Although unlikely, it is possible to scratch or chip granite countertops. If you scratch your granite counter, the removal process may be challenging. Take care to make sure that you don’t harm the granite in the process of trying to remove a scratch.
A benefit of granite is its strength and durability. Granite measures 6 on Mohs scale (the Measurement of Hardness Scale), making it one of the hardest counter top materials available. Granite’s hardness follows closely to that of other harder natural minerals, namely Topaz (Hardness of 8), and Sapphire (Hardness of 9). The hardest mineral in nature is Diamond with hardness of 10. That is why raw Diamond studded blades are used by granite fabricators to cut granite slabs.
Avoiding Scratches
The extreme hardness of granite makes it a very durable surface. The only things that can scratch granite are objects that are equally hard or harder than granite. Another rough piece of granite could scratch a granite counter. A diamond ring pressed into the granite and pulled along the surface could also scratch the counter.
Concealing a Scratch
You might succeed in hiding a shallower scratch by covering it up. Use a permanent marker in a hue that matches the granite and apply the color along the scratch. Wipe the surface of the scratch lightly with denatured alcohol after allowing the permanent marker to dry to remove excess color from the granite.
Do-It-Yourself Repair Process
Repairing a scratch in granite involves
- Sanding down the surface of the granite
- Filling it in with an epoxy resin material if the scratch is deep.
- You can improve the appearance of a superficial scratch by buffing the surface over the scratch with a dry #0000 steel wool pad.
- After fixing the scratch, reapply sealant over the area to protect it from stains and additional damage.
We advise the consumers not to attempt to take off the deep scratches themselves. Professionals call this process “surface polishing,” and it takes real skill of a stone fabricator.
Damage to Avoid
In the process of removing a scratch it’s possible to grind down the surface of the granite so much that you create a noticeable slope or concave area. You might also damage the surface of the granite and remove the luster and shine.
If you damage the granite while trying to remove the scratch, the overall appearance may be worse than the initial scratch. In this situation, you will need to hire an expert to repair the damaged area.
Chipping of Granite
Although granite is a very durable material, it is possible to have chips to come off of the granite countertop corners or edges. This might happen when hard objects like ladders, steel furniture or appliances hit granite or marble countertops when they are moved around the kitchen or bath room areas.
This could be avoided altogether by being cautious while moving harder objects around the countertops. Fortunately there are great methods to repair the damage to the granite or marble countertops.
Remember to Preserve the Granite Chip
Please remember to preserve the chip that comes off of the granite, so that it can be re attached to the granite by a granite professional. Highly skilled hand fabricators can attach the chips and grind it to blend in the countertops. Only people who know about the incident may barely be able to notice the repair. That is why any larger chips need to be preserved.
If the chipping is very small and the material that came off cannot be reattached, then the skilled stone professional will make powder of the similar granite material and mix it with epoxy (glue) compound. He will then add a suitable coloring agent into the mix. The paste is then applied over the damaged area. After the material dries, it becomes as hard as the original granite. Then the stone craftsman grinds and polishes the damaged area to bring the original shine back.
That is why fixing granite chips should be left to the granite professional.
Hire a Professional
Instead of attempting to remove a scratch or fix a chip yourself, you might eliminate overall expense and damage by hiring a professional to repair the scratch. A professional with specific granite repair skills will understand how to repair the surface without making the problem worse. Hiring a professional from the beginning might reduce overall repair expenses because this expert will not need to repair inadvertent damage you created in your repair effort.
Please feel free to call the stone professionals at Arch City Granite in St.Louis area.