Kitchen countertops get lots of use – and abuse – leading to dents, nicks, cracks, and scratches that can hold dust, food, and bacteria. The good news is your solid surface countertops likely can be repaired rather than spending lots of money to replace them.
Granite Countertops
Smaller scratches to granite can be rubbed with a grade 0000 steel wool pad. If you need something more, use a diamond sanding pad along with stone polish to keep the area wet while working. Gradually use finer and finer grit paper. Small dings or chips can be filled with epoxy colored to match this solid surface countertop.
Corian Solid Surface Countertops
Corian patches use either an adhesive or a piece of similar color – even a remnant. By using a router to cut out a grooved section surrounding the crack, a piece can be inserted, glued, and then sanded, making the repair all but disappear.
For fine, hairline cracks, chill the surface around the crack with ice for about 45 minutes. Clean the area with a toothbrush, using peroxide and rubbing alcohol, then heat with a hair dryer until the crack closes up. Fill with super glue and let dry for 24 hours. Afterward, sand with a fine-grit paper. For wider cracks, use an epoxy filler along with matching paint or shavings from the original surface.
Butcher Block Countertops
Butcher block countertops may crack over time because of improper sealing, rapid drying, or incorrect installation. To fix, sand with fine grit paper, working in the direction of the grain. Then press a mixture of the sanding dust with some wood glue, a wood fill epoxy, or wood putty into the crack. Let dry, then sand again, and refill as necessary. (The putty might shrink while drying.) Finally, reseal the entire surface. Some epoxies are flammable, so use caution.
Soapstone Counters
Soapstone scratches can be sanded much like granite and butcher block. For dings or chips, clean the surface with acetone (be sure to wear a mask), apply an adhesive made from cyanoacrylate. Gel glue is best for chips on vertical surfaces. Overfill the chip or ding with layers of adhesive, then break up matching pieces of soapstone (made from magnesite and talc) into small pieces to mix them with the epoxy, and fill the damaged area.
Laminate Surfaces
Laminate, which is a flexible surface glued to a wood form, is easily scratched and dinged with normal use. Not in the ‘solid surface countertop’ category, it’s still very commonly found in kitchens. Filler products and pastes, which come in small tubes, are made in every color to match your countertop. These products can fix laminate flooring, too.
Marble Countertops
Cultured marble, a mixture of polyester resin and marble dust, stains over time. Use denatured alcohol as a solvent, but test in a small area to ensure it doesn’t damage the gel protective topcoat. For scratches or shallow dings, a professional can resurface.
Marble’s soft surface damages easily. If you have the chipped piece, affix marble adhesive to the surface and to the bottom of the chip, then reinsert it firmly and hold in place. For dings, use a pigmented epoxy to closely match the color. Using a razor blade, work the epoxy into the area. Wipe excess away, and once dry, sand with fine grit paper. These repairs also work on marble floors and tile.
Related – Kitchen Countertops Should be Beautiful and Functional
