Virtually all types of stone are polished. First step is grinding. It is a rougher process among the rest. In this case specialist removes a layer of greater thickness, the surface becomes matte. While polishing is the either final stage or the only one. Polishing is used when the damage on the surface is minimal. The slightest minor scratches can be aligned to a mirror shine.
The possibility of restoration is one of the main reasons why people buy stone benchtops. Instead of buying a new one, it is possible to restore the old one at a lower cost.
The benefits are obvious, but the following points should be taken into account:
• the thickness of the plate decreases slightly;
• it is unlikely to be polished by yourself;
• the work is long and noisy.
To mask the smallest scratches, polishing and protecting the stone from moisture, the owner can use special means for polishing himself. However to restore big scratches and to remove the top layer of stone on an area of a square meter is extremely difficult. Special hand tools or big factory equipment are required. If possible, the stonemasons work on site due to the difficulty of transporting the heavy plate. In a private house or commercial establishment, noise is not a problem, but if you live in a flat or apartment it is desirable to remove the benchtop and deliver it to the workshop.
Different stone should be repolished in different ways. So features of the table top polish depend on the type of stone.
Quartz agglomerate
An artificial stone made of quartz, compressed with resins, is very heavy. Work with engineered stone is the longest and most expensive repolishing works. For processing, diamond rigid or flexible disks are required. At home they use a grinding machine, in the factory there is a high-precision stationary machine, which is polishes better. Polishing does not eliminate big chips, they are restored using glue and pieces of the same material.
Granite
Natural granite requires careful handling, its structure is not homogeneous. The polishing of natural stone should be performed to an experienced master. The professional will accurately polish the weaker areas of nature, while maximally revealing the beauty of the natural pattern. Since the mineral contains solid quartz, to polish the granite surface diamond tools are required as well,
Marble
Soft sedimentary rock is processed easily and quickly. It is enough ordinary corundum disks and pastes, which makes the process cheaper. After polishing, the marble benchtop must be covered with protective chemicals. Protected marble is less sensitive to acids, water and other aggressive and colouring substances. Nevertheless, the table must be regularly protected with special compounds, owner has to use only authorized detergents and immediately remove strong contaminants to keep beautiful marble surface for a long time.
Unlike other minerals, marble is polished when the surface becomes dull, even if there are no noticeable scratches. Re-polishing returns the former beauty of marble.
Is grinding necessary?
The expected amount of actions the stonemason determines on site. Sometimes instead of removing the surface layer, it is better to seal deep cracks and chips. After a thorough inspection, the cost of restoration and the deadline for the completion of the work becomes known. In any case, the customer is offered a variant that is optimal in price and quality.