Hotplate and Sink Cut-out Adjustments

Often over the years sinks and hotplates in kitchens get cracked and damaged and the replacement is not the same size.

We are often called in to adjust these using diamond saws to change the size.

When completing these we use dust extraction machinery to reduce mess and of coarse clean up after completing.

Joint Repairs

Often on older kitchen benchtops the joints can crack and due to movement.

This can be fixed but to do it properly extra support should be put under the joint by adding glue or steel bars to strengthen the joint area and prevent future cracking. If this is not completed properly by a stone care professional the joint will move again.

The glue placed in the joint should be a coloured epoxy and smoothed off level to the surface of the stone.

Repairing Cracked Bench tops and bar tops

In all cases benchtops crack for a reason, either by pressure from movement in the house, someone stepping on it, or by the benches underneath moving. The stone top will flex the least of all the materials that make-up your kitchen, which is why it cracks. Most cracks appear at the front edge of the sink or hotplate as this is the thinest weakest area.

Cracked benchtop and support before repair

To repair the crack properly we glue steal bars under the benchtop where ever possible around the effected areas. This gives the benchtop extra support so that the benchtop doesn’t crack again or further than it already has. The crack is filled using a coloured epoxy resin. After drying the epoxy is ground back to the level of the stone surface and smoothed off level with the surface.  This gives the best result possible without replacing the benchtop and far more economical too.

Benefits:

• Benchtop becomes stronger than it was originally.
• Stops dirt entering the crack.
• Stops water from leaking down under the benchtop and swelling the timber.
• Epoxy is filled to a similar colour to the stone.

Applying a Poultice to a Stain on a Granite Top

Applying a poultice to a stain is a method of attempting to remove deep stains from granite surfaces.

This method involves applying a poultice paste to the stain and covering it with plastic wrap to seal the moisture in the paste. The paste allows the mixture of detergents in the mix to absorb into the bench, and when it dries back into the mix, it attempts to draw the substance of the stain with it. It should be noted that this method is only sometimes successful, depending upon the type and age of the stain, as well as the type of stone surface.

Unfortunately because of the unknown nature of these types of stains no guarantees can be made as to the poultice’s success. It is normally possible after 2 applications to know whether the method will be a success.

Scratched Benchtops

Depending on the type of stone you have will depend on the method of repair.

With granite and reconstituded benchtops the repair can be quite difficult and a result sometimes not possible to 100%.

With other stones like marbles and travertines the scratch can be repaired by resurfacing or repolishing.

Chipped Benchtops

Here at The Marble Man we use the latest technology repair kits involving a UV glues, epoxy and multiple types of resins. So mo matter what type of repair where large or small we have a product that we work.  All our repairs are coloured to match the particular stone and in some cases the use of multiple colours and or the addition of crystals added to complete the best repair possible.

Benefits:

• Benchtop becomes stronger than it was originally.
• Stops dirt entering the chip.
• Epoxy is filled to a similar colour to the stone.
• Stone will not grab shirts and be rough to touch.

Marble and Granite Benchtop Chips

These chips are mainly repaired using our epoxy resins which can be tinted to match that of the stone. Once applied to the surface of the chip we then smooth the glue off to that of the stone by grinding or scrapping and then polish to the reflection of the benchtop.

Reconstituted Benchtop Chip Repair (Caesar Stone, Quantum Quartz, Essa Stone etc)

These types of benchtop require the more specialised UV glues.  UV glues are similar to what dentists use to fill fillings and allows us the produce the best results possible.  If required we can also add crystals achieve an even better match.  We are the market leaders by far with regards to these types of repairs