Allow me to respectfully disagree with lwo. Estone can be top polished, the only system that I know of is Steve's Polishing Pro System. I could link to other stone restorer's websites with pictures to prove, but I don't want to run into advertising problems here.

I understand the difference between the honed and polished slabs. I guess my question is.... If I have the honed version, how was the edge polished to a brighter sheen than honed and why can't I do the same for the top?

Grabbit:

You can match the honed and polished version on the top, but you're going to have to invest in Steve's Polishing Pro System and practice. It's not considered a DIY project generally.

I agree with Trebruchet -but working with estone can be unpredictable. Lighter colors are easier than darker colors.
I don't consider this to be a diy project as this can be easily turned into an epic adventure.
Testing is needed and it would be in your best interest to hire someone who has a lot of experience with honing and polishing estone.

Basic Fabrication Guidelines:

The following guidelines should be followed to ensure a high quality product:

Do not change the original surface finish of the slabs by re-polishing, honing, sealing, or otherwise altering the factory finish.

That's is taken from official CaesarStone "Fabrication and Installation Manual".

Just to vent here...I have honed Caesarstone countertops in my kitchen and while they function well, the whole issue with keeping them looking nice (honed starts off with a very nice, dull sheen) has been HUGELY disappointing. We've had them since 2008, and noticed water marks and other dull spots after less than a year. I only ever cleaned them with water and mild detergent. Then our babysitter used cleaner with bleach and it left dull splotches where the bleach affected the surface finish. I assumed I could buff the shine back, and looked online to find a solution. That's when I learned that bleach RUINS the special sheen of honed quartz counters. This design flaw was not communicated to me when we selected the Caesarstone for our countertops. I even still have an email from the kitchen installer (dated 2008) that specifically says to use Soft Scrub with Gel + BLEACH+ 3M pad! How could she be so misinformed??? The only thing it seems I can do to restore a uniform look is to buff out the entire counter so it has a completely dull, matte finish. I haven't been able to bring myself to do this yet, but I can't see any other solution. I would love to see the Caesarstone web site own up to this problem and offer ACTUAL SOLUTIONS for those of us who already are dealing with honed surface finishes that are damaged.

That's not a design flaw, it's a mistake your installer and babysitter made.

Soft Scrub Liquid Gel with Bleach is recommended by Caesarstone specifically for cleaning. I don't believe they would recommend anything that would damage their product.

I didn't mention that I have used it, and it worked great!

Joseph, it's me again, - after rounding the edges to a larger round, is it possible to get the sheen back. This bathroom counter-top completion will never end. Where are you located I need a good fabricator. HELP!!

Polishing an edge is completely different than matching a factory finish.

The fabricator came out and added a nice rounded I'm guessing radius (3) and a straight radius on the edge. It feels smooth, but the rounded area doesn't has the sheen. Is that as good as it gets? It looks nice.

I was worried about that.

Have them replace the countertop. It's their fault for using a dull blade to cut the sink hole. We're not talking a lot of money for a vanity top.

I am not sure this fabricator would replace it, he has been livid about all the extra work. It looks great on the top, but, where he rounded it there is no sheen. I saw his using what looked like sandpaper. I do not want to work with this fabricator anymore.

Joseph, do you know if there is a way to get the sheen back on the rounded area and will it damage and stain more easily in the rounded dull area? I am calling another fabricator tomorrow. I called the large company that sells the slabs and recommended him and all they can say is to work with the fabricator.

Rosalie Carter:

These pads will work dry despite the manufacturer's instructions, you just can't get the top too hot. Maybe a little mist from a squirt bottle. After the 4th pad, there will be sheen, believe me.

Joseph, it looks a little dull on the rounded area. I will see if another fabricator can shine it up as the current fabricator has said he is done coming out (that is as shiny as he can get it, (as if this is my fault). My main question is, if there is not a sheen on the rounding edge can that cause more damage to the rounded inside edge, such as scratching, chipping or color leaking in from (anything with color)? In other words does that sheen protect the quartz?

No, it's just an appearance issue.

Okay, that helps take the stress off, if I can't get him to come back soon. I have company coming for Christmas and do not want to baby sit delicate quarts. If the matt finish doesn't make a difference I'll let them us that bathroom. This has really turned into a nightmare.

I have just had my kitchen refurbished and had caesarstone tops and I am now going through the problem of getting someone from C/S to sort out the top everything I have read tells me that this product is not suitable for a kitchen I know now that it can not be polished and the best I can do is seal it. C/S tell me they have a new sealer and it should be in capetown next week it"s been coming for a month.

On a brighter note I have found a Silicone stone polish that is made in Germany that I am told will do the job I am going to try this out and I will post the results

willrobert7585:

Ceasarstone can be top polished. It is very difficult to match the factory, but it can be done. Regent Stone Products sells Quartz Renew. This isn't a DIY product.

Try some Tenax Quartz Toner, please. Much better than polish.

