Quartz Countertop Minor Scratches

14 years ago

Hi,

My contractor recently installed my quartz countertop on the bathroom cabinet and there were some hairline scratches that bother the heck out of me.

I tried using some dishwasher steel wool to remove it but it only dulled the surface more and didn't really fix the scratches.

What is the best way to restore the quartz countertop? The quartz is royal white and has a beige/bone color to it. I've read up and have seen people mention the following:

1. Using finer steel wool to remove it and then buff with buffer and rubbing compound

2. Using superglue/epoxy and fill in the scratches and polish with rubbing compound

3. Using buffer and rubbing compound and buff it out without doing anything further.

Will using rubbing compound and buffer further damage the stone?

Thanks!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Featured Answer

User

14 years ago

A you should have called the fabricator back and had him deal with the issue. Now that you've damaged the counter further by attempting a DIY fix, you have no standing to ask him to fix it. You've voided that warranty.

Quartz isn't Corian and isn't at all friendly to even think about DIYing. Replacing the top at this point would probably be the best choice, as hiring a stone restoration expert would cost about as much as having a remnant fabricated.

A stone pro restoring this would remove the counter and use diamond polishing pads with a water stream in order to polish the counter. And he would have to be careful with the pads speed and keep it moving to avoid scorching the resin component. It's a slow, slow, process. Working with quartz has more in common with real granite than acrylic solid surface, but the moment you forget and treat it like granite is the moment that the acrylic component bites you.

If you are willing to live with a duller finish than you started with, you possibly could attempt to dry polish it out yourself, but you are not going to end up with anything close to a factory polish. But, at this point, since replacement is your other best choice, what have you got to lose? And the good news is that a "honed" finish is a popular choice in counters these days. You can probably take the shine down to that level as you remove the scratch and just pretend that's what you wanted from the beginning.

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Comments (18)

Gen42
13 years ago
My 10 day old quartz countertops were polished but the backsplash was installed today with a Bostik grout. Now there are many dull places over the counter like some crazy glue was left on the counter. Does anyone know what I can do about this?
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Mechy Wright
10 years ago
We had a white quart countertop installed in our kitchen and the stone had a scratch which the installer tried to repair with super glue. It had to dry for 48 hrs. and he then shaved it off but not only does the scratch still show, but a wide streak of super glue is very obvious. He sealed it and it is much worse. HELP, what can we do?
User
10 years ago
My installer dulled my Caesarstone kitchen counters by cleaning with Barkeeper's Friend, an abrasive. You can't buff out scratches in quartz (he tried) so the only recourse was to replace the countertop. You also don't seal quartz. It sounds like your installer really doesn't understand the material he's working with.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
Mechy Wright:

Show your fabricator this, please.
Mechy Wright
10 years ago
Joseph are you local and could help me? I submitted your link to my fabricator but he has not returned any of my calls, emails or texts. I payed WE International the day of install before Noticing the scratches. They are not standing by their work and I certainly would advice everyone considering installing countertops to avoid using that company.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
Mechy Wright:

I'm in Sarasota, but work the southwestern Florida coast.

I've got the latest estone repair kit from Regent which is getting raves from fabricators. No guarantees, but I'll give it a shot.
Mechy Wright
10 years ago
How much would you charge? Is hard to see but this is what it looks like
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
Mechy Wright:

Please email me from this site or at loosedeckcannon@gmail.com. Thanks.
Michael Rinkel
10 years ago
As a professional contractor I have learned of the compound cerium oxide, used for polishing surface scratches out of glass which is a harder surface than quartz, and may work for your particular issue. It can be ordered on Amazon and E-bay for as little as 15.00 with shipping and will not dull, but will polish out shallow scratches. Good Luck!
Peter Marsh
8 years ago
Rellabgib3, we had exactly the same thing happen to us. So what happened with yours? I just finished trying to rub it out with car polishing compound. It got a little of the finer ones out, and shined it up really good! But the deeper ones aren't going away. I'm researching alternatives. Seems like it should buff out, using coarse grit and then finer grits till it shines as good as new. Like a car, right? Ours looks kinda like Mechy's above. I wonder what the hell did it. You would think workers would show a little care, but it seemed to me that as one finished, they did a little as they could leaving the next guy to look out for himself.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
8 years ago
QSCCRE:

Please check the dates on the threads to which you respond. People learn new things over 6 years and new techniques are developed.
User
8 years ago
That backlighting in Quartz Pro's photo is a killer. Have you polished quartz under those circumstances, Joseph? I still have a faint 5 gallon can etch on my backlit peninsula that I'd like removed.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
8 years ago
Can't see the photo, sorry.
User
8 years ago
Quartz Pro, someone deleted your post. Methinks an overzealous Gardenwebber who thought it was spam. When we were GW, people were not allowed to advertise their business. That is moot now that Houzz has taken over and gives prominence to professionals with members secondary.
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It's just the transition from Gardenweb to Houzz. It's a much different culture now and we are still getting used to it.
Ingrid Goenaga Gonzalez
8 years ago
New countertop installed yesterday and I see a couple of scratches; is this normal? It’s Pompeii ;
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
8 years ago
No, scratches are unacceptable. Have them remove the scratches or the top.