You can try acetone, but not before you turn off all pilot lights, open all windows, and have a fire extinguisher handy.

Okay no acetone. Good advice from a Pro. Probably no mineral spirits either then. I am not a pro so good to know.

Darkening isn't the only issue. I don' t see how that product would ever work on a stone floor if the swirls and application movement is going to show. Because it was the second coat maybe there's hope it can be stripped.

You can grind and polish.

Ok the acetone sounds scary. That’s why I love this forum—people helping other people. G&S Floor Service I was wondering if something like that would work. I’m worried the discoloration has gone pretty deep though. In addition to the discoloring sealant he applied it very thickly in places. Overall the application was very uneven. Some parts stayed sticky where there was too much sealant.

No idea here. ........I do tend to question why it was selected, when there was hardwood easily repeated in the adjacent space,.

Especially with quartz counter.

At any rate, hope they get it out....: )

You might be able to remove the sealer using a specialized sealer remover or a high-strength cleaner if you scrub the surface with a pad or brush.

Acetone will probably work just fine. But this is for the pro to figure out. If it does work, you will need a drying out phase of a couple of days. And then a standard penetrating, NOT film forming, sealer can be applied.

BTW, while sealer may prevent some stains, it will not prevent all. There is zero sealer that is going to prevent a soft stone like limestone from chipping, scratching, or etching. Limestone is the geological precursor to marble, before marble spent a lot of time in the earth becoming denser and harder. You have to accept that you will get a LOT of wear patina with this floor, or there's no point in the installer even trying to remove the enhancer.

Jan Moyer I totally under your question. I was talked into the limestone by my kitchen designer. (She entered rehab a couple of weeks after the demolition and hadn’t been available. To be fair I’ve seen her work and even visited a home she did). The original kitchen had vinyl where this floor was and I liked the look. After I started managing the whole thing myself I realized that the limestone was going to be difficult. But also to be fair I really lik(ed) it. It feels silky underfoot. Of course the floors went in first so I didn’t think to question it and by the time I realized it they were in. Same for the countertop. She encouraged me even though I was originally considering marble and quartzite. But I can’t blame her and I really like the way the quartz looks. I was mentally prepared for the “patina” on the floor that was inevitable. But not this. I hope you don’t hate the kitchen as I respect your opinion. The character grade walnut is all me though. That’s what I wanted and I love it.

Norwood Architects thank you for your suggestion. I’m sure I am about to be involved in discussions about a fix for this and the more suggestions I get the better questions I can ask.

Minardi thank you for your response. You can see from my response above to Jan Moyer I didnt really understand what I was getting into at first with these floors. Once I did I was OK with the idea that there was going to be a lot of “patina” to deal with and I mentally prepared myself. I found out when there was a problem with a few of the tiles showing an orange color when being installed. We resolved that but I learned a lot about it then. I can deal with it going forward as long as I can get them back to the original look. Then all the stains or chips will be due to me. ;-)

If limestone is anything like travertine, you could just have it honed and polished.

drsaj. We are contacting the distributor to see if that’s a possibility. Thank you for the suggestion.

Man I’d be sick either as the homeowner or the contractor. Yikes.

Hallett & Co yes we are both sick. I was literally one walnut outlet, the bottom strip of the fridge panel and venting the hood to the outside from being finished. All of that is happening Monday. I’m having a work table made for the center but it won’t be ready soon. So I was essentially done. And I was thrilled with everything and everyone involved.

: )

I guess I'd be a bit off the wall with disappointment, and delay is never fun, either.. Feel free to ignore me regarding selections, I'm just a strong believer in contiguous flooring whenever possible and hardwood is so much kinder to a back, despite any silky feel of tile.

God forbid it has to come out, and you're still wanting tile? Stay out of the needs a seal lane, and maybe just a warm /pale soft gray in a porcelain or a tone of pale beige in the back splash and quartz top.

Wish you luck..: ).

Jan Moyer this is the banquette area looking into the kitchen area. And the dining area that is on the other side of the cooktop peninsula

Update. Apparently the brand of color darkening sealant has a product that is also supposed to remove the sealant. It isn’t widely available so it’s going to take a minute to get it so I won’t know for a while. The tile guy is also meeting with a guy who specializes in and sells stone to see if there is some fix like sanding and resealing. He has agreed that he will tear out and replace if nothing works.

If it comes to a tear out? NO tile!!

Repeat the floor you already have!

No need to "cut" the house in half!

Jan, do you think the Hickory floor will be too busy with the walnut which also has a lot of movement?

Your tile floors are beautiful and hopefully they can be saved BUT if they can’t? Absolutely match the hickory.

Oh boy! So sorry this happened, after you were almost done.

If you do have to tear it out, I would look at it as a happy mistake. Your tile was very nice, but continuing the hickory would look gorgeous! I don’t think it would be too busy.

I don't think too busy!

