Three Repair Options For Chipped Stone Countertops

Your stone countertops are likely a point of pride in your kitchen, so it can be disappointing to discover a chip or a crack. Fortunately, there are ways to repair the damage and return the counters to their former beauty. There are three options available, depending on the severity of the damage.

Chip Fillers

Many chips can often be filled in with a patching material so that they blend into the rest of the countertop and don't detract from the appearance. The repair technician will begin by cleaning out the chip or crack and ensuring the area is completely dry and ready to take the repair. An epoxy resin is then used to fill in the damage. In some cases, the epoxy is combined with ground stone and dyes to mimic the appearance of the countertop, although smaller chips may not require this treatment. After the epoxy cures, it is buffed smooth and level to the countertop, effectively rebuilding the surface, yet remaining virtually invisible.

Sanding and Buffing 

Shallow damage may not require a patch at all. If the chip or crack is only in the top few milometers of the stone, your repair technician may recommend buffing it out. Buffing also works well for fixing multiple small abrasions on the countertop, as well as shallow etching from acid exposure (such as from cleaning chemicals or acidic foods).They will use a stone grinder to sand out the damage, then they will use buffing pads to smooth the area so that it is completely blended in with the rest of your countertop. It's also a good idea to have the countertop sealed after a sanding and buffing repair so that stains and discoloration doesn't occur.

Patches

Large chips and cracks may not be easily repaired with fillers or sanding. Even if they can be filled, the repair may be obvious. In this case, consider the location of the damage and whether a replacement patch may solve the problem. For example, you can have the damaged portion cut out of the counter and replaced with a square of butcher block, which provides you with a built-in trivet for hot items as well as a cutting board. A clay tile in a complementary color to the counter can also be installed to provide a trivet area, since it's generally recommended not to place hot pots on a stone counter due to cracking dangers.

For more help, contact a countertop repair service in your area.

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