A sales rep came to the shop a couple months ago with a bunch of new products to show me. He had tenax quartz toner in his bag of goodies. I politely told him I would never use an ager on a quartz it was pointless because it just sits on the surface and will eventually wipe away revealing what ever it was you were trying to hide in the first place. "No no this is different from normal agers its designed for quartz it chemically reacts with the particles in the resin and essentially bonds its self to the surface". So I grabbed a sink cut out and said have a go bud. He was thrilled when it enhanced the half he applied it to (as all other agers do). I grabbed a rag and acetone and stripped off the greasy mess and brought the quartz back to its original finish just as any ager does on quartz. I told him you can put make up on a pig but its still a pig he didn't laugh and told me it has to sit for a couple hours. We reapplied it and i left it on over night the next morning i took it off with acetone just like i did the first time. Ager and sealers do not belong on quartz its just going to sit on the surface and end up in what ever food comes in contact with your counter top defeating the purpose of buying quartz over granite in the first place.

granite guru:

Of course you've got to get a fundamentally good polish on quartz to begin with; people generally don't clean their tops with acetone.

" people generally don't clean their tops with acetone."
Yes but the the point is the ager just sits on the surface coming in contact with your food. Take a ogee edge on a ubatuba granit for example put your ager on it to darken it up to match the top (which is the real purpose of agers). Let it soak in 5 min then run acetone over it it's not coming out because it penetrates deep into the stone. Quartz is not penetrable by liquids that's why you don't have to seal quartz. If a repair on the surface of a quartz needs ager to hide the blending of the repair the repair wasn't done right.

granite guru:

There's a world of difference between a wet repair in a shop and a dry repair in a customer's living room or kitchen. There is a time and a place for the use of all products. Context is everything.

"Quartz is not penetrable by liquids that's why you don't have to seal quartz."

I've got some quartz stains to show you. So much for "impenetrable" quartz. You want impenetrable? Rub some Quartz Toner on a piece of Corian; it will rub right off with your hand. Do the same on quartz and it's not all coming off because some has soaked in.

I have grey Corian in the kitchen 15 years old. I've let koolaid, wine, soy sauce and everything else sit on it. Everything comes out and it shines right up if scratched. I am keeping it. I was sold on the quartz for my bathroom and now I feel it's a worry about any colored products. I like to live and not worry about being careful with everything.

The original post shows what happens when you run pads on quartz dry. He said he used a 3000, With out water its not just burning the quart its wearing the pad its self into the burn. Wet/dry pads are only for dry use on edges of granit and not the top. If you have to work a top on granit you should use water and always water top or edge on quartz. When I fix on site I surround my area with towels (like a wall) to contain my water and use a variable speed grinder as not to spin water every where(common sense). I keep enough to never let the pad run dry and more water on the last 2 pads. Never will I finish a quartz off with ager or other enhancing products the result is temporary, granite with a resin top maybe but not quartz. When it comes to blending I use ten oxide the methods vary from repair to repair but the outcome is always near perfection and permanent. If you are doing your repair dry for sure you will need some sort of ager to bring out the color in your repair.

I've got some quartz stains to show you. So much for "impenetrable"

Show me pictures i doubt they are stains and rather stubborn marks. I have a large list of products that i use for all sorts of what people have called stains. If its not a chemical burn, sun burn, heat damage or defect within the quartz itself i will remove it. All these products you see at surface shows are not always what they are hyped up to be. When you produce on average 5000 square feet of counter tops a week these sales reps at those shows come to you. I get all sorts of products to test for free very rare they pan out to be what was promised. I admire your passion joseph and would be more than happy to share some of my trade secrets in private if ever you are stumped. Almost 1/2 of what we produce is sold to and installed by other companies some are fabricators themselves and have been in the business for years they still call me for advice. I have even had some send key employees to shadow me in the shop for a couple days. What would take them years in the field to experience i show them in 2 days as a mater of fact one of them called me the granit guru and i thought id apply that name here on houzz :)

Quartz stains? Here you go.

In the repair business, it's all about cost effectiveness. We don't have the luxury of wet abrasion.

That's not a stain it looks like a burn. We were talking about stains that penetrate quartz to validate the use of ager on quartz and penetrating it (it wont). The step pads u used I think are double the price of the wet /dry pads. I will send you some links of pads privately when i get chance to dig around if you want? The repair on stone dosent change weather its a fix in shop or on site the way you manage your mess does.

Please do. I've gotten excellent results with these.

QSCCRE:

Thanks for the link, but I couldn't find the pads or method by which one would "polish Caesarstone countertops" which is the subject of this thread, not cleaning and maintenance.

QSCCRE:

For the third time:

"If so how did you do it (polish quartz) and what did you use?"

“Why we are the only ones in the world able to do so” Your head is so far up your master stonemason arses that you actually believe the crap you say. Your only purpose one this forum is to solicit people with your product. These people are asking for help and you shove your product down their throats wether it’s relevant to their dilemma or not. Try helping some one on this forum with out plugging your product.