You could have had NO issues at all here, but? It got overly complicated ? Easier ? The wood floor, the white of ALL the cabinetry, and your backsplash would have done it to gorgeous and then the walnut wood, on your "work top.". and some walnut wood shelves.: )

The mock pic above looks great.

Love how people here can mock up pics for the visual!!! A rendering of the kitchen with the wood floor using the first picture the OP posted might be more convincing? I have been looking at the back splash compared to the floor. It looks like the same idea only rectangles vs squares. I'm not so sure about that plan.

Another match the wood vote here if the tile needs to come up.

The splash is fine. Nobody wants to put words to what happened. Nobody wants to rub salt into the wound.!!

It had too many "ideas" at concept.

Kitchen, bath, any room.......

What's the feel? What is the INTENT? then....E.D.I.T: ), and edit again.

It would have been just fine DANDY, gorgeous with all white perimeter cabinetry, a walnut island . Walnut float shelves and the hardwood floor.

The splash? Fine. There's the salt....oy.

Not to pile on....but holy cow, I love it with the wood floor continued into the kitchen.

Happy accident? Looking for silver linings? I totally get wanting it to just be done - but you may end up much happier if you grit your teeth, accept that the floor was not a good idea in the first place, tear it out and get it done right now. (I'm baffled at why a professional would suggest a white floor, which stains/etches, in a kitchen of all places (!) - but again, not being a part of all the conversations means I don't have the full story either...)

I will wait to see what to do with the floor if the current floor can’t be saved. So any thoughts about changing the floors may be moot. Of course the kitchen would look fine with wood floors, white cabinets and a wood island. There are thousands of examples of exactly that kitchen all over the internet. Obviously the goal was something different. I love the kitchen as it is/was. I am fortunate to be able to do the kitchen as it pleases me and to not worry about resale. I’m also fortunate enough to change the countertop from quartz to marble or quartzite if I decide I don’t like the quartz and real stone together (I agree with Jan that the quartz with the stone floor is discordant and it is one thing I would go back and change). I can change the backsplash if I get tired of it. The photos don’t do the kitchen justice because it is much nicer than it must seem. I’m not sold on wood floors but obviously may get to that point if this floor ends up being too much trouble. But I think it changes the look. Whether for good or bad I don’t know. Yall are really going to go crazy when my light is installed in the pantry. :-)

I think the talk of changing floors is mute if the OP expects other's to pay for it. In these cases they insist on the original being done right and get doubtful when you start switching things up.

Just want to say that I love your walnut cabinets and I’m glad you didn’t do white. Hope everything works out with the floors.

My heart breaks for you for those floors. So close, and yikes happens. I love your cabinets, they are a beautiful departure from the all white cabinets of a thousand houses. And that gracious plenty of shelves in the pantry... yes, I may perish when you post the update with the new light installed.

Arcy_gw I think you are probably correct. While I think the guy who installed the floors is willing to buy new tile if necessary I’m sure he plans to mitigate his costs by installing it himself. I doubt he would be willing to pay for a completely different floor and installation.

Just as a follow up in case anyone is interested, the flooring guy was able to get the stains out of the flooring with a sealant remover from the same manufacturer and some light sanding and buffing. I also got my pantry light installed yesterday.

Actually this is it completely installed

Oh how fun! i have an old tole chandelier that I love and was just thinking yesterday about hanging it in the pantry of our new lake build - so glad the floors worked out, enjoy your lovely new space! ✨

Very glad to hear there was a resolution to your problem.

Wow, that light is fab! Glad your floors got fixed to :) Thanks for the update!!

Beautiful pantry light! And congrats getting your floors fixed. Enjoy your beautiful kitchen!

Thank you all for your comments. My kitchen is almost done!

I LOVE THAT LIGHT!!!!! And I also liked your original limestone floor, so I'm really happy that it got saved. Can't wait to see the pictures!

The cabinets and light are gorgeous. I'm glad your floors are saved.

Final update for anyone interested. I got my work table delivered from the cabinet maker on Tuesday. So after 11 months my kitchen is essentially done. (There are a few light switches and a light for the banquette still to be done but I’m declaring it finished). I love the work table!

Thank yoiu for the update! Stunning and the table makes a great focal point.

Your kitchen is flat out gorgeous. I cannot get over those walnut cabinets! Stunning is an understatement. Love! 😍

The work table in the lighter stain and more subtle wood grain compliments the walnut perfectly without competing. Your kitchen is definitely going on my all time favorite Houzz/Gardenweb kitchens list.

I am so glad the tile flooring was able to be fixed because now that the work table is in there, I think a wood floor might have been too much wood.

Enjoy!

Very nice--enjoy your beautiful new kitchen!

I call it all is well that ENDS VERY WELL!

Enjoy it!!!

Love the work table against the tile floor - beautiful! enjoy ✨

Unique in a good way, classic, and up to date all at once, just beautiful!

Thank you all for the kind comments.