This Marble Countertop in Greenwich, CT Was Restored to Its Former Elegance with a Stone Honing Service

June 29, 2016

Recently, we got a call from a Greenwich resident that was unhappy with the appearance of her kitchen's white marble countertop. When it comes to countertops, there's nothing like white marble with grey veining to make a kitchen stand out and evoke elegance and luxury. This homeowner's countertop accomplished just that. It also made the kitchen look bright and clean, since the surface reflected the light. However, the countertop had been the victim of awful etch marks, which the homeowner tried to remove with harsh cleaning products. The stone also looked dull and no longer reflected the light in the kitchen.

Since she couldn't remove the etch marks with any cleaning product, nor with any of the tips and tricks she had found online, she decided to search for a local Greenwich, CT Stone Honing service that could restore the charm of her white marble countertop. She found our services in the top results and gave us a call to schedule a free evaluation.



When we arrived at the customer's home, she kindly greeted us and showed us to the kitchen so we could further inspect the etched marble countertop. The etch rings were very visible, and the stone was completely dull. We explained to the homeowner that this is a problem that we see very often on marble countertops in kitchens. Why? Kitchen countertops are exposed to different citric or acidic substances that can easily dissolve marble if not cleaned up quickly. Lemon and vinegar are just some of the substances that can cause problems if they are allowed to soak into the surface. When acidic agents come into contact with the calcium carbonate found in marble, it causes a chemical reaction that deteriorates the stone, known as etching. Etch marks look like stains or water marks, which is why homeowners desperately try to remove them with any cleaning product.

Once we had explained to the homeowner the cause of her damaged countertop, she asked if it could be fixed. We told her that it was nothing to worry about, since a honing and polishing process could not only get rid of the awful etch rings, but also restore the shine to her marble countertop. She was relieved to hear such good news and agreed with the team on a date for the job.

We came back soon after, ready for the challenge ahead. We started with the honing process, which removed the etch marks on the stone by using abrasives to create a smooth, uniform appearance. After this process was done, the stone had a lovely homogeneous look and the etch marks had completely disappeared. The marble countertop was now ready to be refinished. We accomplished this by using compounds of higher grit to give the countertop a matte finish as the homeowner requested.

As you can see in the picture above, we were able to remove all of the etch marks and gave the marble a lovely matte finish. The results amazed the homeowner and she was glad that the countertop looked beautiful once again, with no etch marks in sight.

Since marble is a porous stone, it easily absorbs liquids and stains, which is why it's important to remember that any spills should be cleaned up as quickly as possible. Also, remember to use a cutting board when cutting acidic fruits to prevent etch marks. For regular maintenance, remember to use only pH-neutral cleaners instead of abrasive cleaners.

If your marble countertop looks dull and has scratches or etch marks, you may need a stone honing and polishing service to fully restore the stone's natural beauty. If you would like to schedule a free evaluation, contact us by calling (203) 702-4896 or fill out the form below.

If you found this article helpful then let us know in the comments section below. Likewise, feel free to share it using the share options below. Want us to cover another topic of your interest pertaining to Hard Surface Restoration? If so, then like us and follow us on social media, and post to any of our social media profiles the topic you'd like us to discuss: Facebook Sir Grout of Greater Fairfield County, Instagram @sirgrout, and Twitter @SirGrout.