Can A Crack In Granite Be Repaired

How to Repair Granite Countertops Yourself

Granite countertops are a great idea if you practice non accept them nevertheless in your kitchen or bathroom. They are extremely durable, practically estrus proof, and will not stain hands even without a sealer application.

Granite countertops are a groovy thought if you lot do not have them yet in your kitchen or bathroom. They are extremely durable, practically heat proof, and will not stain easily even without a sealer application.

That said, granite could sustain damage under some conditions. Insufficient support at stress areas such as overhangs and around cutouts, sitting on the border, or a massive accident tin crusade granite to chip, crack, or break.

The good news is you will not have to replace damaged granite countertops. You can repair minor damage in granite yourself without much problem. Here is how to do that.

Brand sure it is not a natural characteristic

The affair with granite is that information technology is a natural stone. It might have sure features you lot could easily mistake for minor harm such every bit cracks or fries. Fissures look like cracks, while pits look similar chips in the stone. Natural features of the stone such as these do not touch on the integrity of the stone itself, and does non need repairing.

A fissure, for instance, is actually a slight space between clusters of crystals that develop every bit they form, and the space can run for quite a ways. In advent, they look similar a fissure, although they are merely on the surface. These do not typically become all the manner through the stone, and so there is no danger of the stone cleaving away along that fissure. Sometimes, a fissure could be wide plenty to be a problem, merely a reputable supplier would not fifty-fifty sell these stones to customers.

Pits, on the other hand, are tiny craters that course like bubbles in the stone, and may come out in slabs. Yet, these are so small that they pose little danger to the stone. In well-nigh cases, suppliers make full in these holes with epoxy if they are noticeable plenty to keep the surface fifty-fifty.

Natural features aside, some granite slabs do sustain physical damage, specially during shipping, fabrication, or installation. Since slabs desined for kitchen countertops are typically thin, between two and 3 cm thick, they tin can chip, cleft, or break if non handled properly.

Knowing the divergence

It is quite easy to tell the difference betwixt a natural feature and a defect in granite. Information technology is all in the wait and feel of it. For 1 thing, a fissure runs around crystal clusters rather than through them. Physical cracks tend to run across crystal structures and veins in a more or less direct line. If you run your finger along a crevice, you should not feel any departure in the level of i side and the other equally you would with a fissure.

Fissures and pits are also permanent features in the stone. If yous did your due diligence when inspecting your granite countertops upon installation, you should take notice these right away. If you did non detect them then, and see them manifestly appear overnight, then you may accept a crevice.

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

Repairing granite countertops

Cracks in granite countertops are not automatically catastrophic, but it can get worse over time. Yous demand to abort its progress earlier information technology does, as an always widening or progressive crack can compromise the rock itself, and y'all don't want that.

Fries are not as bad, just they are not attractive, especially if they occur along the edges of the countertops. The same is truthful for actual breaks. Yous can easily repair them if you know how.

Cracks and fries

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. You tin can easily observe products designed to make these kinds of repair online, and they are quite affordable.

Most of these products are sold as repair kits, which is convenient. One of these is the the Granite & Marble Acrylic Repair DIY Kit – Light Cure. The production is a paste, which you can mold to the shape y'all demand, and will non harden until you are ready. The acrylic binder only hardens when you lot shine visible light on information technology, which comes with the kit. The cost is well-nigh $20 for a kit that can repair a few cracks and fries.

Another product you might desire to try is LiquaGlass. This costs a fleck more than the first kit does at nigh $50 for 3 ounces of production, but this is enough to repair more than cracks and chips. LiquaGlass is an epoxy, so you lot accept to mix two materials together to actuate information technology. The epoxy hardens to a lustrous, clear and durable surface similar to drinking glass, which is excellent for repairing larger cracks without being noticeable. It volition not discolor over fourth dimension.

The simply trouble with any type of epoxy is that once mixed, the compound hardens speedily, normally less than lx seconds. You lot need to set up the surface for repair before mixing it, and mix only enough to embrace what you need.

Breaks

LiquaGlass or similar epoxy folder is as well specially useful when repairing granite where a piece of the stone has broken off completely. This will only work, still, when the cleaved slice is small-scale and not load bearing, and the pieces are more or less complete. Any missing pieces should exist small enough so that the epoxy can fill in the gaps without beingness noticeable.

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

Employ a dry and clean scrub pad to remove whatsoever oil and clay from all the exposed surfaces. Use the paper towels doused with acetone to take intendance of whatsoever remaining contaminants, which can interfere with a complete bond of the pieces.
While the acetone volition evaporate on its own, you should make sure it is compleltely dry past using the hairdryer on both surfaces.
Take out equal amounts of the two materials of the epoxy, enough to cover the surface of each piece with a call back and even layer. You demand to spread the compound quickly, but carefully on all the surfaces earlier putting them together. Keep the pieces in house contact for a few minutes while the epoxy hardens.
Backlog product might ooze out, and you should wipe them away using a paper towel dampened with acetone.
Some excess product might remain that volition non easily wipe away, but you should not attempt to remove it for at least 24 hours. You can then utilize a razor blade to cutting it away carefully.
If there are whatever gaps, use some more epoxy to make full them. Expect 24 hours before attempting to scarpe away any excess epoxy.
Apply a granite sealer over the expanse.

Decision

Repairing granite yourself is non rocket science, and it is unlikely that you will need to practise it anyway. To make sure yous 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 tin help you cull the correct i for your kitchen countertop.

We carry a wide range of natural rock slabs too as the summit brands in engineered quartz in the country. Over 100 colors of granite and marble slabs are available for inspection at our Chantilly, Virginia showroom. . You can cull what you lot want and we volition evangelize information technology ASAP!

If you prefer engineered stone, we can offering you products from the Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, and MSI brands, each one carrying the manufacturer's warranty.

We service the state 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 chat with us online, or requite u.s.a. a call to request a gratis estimate!