Countertop Repair in North Charleston, SC
A chipped edge or a cracked tile does not always mean a new countertop, and we will tell you which jobs a repair can handle.
- Quotes in writing
- 8 areas covered
North Charleston Countertops fixes damaged countertops in place, in kitchens and baths around the city. PATH, a housing program run with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, puts out a Rehab Guide for kitchens and baths. It says none of the usual counter materials is indestructible, and knife scratches, chips, burns or bad seams can build up over the years.
Repair or replace? How we make the call
The first thing we ask is what the top is made of. We treat a chip in granite and a burn in laminate as two very different jobs.
The Rehab Guide says laminate cannot be repaired. Its answer for a damaged section is to cut it away and set in a piece of tile, stone or butcher block. When that won't suit your kitchen, we will price a countertop replacement for you as well.
Granite, marble and quartz
For small chips or cracks in stone, the Rehab Guide describes a method called overfill and grind. The damaged spot is cleaned and dried, then packed with a paste of epoxy or polyester mixed with ground stone or sand. Once it sets hard, we grind it flush and polish it. The guide says only an experienced professional should do this work.
The guide says aggregate stone, made of natural stone bits held in polyester resin, can be fixed the same way. We repair granite, marble and quartz this way.
Solid surface, tile, wood and concrete
On a solid surface countertop, the guide says light scratches or burns come out with a scouring pad, steel wool, or sandpaper in the 320 to 400 grit range. A cut too deep to buff out may need the maker's own filler.
On tile, the guide says a chipped, cracked or loose tile, or a whole section, can be lifted out and replaced. Grout work usually means sawing out the old grout and packing in new. The guide says the repair is fairly easy if you have spare tiles, though matching grout color can be hard.
For a butcher block countertop, the guide says burns and deep scratches can be sanded down and treated again.
Concrete countertops can be patched with a filler from the shop that made them, and the guide says it can be tinted to the color of the slab. The National Park Service notes that most concrete cracks, and that a hairline crack which isn't growing can often be left as it is.
Water damage near the sink
When water has got in at the sink or a seam, we dry the area out before any repair. The EPA says that when wet spots are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak or spill, mold will not grow in most cases. The EPA also says to fix plumbing leaks as soon as you can.
When a repair means taking the sink off or changing pipes, we check whether that part needs a city plumbing permit. The City of North Charleston's plumbing permit page says no work can be done until a permit is issued. It also says any work on the sewer needs a separate permit from the sewer district. The city also asks for a contract with a detailed scope of work and the cost of materials and labor when you apply.
How we put together a repair quote
We quote once we've seen the damage, and you get the quote in writing. Whoever you hire, the quote should spell out:
- Each spot we will fix, shown on a photo.
- The filler or patch material, and how we will match the color.
- Whether resealing is part of the job.
- What we do if we find more damage once the work starts.
Questions about countertop repair in North Charleston
Will a filled crack in granite look like a scar?
We aim for a repair you have to hunt for. The Rehab Guide says a crack fixed by overfill and grind tends to read as a vein in the stone. To hide a straight line, the edges of the crack can be chipped and widened so they follow the veins already there.
Which is better for a stone repair, epoxy or polyester?
The guide says epoxy is the stronger of the two, but it can turn yellow. We will tell you which one we plan to use on your top before we start.
Is a laminate top with a swollen edge worth saving?
The guide says a laminate counter can sometimes be saved if the material under it has not soaked up moisture. We check that core before we suggest a fix or a new top.
How dry should I keep my kitchen?
The EPA says to keep indoor humidity under 60 percent if you can, and ideally between 30 and 50 percent. A humidity meter from a hardware store will tell you where your home sits.
Can water get behind a tile countertop?
The guide says grout is porous and cracks and stains easily, and that wet grout can let water seep behind the tile. It also says to skip cleaners with acid, bleach or vinegar, since they etch tile and grout over time.
Can a hot pan damage a solid surface top?
The guide says solid surface expands when it gets hot and will crack if a hot pot is set right on it.
Does unfinished butcher block need care after a repair?
The guide says unfinished wood needs mineral oil once a week. We will tell you what finish your top has after we sand it.
Does a concrete top need sealing again?
The guide says the sealant on concrete must go back on after it is cut or scraped. It also has to go on again after the top gets wet often, as it does in a kitchen or bath.
Is the dust from grinding stone a problem?
OSHA says stone holds crystalline silica, and that cutting, grinding or drilling it makes tiny particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand. Ask any repair crew how they control dust in your home.
Get a quote for countertop repair
Call us, or send the quote form with your ZIP code and a photo of the damage. We'll look it over and send you a written quote. To see every countertop we fit, visit the North Charleston Countertops home page.
Ready to talk about your countertop job?
Call us or send the quote form with your ZIP code and what you need. We will get back to you with a written quote.