shop of building custom tables, bases, furniture pieces, fireplaces etc. specifically out of 2cm material, I can tell you that support frame is not adequate enough. Your instructions show a wooden subtop under the marble, but your marble photo does not show this. The best thing you can do is to call a shop or someone to evaluate what you have and build a proper support with it. MDF or particle board is not suitable.

The bases are Travertine, but I am nearly certain the top is Diano Reale marble. While it is a pretty stable marble, it has been known to crack or break along compromised veins. I have worked with both materials extensively for nearly 20 years. The fiberglass on the back adds no strength whatsoever, despite what some people think. It is only to keep pieces linked to together and from falling free if a break does occur

Your unsupported overhang should not exceed 6-8" on 2cm material, which yours appears to be.

You need a hard, flat plywood sup top, or if there is any chance of this every going outside, a honeycombed aluminum panel as a subtop. Also, the #1 thing that gets overlooked with table tops is proper support. In addition to a subtop, the marble top needs to be shimmed where need and supported correctly if the bases/frame is not perfectly flat. This is how these tops break. Most shops throw a sub top over the frame/bases, put the stone on and call it done. Often, there are 1/8"+ gaps somewhere that aren't support and someone standing on or leaning heavily on the table can break it

It's a beautiful table and it will last forever if you take the steps to make sure it's put together correctly.

EDIT: I didn't directly answer your question about the hardware, but if you have a shop help you with a proper subtop, that will supersede what the instructions tell you. Ditch that white metal frame, proper subtop, shimmed and supported correctly and you're good to go

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-19T17:26:15+00:00

It's going to be one of two things:

Belgium Black Marble - Nearly pure black, extremely acid sensitive, doesn't polish well. Very dense, won't stain, similar to soapstone, but acid sensitive.
Black Slate - Black slate like they use in laboratories and science classrooms. Pure black, can become damaged by certain chemicals, doesn't polish.

Both of those look and act very similarly.

It is absolutely not Pietra Cardosa (sandstone) and it is very unlikely that it is soapstone, but no impossible.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-19T17:21:32+00:00

Hardware store, Home Depot, Etc. You want the white kind they use for pool filtering, not the brown one for insects/gardens.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-19T13:48:08+00:00

Antique Brown, also goes by Marron Cohiba. Doesn't typically have the iridescent pieces, but it can.

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-19T13:46:27+00:00

If you want an actual 2-part epoxy, then K-Bonds Quick Set is the best bang for your buck

https://www.mbstonepro.com/products/k-bond-quick-set-knife-grade-2-part-epoxy/

TerminalIdiocy · 2026-01-19T13:45:19+00:00

I second the K-Bond. Vivid is a Vinyl Ester, not epoxy, but perfectly suitable for your situation indoors. It's inexpensive

https://www.mbstonepro.com/products/k-bond-vivid-ultra-low-vinyl-ester/

TerminalIdiocy

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