Do-it-yourself rules and methods for restoring artificial stone countertops
Carrying out the restoration of an artificial stone countertop is a rather complicated, but at the same time fascinating process. To succeed in this matter, it is recommended to choose the right method of repair. In this case, it is worth considering the type of material from which the table top is made. The nature of the damage does not matter. It can be big or small.
Features of materials for the manufacture of stone countertops
Stone countertops are made from acrylic or chipboard materials. Both substances have an attractive appearance, but they differ in some advantages and disadvantages. Acrylic stone contains mineral elements that are held together by acrylic resin. Agglomerate is made from crushed natural stone chips. For this, quartz, marble and granite are used.
Repair methods
In order to achieve good results when carrying out restoration work, the nature of the damage should be considered.
Light damage
To remove small scratches or stains that cannot be removed, it is worth using a sander equipped with an abrasive wheel. If there are chemical stains, burns or small scratches on the countertop, you can remove these damages yourself.
For this purpose, it is worth using a polyester compound intended for repair. Grinding scratches is recommended. To do this, use medium-grit, then fine-grit sandpaper. Then the product must be polished. To do this, it is recommended to walk on it with a soft felt, which will help restore the original appearance.
Professionals in such a situation use a sander equipped with a felt nozzle. However, when making repairs yourself, it is recommended to use a felt towel. If the surface is acrylic, be careful. In such a situation, grinding cannot be performed.
Applying glue
To restore the surface, it is worth buying a special repair kit. It should include special tools for the recovery of mastic and chips. To start, it is recommended to cut a groove in the structure of the table top. For this, it is worth using a grinder equipped with a diamond disc. It is recommended to clean and degrease the surfaces around the area to be repaired.
Do not discard the top layer of acrylic powder. It must be added to the polyester glue. It is recommended to degrease, deepen and widen the area to be treated. Then the resulting recess must be filled with special glue. It is recommended to choose it according to the color scheme. After that, the excess substance must be removed.
After applying the glue, it is recommended to observe a certain time, which is necessary for the mixture to harden. It usually takes 24 hours. Then the surface should be covered with sanding and polishing. This will help you achieve the smoothest texture possible.
What to do with large cracks
To restore a coating with large defects in the form of chips, it is recommended to use patches. They should be made of the same material as the worktop itself. To begin with, it is recommended to cut out the problem area, and then place a part of the stone covered with glue in the resulting niche. So this fragment deserves to be polished. Thanks to this, it will not stand out. It is recommended that major damage to the surface of the stone be repaired with pieces of suitable material. It is glued inside, after which the surface is sanded. Finally, it is polished.
Choosing the right material can be difficult as there are so many shades of coatings. Therefore, it is enough to choose an approximately similar tone. In addition, after polishing, the stuck fragment will not be particularly noticeable. This is due to the heterogeneity of the artificial stone.
In stores, repair kits are presented that contain crumbs of various shades, fillers and transparent 2-component glue. It should be borne in mind that this method of restoring the cover is considered difficult and requires appropriate skills.
Elimination of microcracks
Small damage in the form of microscopic cracks or abrasions will help eliminate grinding from the surface of the countertop. It must be done by a professional. Use coarse sandpaper first and remove most of the damage with a sander. Subsequently, it is recommended to complete the work with a polishing paste and a special accessory.
If the connection of the equipment is violated, there is a risk of the appearance of microcracks on the surface of the coating.
At first they are not noticeable, but after a while they increase in size and become more noticeable. This leads to a deterioration in the appearance of the stone pavement. To get rid of microcracks, you need to use a special acrylic-based glue. They should fill the crack after treatment. It is recommended to grind the surface at the final stage.
Features of chipboard countertop repair
It is quite difficult to restore such a counter. This very expensive material is characterized by high strength and is practically not prone to chips or scratches, since it consists of 90% quartz and marble. This is the main advantage of the substance. If a chip or other defect appears on the surface, it is less expensive to replace the agglomerate with an acrylic countertop. Chipping is considered the most common damage to these coatings. They can occur when heavy or sharp objects strike the end or surface of the product. To restore the coating, special materials are used.
With a small chip, which is less than 1 millimeter, it should be enlarged. Thanks to this, the adhesive composition will be able to bind to the stone after drying. Agglomerated repair adhesive is made from polyester resin. Quartz dust and dye are added to its composition. After drying, it is recommended to remove the remaining glue with a blade, then wipe the treated surface with alcohol. It should be borne in mind that after grinding and polishing, the quartz agglomerate may lose its homogeneity.
Additional Repair and Restoration Methods
There are many other methods for refinishing countertops, each with specific characteristics.
Furniture stains
Such substances help to hide small scratches. They are sold in brushed tubes and look like nail polish. It is recommended to apply the substance in one or more layers until the defect is completely eliminated.
It is recommended to remove excess substance. It is convenient to do this with a plastic card. The worktop surface should be polished with a felt towel or soft cloth.
Choosing the perfect shade can be problematic. Therefore, the texture can be drawn with an ordinary felt-tip pen, and then cover the surface with furniture varnish. It is recommended to use the substance in the form of a spray. It manages to be applied as evenly as possible and to avoid the appearance of a visible edge.
Furniture wax
The wax is soft and hard. The first variety has many colors and is easy to apply. In this case, hard wax is considered more reliable. It can be used to repair large dents or chips. The soft wax can be easily warmed up in the hands and easily applied to the problem area. It is permissible to remove excess funds with a metal spatula. It is recommended to open the surface with varnish. This method is suitable for areas that are not subject to frequent exposure. It is temporary.
hard wax
The composition is considered more stable and more expensive. It belongs to the category of professional materials and requires certain skills to be used. Usually craftsmen use a special soldering iron to apply hard wax.It is recommended to melt the substance before making repairs. To do this, you need to use a lighter. You can also use a building hair dryer.
After that, it is recommended to apply the melted substance to the scratches and wait 1 minute until it hardens. The rest of the product must be cut with a blade. Finally, it is recommended to polish the surface. This will help hide any traces of the restoration.
In which cases it is worth contacting specialists
The help of specialists may be required in such situations:
- the appearance on the worktop of stains, scratches, burns that cannot be removed by standard methods;
- the appearance of seams or the formation of cracks and blisters;
- the appearance of chips, bumps, cracks;
- the appearance of traces of long-term operation.
Additional tips and tricks
In order for the coating to serve for a long time, it must be cared for in quality. It is allowed to use different compositions for washing. The exception is for abrasive substances. It is not recommended to drop steel or glass objects on the coating, as there is a risk of scratches. In addition, strong temperature fluctuations are unacceptable. The restoration of artificial stone countertops has a number of characteristics. When choosing a specific repair method, one should take into account the composition of the coating and the type of damage.