How to Repair Granite Countertops Yourself

Granite countertops are a great idea if yous do non accept them yet in your kitchen or bath. They are extremely durable, practically oestrus proof, and will not stain easily even without a sealer application.

Granite countertops are a corking thought if you lot do not take them nevertheless in your kitchen or bathroom. They are extremely durable, practically heat proof, and will non stain hands even without a sealer application.

That said, granite could sustain impairment under some weather. Bereft back up at stress areas such every bit overhangs and around cutouts, sitting on the edge, or a massive accident can cause granite to chip, crack, or break.

The good news is you lot will not have to replace damaged granite countertops. Y'all tin can repair modest harm in granite yourself without much trouble. Here is how to practise that.

Make sure it is not a natural feature

fissure in granite

The thing with granite is that information technology is a natural stone. It might have certain features you could easily fault for minor impairment such as cracks or fries. Fissures look similar cracks, while pits look similar chips in the rock. Natural features of the stone such as these practice not affect the integrity of the rock itself, and does not need repairing.

A crack, for example, is actually a slight infinite between clusters of crystals that develop every bit they form, and the space tin run for quite a ways. In appearance, they expect similar a crack, although they are only on the surface. These practise not typically go all the way through the stone, so there is no danger of the rock cleaving abroad along that crack. Sometimes, a fissure could be wide plenty to be a problem, simply a reputable supplier would not even sell these stones to customers.

Pits, on the other hand, are tiny craters that course like bubbling in the stone, and may come out in slabs. Even so, these are so pocket-size that they pose little danger to the stone. In almost cases, suppliers fill in these holes with epoxy if they are noticeable enough to keep the surface even.

Natural features aside, some granite slabs do sustain physical damage, especially during shipping, fabrication, or installation. Since slabs desined for kitchen countertops are typically sparse, between ii and 3 cm thick, they can scrap, scissure, or break if not handled properly.

Knowing the deviation

It is quite easy to tell the difference betwixt a natural feature and a defect in granite. It is all in the look and feel of it. For one thing, a fissure runs around crystal clusters rather than through them. Physical cracks tend to run beyond crystal structures and veins in a more or less straight line. If you run your finger along a fissure, you should not experience whatever deviation in the level of one side and the other as you would with a crack.

Fissures and pits are as well permanent features in the rock. If you did your due diligence when inspecting your granite countertops upon installation, you should have detect these right away. If you lot did not find them then, and run into them apparently announced overnight, then you lot may have a crack.

Finally, fissures and pits occur randomly, and not only around stress areas. These are typically around cutouts and areas where there is trivial or no support.

Repairing granite countertops

broken edge of granite

Cracks in granite countertops are not automatically catastrophic, but it can become worse over time. You need to arrest its progress before it does, equally an ever widening or progressive crack can compromise the stone itself, and you lot don't want that.

Chips are not as bad, but they are non bonny, specially if they occur forth the edges of the countertops. The same is true for actual breaks. You can easily repair them if you know how.

Cracks and fries

crack in countertop

The most common method for repairing cracks and chips in granite countertops is to fill them in with epoxy, acrylic, or other kind of colorless resin or adhesive. Y'all can easily find products designed to make these kinds of repair online, and they are quite affordable.

Most of these products are sold every bit repair kits, which is convenient. One of these is the the Granite & Marble Acrylic Repair DIY Kit – Lite Cure. The product is a paste, which you can mold to the shape you lot need, and will not harden until you lot are ready. The acrylic binder just hardens when you shine visible calorie-free on information technology, which comes with the kit. The cost is well-nigh $20 for a kit that tin repair a few cracks and fries.

Another product you might want to endeavor is LiquaGlass. This costs a scrap more than than the first kit does at about $50 for 3 ounces of product, but this is plenty to repair more cracks and fries. LiquaGlass is an epoxy, so you lot have to mix two materials together to actuate information technology. The epoxy hardens to a lustrous, clear and durable surface like to glass, which is excellent for repairing larger cracks without beingness noticeable. It will not discolor over time.

The only problem with whatsoever type of epoxy is that once mixed, the compound hardens quickly, commonly less than 60 seconds. You need to prepare the surface for repair earlier mixing information technology, and mix only enough to encompass what y'all demand.

Breaks

broken granite pieces

LiquaGlass or like epoxy folder is also particularly useful when repairing granite where a piece of the stone has broken off completely. This will just work, however, when the broken slice is small and non load bearing, and the pieces are more than or less complete. Any missing pieces should be pocket-sized enough so that the epoxy tin fill up in the gaps without beingness noticeable.

For reattaching broken pieces of granite, you volition demand a few things. These include acetone, a razor blade, hairdryer, scrubbing pad, and paper towel. Yous will also need to follow the steps below:

  1. Use a dry and clean scrub pad to remove any oil and dirt from all the exposed surfaces. Utilize the paper towels doused with acetone to take intendance of any remaining contaminants, which tin interfere with a consummate bail of the pieces.
  2. While the acetone volition evaporate on its own, you should make sure it is compleltely dry by using the hairdryer on both surfaces.
  3. Take out equal amounts of the two materials of the epoxy, enough to encompass the surface of each piece with a remember and fifty-fifty layer. You need to spread the compound quickly, simply carefully on all the surfaces before putting them together. Keep the pieces in firm contact for a few minutes while the epoxy hardens.
  4. Backlog product might ooze out, and you should wipe them away using a paper towel dampened with acetone.
  5. Some excess product might remain that will not hands wipe away, simply you should not effort to remove it for at to the lowest degree 24 hours. You can then use a razor blade to cutting it away carefully.
  6. If there are any gaps, utilise some more epoxy to make full them. Expect 24 hours before attempting to scarpe abroad whatsoever excess epoxy.
  7. Utilise a granite sealer over the surface area.

Determination

Repairing granite yourself is not rocket science, and it is unlikely that you will need to do it anyway. To make sure y'all don't, have professionals supply you with and install granite countertops for your home. The staff at Granite ASAP knows everything there is to know about granite and other stones, and can help you choose the right one for your kitchen countertop.

We carry a broad range of natural stone slabs too every bit the top brands in engineered quartz in the country. Over 100 colors of granite and marble slabs are available for inspection at our Chantilly, Virginia exhibit. . You can cull what you desire and nosotros will deliver information technology ASAP!

If you adopt engineered rock, we can offer y'all products from the Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, and MSI brands, each i carrying the manufacturer's warranty.

We service the country of Virginia, including the cities of Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax, Chantilly, Herndon, Centreville, Tysons, and Washington DC.

You can check out the website and conversation with u.s. online, or requite usa a call to request a free gauge!