QSCCRE, the nah nah nah, we know more than you, but can’t even discuss how or why, is getting tiresome. Your attempts to SPAM the forum were rejected, and your other contributions are dwindling in perceived value the longer you keep this up. You aren’t selling any product, or actually disseminating knowledge, so why exactly do you continue to post these fly off the handle mini rants? You are cordially disinvited to participate in any more threads.

QSCCRE:

That may be your best spam yet. If your techniques are as good as you say, I'm interested in a licensing agreement. Seriously. 248-842-5693, call me, please. Or email at loosedeckcannon@gmail.com

There is no licensing agreement for our system as we have a USA based company, as for the spam... mate I would get your facts right before you make a fool of yourself.

I hear popcorn popping. Anyone want some?

QSCCRE:

Which facts have I not gotten right, please?

Joseph Corlett, LLC

1) That sealers or any other topical agents can be used on Quartz. Why? the can not penetrate the crossed linked polymers and binders in quartz. Why Quartz surfaces have a water absorption rate of 0.01% and most dense granite like African Black etc are around 0.1% which is 100 times more absorbent that Quartz. All color enhancers are sealers and there is NO SEALER on any QUARTZ products as it simply does not bond! In Fact it makes a mess of the surface and we struggle to repair it.

If any trade uses a sealer or color enhancer on quartz they are generally trying to hide something..... IT IS NOT A STONEMASON IN A TIN!

2) The repair system you are using or any other repair system is a PATCH or a BLEND to Quartz. Blending the damage out can still be seen by any manufacturers warranty claim reps and any skilled stone mason. Why? Due to the textured surface, the components or quartz, the finished gloss level (which varies depending on manufacturer and ranges) can not be replicated with any off the shelf system. In fact we can give and show newly employed stonemasons our method and the right gear to get any etch, burn or other surface damage to the polish. (which is DAMAGE to the stone) and they are unable to get the finish required..... This is because it takes specific skill and attention to detail.

3) Soft Scrub with Bleach is NOT FINE to use on Quartz.... while Caesarstone may recommend this product, in the same breathe they VOID the WARRANTY if you do use it and damage the surface..... See the below photos directly from Caesarstone USA warranty info.

Also you will notice that Soft Scrub is an CAUSTIC CORROSIVE ABRASIVE CLEANER! with a pH the same as many OVEN CLEANER!

QSCCRE:

I'd suggest you study the products you critique, please. Tenax Quartz Renew makes engineered stone look great. It's not the be-all end-all of the repair world, but it works as advertised. You will not be getting any calls or have any struggles removing it from any of my jobs, I promise. And if it's impossible to bond to quartz, why do we hear about staining issues, Mr. Stone Mason?

As to your claims, in the states we have a saying, "All hat and no cattle" which applies to you. If you have a repair system, bring it and prove it. Should you prove it to me privately, I'd keep your secrets secret, but I'd tell Houzz you aren't all hat and no cattle were it true.

Like the engineered stone industry, the repair industry is evolving. I'll do my best to keep the public appraised of the latest technologies and let readers decide if I've gotten the facts right or not. You should do the same.

Joseph Corlett, LLC Mate you really have no IDEA! Tenax QUARTZ TONER is a SEALER!!! why it will ONLY LAST UPTO 2 YEARS!!

It's pretty simple....... COLOR ENHANCERS ARE SEALER!!! the water absorption rate and the crossed lined nature of the quartz products MEANS IT DOES NOT BIND.

Try cleaning TENAX QUARTZ TONER applied surface with CIF two days after and see what happens......it embeds into the surface of the sealer as the sealer has not died or bonded.

Also the solvent is KEROSENE and I would not put that anywhere NEAR A FOOD SURFACE!

See the actual info from TENAX as we always say - READ THE LABEL!!! again it is NOT A STONEMASON in a can!

We are all hat and no cattle, mate.... I would only say.... don't throw stones if you live in a glass house. plus the fact that you are not even a stonemason makes your statements all the more, take with a grain of salt.

Lol granite guru you know your stuff as for these other two clowns move on

Just because the manufacturer says its non porus dosnt make it true

Mj Mj and you know this because... I would assume you have lab tested like we have everything is porous to a level, with quartz its usually 0.01% compared to granite 0.1% which is a 100 times greater

No i haven't lab tested but iv seen plenty of estone tops stain not just ceasarstone u say (everything is porus to a level) yet nearly every engineerd stone manufacturer claims there products are non porus

True, it is virtually non porous.

I also used soft scrub , carefully, on my Ceasarstone, and dulled the spot. Rings have appeared, everything seems to harm it, and I am very disappointed in the product. It looked good new, but now, after 2 years, it no longer impresses me.

Lynn Norris cleaning with a caustic, abrasive cleaner will do this. Ring Caesarstone and get them to come out and have a look. I would be pulling out the documents where it says what to use etc. They recommend products that void their own warranties.

https://youtu.be/-O6-p3TI6bs