Countertops are really expensive, especially if you’ve bought one made out of nice material. Quartz is one of those expensive options, and if you have a quartz countertop then the last you want to do is damage it in any way.
Sometimes accidents do happen though, and the wrong accident could easily lead to your valued quartz countertop getting chipped. Don’t worry though, there might be an easier way to fix it than you think.
So today we’re going to take you through the five steps you’ll need in order to fix a chipped quartz countertop.
5 Easy Steps To Fixing Your Chipped Countertop
Let’s briefly look over the five steps that we’ll be talking about today so that you can get an overall idea of what you need to do.
- Clean the surface
- Apply masking tape
- Choose a type of glue
- Apply the glue
- File the adhesive
Step 1 – Clean the Surface
Start by spraying a non-abrasive cleaner, such as an ammonia-based one, onto the countertop and wipe it down with a soft cloth. Clean the entire counter, not just the area with the chip on it. Don’t stop until all the dust, dirt, and other unwanted materials are cleaned from the surface.
But make sure to let it dry before you begin the rest of the repair. If there is any remaining moisture then it could cause problems.
You want to make sure you don’t use too harsh of a cleaner because it wear down your counter’s sealant and potentially damage the quartz. And along the same lines, you want to use a soft cloth instead of an abrasive sponge.
Step 2 – Apply The Masking Tape
In the area around the chip you need to place masking tape. Try to make these lines as straight as you can, and as close to the area as you can without getting in the way of the repair.
The reason you’re doing this is so that the adhesive you’ll be using in the repair doesn’t get on parts of the counter that it’s not supposed to. In turn, you’re saving yourself a lot of time you would’ve had to spend cleaning off the mess.
Step 3 – Choose The Adhesive You Want To Use
The type of adhesive you choose should be based on what type of quartz countertop you have, and exactly where the chip is. So make sure to factor in each of those variables.
Light Colored Quartz Countertops – Because of the color, some sort of super glue is best for light-colored quartz countertops. Now take note of where the chip is. If it’s on a flat surface then you should use a superglue with a thin consistency, but choose a thicker one if the chip is on the edge.
Dark Colored or Textured Quartz Countertops – The same rules about consistency apply here, but you can’t use superglue. Instead you’re going to want to go with a pigmented epoxy adhesive. If the color is still going to stand out, then you can mix a little bit of dye in with the adhesive to make it into a color that resembles your countertops.
Step 4 – Apply The Adhesive
Pick out a spatula or brush, and begin applying the adhesive to the chip. Keep adding thin coats until the surface of the chip is level with the rest of countertop. Just remember if you’re using the epoxy that you may need to add more than you would with superglue, because epoxy shrinks a little bit as it dries.
And speaking of drying, you’ll need to let the adhesive dry for about 24 hours. You have to make sure the adhesive is fully cured before you move on to the next and final step.
Step 5 – File The Adhesive
For this step, you’ll need some sandpaper. For the best results you should choose a grit between 360 and 600. Simply use the sandpaper to file down the adhesive and smooth it out, so that it matches the rest of your countertop.
If the chip wasn’t on the edge, you could also use a razor blade for this, but you’ll need to be gentle or you could risk cutting your counter.
Conclusion
If you follow all the steps we listed above then there’s no reason why you can’t fix a small chip on your quartz countertops yourself, but if it’s too large of a chip then you’ll have no choice but to call a professional if you want your countertops to be as good as new.
Or if you don’t feel comfortable even attempted a repair yourself then it’s okay not to make it a DIY job and there’s no shame in asking for help.
Either way, hopefully these tips were helpful whether you use them yourself or simply read them so that you would understand the process.
