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Marble worktops are a very popular choice for kitchens and bathroom surfaces due to the natural stone’s delicate and elegant markings and it’s cool-to-touch feel. It’s used for surface worktops and floors because of its durability – but over time, a lot of use can still cause scratches, chips or cracks to form.
You can choose to hire a marble supplier for some professional help in restoring your marble worktop, but you can end up forking out a lot of cash for this as you pay for their time, materials, and their expertise. Unlike some stone surfaces, as long as you have the right materials marble isn’t a difficult one to repair. This guide will take you through a few things you can do to repair your marble surfaces, as well as help prevent further cracks or scratches from happening – prolonging the life of the elegant marble worktops or flooring in your home.
So, how do you repair marble?
If your marble surfaces have had plenty of use, over time you might start to see:
- cracks starting to form
- chips on heavily used areas
- pieces of marble starting to come loose
- some staining on your kitchen worktops.
If any of these are the case, there are a few things you can try yourself to repair the affected areas that might just do the trick. So, before seeking professional help, follow these steps to repair your marble worktops or surfaces yourself.
Remove all debris from the area before you start
Thoroughly cleaning your marble is essential for making sure that the materials you use are able to stick to the surfaces. So before you do anything else, make sure you remove all debris from the affected area. Use a small vacuum cleaner for this and a damp cloth to make sure all dust is removed from the holes or cracks. If the damaged area is significant, you could consider using some acetone on a lint-free cloth or sponge to clean the affected area.
Note about acetone: Make sure to keep the area you’re working in well-ventilated if you are using acetone and keep anyone with respiratory issues away while you work.
Using marble adhesive to reattach marble pieces
If you still have some of the marble pieces that have come loose, you can reattach them to the surface holes or cracks using marble adhesive. To do this, apply the marble adhesive around the hole or crack and to the disjointed pieces of marble and place them back where they came from. Press the pieces down firmly with some pressure and leave the marble for 24 hours to dry completely.
Once dry, use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe away any excess adhesive off the marble surface – it should come away cleanly.
Using epoxy to fill marble cracks or holes
If you have significant chunks missing from your marble surface and you no longer have them, you can purchase an epoxy resin to fill the cracks or holes. Make sure to follow the instructions on the packaging carefully when you do this as each epoxy brand can work in a slightly different way.
Generally, you can apply epoxy using a spoon. You fill the crack or hole until it starts to overflow over the edges to ensure the product has filled the entire space. Then, use a simple putty knife to smoothen down the edges.
Don’t forget to keep a damp rag to hand so you can remove any excess epoxy or water from the area.
Note about epoxy: Whether you choose an epoxy sealant or an epoxy adhesive depends on the damage to the marble. For minor cracks, choose an epoxy sealant. For broken or chipped off areas, an epoxy adhesive will allow you to re-attach any pieces of marble you still have.
Removing stains from marble
As well as removing scratches, a polishing powder or tin oxide can be used to treat stains on your marble surfaces. Tin oxide comes in the form of a powder which you can find in hardware or building supply shops like B&Q or Homebase.
The powder is used to polish the surface. To apply it, use a piece of lint-free fabric (like felt) to gently rub it in to the affected area in a circular motion until you see the stain or scratch disappear.
Preventing further damage to your marble
After the repairs to your marble worktops or flooring, you might want to consider how you treat the marble surface going forward to help prevent further damage or wear and tear.
You can wax your marble surface. This is an easy and cost-effective way to help maintain the marble. It acts as a protective barrier to help prevent any more scratches to the surface. Plus, it adds an attractive shine to your worktops.
You can also varnish your marble surface. This takes a little more time than waxing it, but generally it is a more protective option. Regular varnishing will defend the marble surface from regular wear and tear, so this is a good choice for the most hardworking surfaces in your kitchen or bathroom. For the best protection, consider applying a coat of polyurethane to the surface.
If. you liked this post, you may also like our guide on How to Fix a Crack in a Stone Mantel