Say goodbye to damage and hello to sparkling, like-new countertops
Your kitchen countertops have a big job, often working double-duty to help you whip up your favorite meals while serving as a place to set down items like grocery bags or your latest home decor find. But all this daily traffic can take a toll on even the strongest, most durable countertops, especially if you accidentally use something abrasive like an oven cleaner to clean your countertop. Fortunately, minor damage—like chips, scratches, and stains—can often be repaired with just a few tools and a free afternoon.
Whether your laminate countertop has seen better days or you just found a chip on your new granite surface, you can use the following repairs to give new life to your damaged countertops.
How to Repair Natural Stone Countertops
Natural stone countertops, like marble, quartzite, and granite, are widely beloved for their durability and elegant appearance. Still, even these hard stones can experience cracks and chips from time to time. Fortunately, if the crack or chip is relatively minor, you can probably fix it yourself.
Tools needed:
Acrylic or epoxy adhesive
Diamond-tipped drill bit (optional)
Ammonia-based cleaner
Sandpaper
Masking tape
1. Purchase Acrylic or Epoxy Adhesive
The most common solution for a crack, scratch, or chip is to fill it with acrylic or epoxy adhesive. You can buy adhesive online or from your local hardware store, and it typically costs $20 to $30. In fact, many of these adhesives are sold as countertop repair kits, so they feature natural stone pigments and come in the form of a paste that you can mold and shape to fill any gaps.
2. Grind Dust with a Diamond-Tipped Drill Bit
You can also use a diamond-tipped drill bit, which usually costs $15 to $20, to grind a bit of dust from an area of your countertop that's not visible, such as underneath it, and mix it into the adhesive to help match it to your stone.
3. Clean the Countertop
Before you mix up your adhesive, though, make sure to give your countertop a good cleaning. Using an ammonia-based cleaner is the best way to ensure you've adequately removed dust, grease, and other grime that can affect the final look of your repair.
4. Apply the Adhesive
Once you've cleaned your countertop, border the chip or crack with masking tape to help prevent the liquid adhesive from seeping into areas where it shouldn't. Then apply thin layers of your adhesive mixture until it's flush with the rest of your countertop.
The drying time varies by the type of adhesive you buy, but it generally takes 24 hours to cure fully. Once it's fully cured, you can even out any bumps or inconsistencies with 360- to 600-grit sandpaper.
Common Repairs for Quartz Countertops
Often mistaken for 100% natural stone, quartz countertops are actually engineered stones composed of about 90% ground quartz and 10% resin, polymer, and pigment. Quartz is very hard and durable, but like 100% natural stone, it's still subject to occasional cracks and chips.
Tools needed:
Epoxy adhesive (for light-colored quartz) or super glue (for dark-colored quartz)
Ammonia-based cleaner
Sandpaper
Masking tape
If your quartz is on the darker side, then the process to repair it is the exact same as that of natural stone outlined above. However, if you have light-colored quartz, then you can simply use super glue to patch chips and cracks rather than a pigmented adhesive, like epoxy.
To begin, you should:
Clean the countertop with an ammonia-based cleaner.
Border the chip or crack with masking tape to prevent super glue or epoxy from seeping where it shouldn't.
Apply the adhesive (super glue for light-colored quartz or epoxy for darker-colored quartz) to the crack or chip in thin layers until it's flush with your countertop.
Wait 24 hours for it to cure.
Use 360- to 600-grit sandpaper to even out any bumps or inconsistencies.
Common Repairs for Laminate Countertops
There are several pros and cons of laminate countertops. Laminate's affordability makes it popular among homeowners on a budget, but it's also among the least-durable countertop materials as it's highly susceptible to scratches, chips, and stains.
Unfortunately, it's not easy—and it's often impossible—to repair a laminate countertop to its original state, but you can still improve its appearance with some common repair techniques.
How to Repair Laminate Chips and Scratches
If your laminate countertops are chipped or scratched, you can use a laminate repair paste to help cover them up. Repair pastes generally cost $3 to $5. These pastes come in a variety of different hues, so choose the one that most closely matches your countertop color. You can also mix several pastes together to get a closer match.
Tools needed:
Laminate repair paste
Laminate-safe cleaner
Putty knife
To begin, you should:
Clean the area with a laminate-safe cleaner.
Use a putty knife to press the paste into the crack or chip.
Clean off any excess paste.
Let dry for 24 hours.
Note: Unlike natural stone and quartz, you can't sand laminate without ruining it, so you'll want to be extra careful when applying the paste to ensure it's neat and even.
How to Remove Laminate Stains
Stains are another common laminate problem, but the good news is that you can clean many tough stains using a simple water and baking soda solution. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda per 1 cup of warm water and give it a good stir before using.
Then simply apply the solution to your countertop with a soft sponge. The solution works so well because the baking soda serves as a gentle abrasive that can help get out stains that you can't simply wipe away with water or a basic cleaner.
Common Repairs for Ceramic Tile Countertops
Ceramic tiles are also highly susceptible to cracks and chips, which is why they aren't generally recommended for kitchen countertops that see a lot of daily traffic. Fixing ceramic tile chips and cracks is a straightforward process, but it's more intensive than other repairs on this list.
Simply put, if you try to patch cracks or chips in ceramic tile, it probably won’t give you the look you desire. Instead, you need to replace the broken tile if you want to maintain your counter's appearance. You can often buy matching tile singles online or at your hardware store, and they usually only cost a few dollars per piece.
Tools needed:
Replacement tile
Chisel
Ball peen hammer
Latex tile adhesive
Grout
Putty knife
Once you have the replacement tile, you'll need to remove the damaged tile using a chisel and ball-peen hammer, both of which usually cost around $5 to $10.
1. Use the Chisel and Hammer to Remove the Damaged Tile
Place the chisel on the damaged tile and gently tap it with the ball-peen hammer, removing the tile in pieces while being careful not to damage the surrounding tile.
2. Clean All Tile and Mortar Remnants
After you remove most of the damaged tile, continue to use your chisel and hammer to remove all of the remaining tile and mortar remnants so that you have a clean, flat surface on which to place the new tile.
3. Apply Adhesive
Next, apply latex tile adhesive to the back of the new tile. You can purchase this online or at the hardware store for $10 to $15. Gently but firmly press the new tile into place.
4. Fill Gaps with Grout
Fill any gaps around the tile with fresh grout using a putty knife. The precision of a grout pen is a great option for small projects like this. This pen usually costs around $10 to $15, but you can also purchase a big tub of grout for around $5 to $10.
5. Clean the Area
Now that your tile is firmly in place and you've filled any gaps with grout, clean the surrounding area to ensure there isn't any grout or adhesive on the surrounding tiles. Then give it about 24 hours of drying time before using your countertops.
Common Repairs for Corian Countertops
Corian countertops are famously easy to repair, making them a favorite in households that see a lot of busy kitchen activity. If you're dealing with a scratch, stain, or chip on your Corian countertop, then basically all you need to do is sand it down.
Tools needed:
220-, 320-, and 400-grit sandpaper
Scouring pad
1. Sand Down the Damaged Counter
Start with 220-grit sandpaper, sanding the damaged area and a bit of the surrounding countertop until it evens out a bit. Then use 320-grit sandpaper followed by 400-grit sandpaper until everything looks neat and even.
2. Polish the Area to Finish
Finally, buff the whole area with a scouring pad using a circular motion. This step will help to polish the countertop, restoring it to its beautiful, sparkling appearance.
