SurfaceFabrication.com |

Step 1. Remove all items from the surface. Be careful not to slide heavy pieces across the surface since this can cause irreversible damage.

Step 2. Protect all wall surfaces by covering with plastic or paper sheeting. Tape plastic/paper to wall surface using only low-contact masking tape. Protect walls to a height of at least 24 inches. If dealing with a sensitive wall surface such as silk wallpaper or decorative painting, test the tape to make sure it does not damage these surfaces. Adjacent carpeting should be pulled back or covered. Wood flooring and other water sensitive material should also be covered.

Step 3. Wipe the entire surface with a soft cloth to remove loose debris.

Step 4. If the surface has a heavy application of waxes or other coatings, these will need to be removed before polishing. Use a stripper designed to remove the coating and follow the manufacturer's directions for procedures.

Step 5. Place #400 grit diamond discs on the pad driver of your hand machine. For most scratches a #400 is the most aggressive diamond you will need. Add water and begin grinding. Move the machine in a slow back and forth motion across the surface. Continue to add enough water so the diamond disc does not become clogged with slurry. Squeegee the surface dry to check your work. Continue to hone the surface.

Step 6. Once the surface is honed, vacuum all slurry and rinse several times with clean water. Allow the surface to dry several minutes and examine it carefully. You should now have a consistent scratch pattern that is uniformly dull.

Step 7. Outline the area you just honed with a grease pencil or omni chrome pencil, staying about a half inch outside the honed area. This is very important. By outlining your honed area, you will be overlapping with the next grit. This will avoid any dull halos when you are finished.

Step 8. Place the next finer grit on the hand machine and hone the surface, making sure to overlap the area you marked with the pencil. Continue honing until you get a consistent pattern. Once you are finished with this grit, and before you proceed to the next grit, make sure to outline the area you have honed with the pencil. Continue to do this all the way to the last grit. Depending on the type of engineered stone you are working on, the grit size of the abrasive will vary. Most stones will require at least four grit sizes ranging from #400 to #3000.

After you have completed the honing process, the work area should be free of scratches and exhibit a uniformly dull appearance. You are then ready to proceed to the polishing phase.

Polishing Only

Many times engineered stone is dull due to wear or chemical attack or scratching. If this is the case, and there are no apparent scratches, a simple powder polish may return it to its deep luster.