Granite Countertop Polishing Jacksonville, FL
About Granite
Granite is installed in kitchen counter tops because it is beautiful as well as durable. Marble counters are typically found in bathroom vanities. The granite countertop polishing we do at Fabric and Tile Masters is generally for customers referred by stone fabricators, distributors and retail showrooms.
Granite is a harder stone than marble and not subject, as a general rule, to low pH etching like the calcite based stone. Etch marks typically found in marble are caused by acids that are mild, like lemon juice or vinegar. The only acid we know that is strong enough to etch granite is the same one used in glass etching. Gaps in the counters can allow water to settle below the surface. This water can dry up through the stone carrying salts in the stone to the surface, making the once glossy finish look completely different around the sink.
The deeper the color, the more the granite will reveal any imperfections. Black granite is especially difficult because ever imperfection is magnified.
Does your stone need attention
Oil based staining cannot as a rule be removed from granite, because it penetrates too deeply. Oil is the largest problem for granite. Even if the stone is sealed properly oil will, in time, penetrate the surface. This can happen on the back splash of the counter if food is fried frequently.
The other reason granite countertop polishing would be necessary is if there is a scratch that needs to be removed. Some homeowners use the counter as a cutting board and over time the knife marks will need to be removed.
Other reasons granite needs refinishing. If the counter has been in service a relatively short time and the finish has become dull, the way the homeowner cleans the counter needs to be addressed. If the counter is cleaned on a regular basis with a dish washing liquid, the build up can be cloudy and will require using a stone rated soap film remover.
Granite polishing with abrasives
These scratches can be removed, and the area where the granite countertop polishing is done blended with the rest of the counter. Most often this results in a beautiful matched finish. To remove the scratches, abrasive disks will need to be used. The grit level will need to be low enough to remove the scratch and then proceed to a higher grit level to match the factory finish, and blend the repair. The final step is to use a polishing compound on the entire counter so it looks uniform.
Removing the damage to granite listed above will be achieved through these abrasives. The video below shows a sample piece of granite taken through a typical grit progression with a scratch pattern that is initially so deep the stone is unrecognizable to a factory polish finish. The reason I am showing a dark granite is that it is the hardest of any stone to refinish. The honing cuts in the video are 220 grit, 400 grit, 800 grit, 1,500 followed by a polishing compound. This is procedure is followed only when a counter needs some fairly remedial treatment. There is also a way to just polish the counter using just polishing compounds.
Compound Polishing
Granite polishing can be achieved using polishing compounds if the stone has not deteriorated in the way described above. The process of compound polishing begins with a good cleaning and removal of mineral deposits. The next step will include a variety of polishes we use that will progressively move the stone closer to the desired finish. Since every stone is different, and since there are several products that will produce an excellent finish, there is only the operators experience to rely on. At Fabric and Tile Masters we use products that are of the highest quality that produce the best result.
The video
The video below is of me Harry Edenfield, and I am taking the granite through a grit progression just like the one I outlined above. In the video I stay away from the edges, but the bulk of the stone is returned to a factory finish. Factory finish is a term used among stone professionals to describe the look of a stone after refinishing when the stone is returned to a like new condition.
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