Any thoughts or advice?

Hi rdw829 - I did a quick search and came up with some other threads which may be helpful to you. From a quick skim, it looks like you may need to seal multiple times. Best Regards, oldbat2be

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0522321329550.html

http://marblecleaning.org/phpkb/article.php?id=934

Here is a link that might be useful: Post with multiple threads about granite types

Sorry that 'marblecleaning' link looks like a marketing one but the paragraph about finding out whether you needed to seal your stone looked promising:

Spill some water in a couple of spots of your stone, let it dwell for 5 minutes or so, wipe it dry and observe if the areas under which the water has been sitting have become (temporarily) any darker than the rest. If so, then you will apply a good-quality impregnating sealer. If not, you won't.

I had the exact same problem when my granite was installed. It felt so gritty on the surface. I ran my hand over it and was expecting to feel all smooth and wonderful and it was awful, full of grit. I also noticed that water did not bead up.

Here is what I did after researching what to do. I got some steel wool and went around the whole kitchen with it polishing in a circular motion. Then I wiped the counters again using a cleaner/sealer countertop product. I always use this now. It helped tremendously but I still had what seemed like little pepper like things on the surface. I was told that lighter stones will shed a bit. Wrong answer. I had no idea about that. After being freaked out for about 2 or 3 months I'm fine with it now. The more you use it the less it will feel like that. It will eventually be smooth but the granite I have is very soft and full of all sorts of mica, quartz and other minerals that I'm told is my problem. I've been disappointed in the surface of it as I expected it to be completely smooth like the granite is in my master bath and laundry room but they are both dark colors.

Try the steel wool, it won't hurt it at all since it's soft and it helps remove the granite dust from fabrication. Do it before they come to reseal.

What granite do you have gr8day? Is it Giallo Ornamental too? I just picked that granite!

My GO initially did the same thing with the water. Almost looked like water spots darkening the garnite. It stopped doing it after about 6 weeks. I don't know if it was a sealing issue or a settling period. But it did stop with no residual after effects.

When the DW was on the counter above it would darken, almost like the steam was coming straight through. That doesn't happen anymore either.

I wondered if perhaps the sealant had to harden first. The gritiness feeling is long gone. I have had my GO for 2 years and I still love it. It is just very cool looking.

No, it's not GO wish it was!!! It's called Ivory Silk. I'm certain that GO is a harder stone. This stuff I have is so pitted. They even came and took the island off, took it back to their shop and repolished it, made no difference. I just have to learn to live with it. I searched for months for a granite that I loved and I have never seen this anywhere else. It almost looks like marble but oh well. It's pretty if you don't work over it and weren't the one who paid for it, lol. I think your stone will be just fine!! It's very popular(GO) and I've never heard anyone complain about it. The GO white is especially beautiful. Good luck all!

When I was having my problem I googled gritty granite and got lots of info. I had a thread about it on GW too. It's much better now. It's been in since March of this year if memory serves.

Any thoughts or advice?

My giallo ornamentale is 2yrs old and still shows a watermark if something wet is left on it for a while. However, the wet mark fades within about 30 mins and it still looks normal afterwards, so I don't worry. This is only for water spills - other spills are wiped up right away. As for grittiness, I've found that Weiman granite polish (spray bottle put on with paper towel) takes away all grittiness and gives a nice shine.

I had Giallo Ornamental installed too this week. Here is the color. I thought it was construction dust on it but it's not wiping off. Now as the light hits it just right I can see all kinds of cracks and roughness, like it was not polished correctly. Why wasn't I told this would be the case with this type of granite? I'm really upset over this. Can it be corrected? It looks like food particles and stains will get in the cracks and I'll be constantly trying to clean it out. I'm so upset right now. You can imagine by the size of it, how much $ I put into it. To make matters worse, when I called the company about it, they said "well, you signed off on the job as being done to your satisfaction". Grrrrrrr!

I have GO White in a bathroom, installed four years ago. It has a lot of minerals and crystals so I don't think it can polish to a smooth, glassy surface. I don't have a grit problem. It does absorb water but it dries--not a bother in a bathroom where I see it only a few times a day. I know granite quarries have stopped mining some of the white granites so they're getting hard to find. I was just happy to have found a white in a remnant, so I overlook the few natural characteristics that some may view as imperfections.