When it comes to taking care of granite installations, sometimes the demand exceeds adhering to the conventional cleaning methods that are practiced on a daily basis. Granite is a durable natural stone that offers long-term usability, but due to mishandling and neglect, certain problems do tend to develop which are beyond the realm of household cleaning regimens and need professional repairs. Seam Repairs of Granite Countertops A seam can be simply understood as the line along which two pieces of granite slabs meet each other. At the time of installation, the emphasis is on reducing the number of seams but sometimes incorporating them becomes necessary. Seams in kitchen countertops have to be induced when the granite slabs used as a part of the granite installation fall short of the estimated length. Even some vendors will not supply granite slabs beyond a certain length as it increases the chances of breakage during transportation. Thus, seams are an unwanted but unavoidable part of granite fittings. Most of the problems arise around the seam lines due to the stress that is present along them, such as those caused by the overbearing weight of the kitchen cabinets, increased activity along the surface or due to inadequate support in the structures underlying the granite countertop. Repairing of seams is not difficult but cannot it cannot be carried by homeowners and needs the involvement of professionals. Seams are packed very tightly and moving the stone without professional guidance could severely rupture the entire setting of the countertop. Seams can be easily opened-up, properly cleaned and then seamed back with materials like epoxy by stone repair professionals. However, along with the repair of the seam, it is important to address the issues that have caused the damage to the seam. This will avoid such problems from arising again in the future. Repairing of Etch Marks on Granite Countertops Etches marks are easily-visible dull spots that tend to appear on natural stones like granite that is used in countertops. Even a small number of etches are sufficient to dull the appearance of the entire countertop surface and compromise its texture. Most of the etch marks are caused by foods that contain acids or other acidic fluids that are often spilled on the kitchen countertops. The commonest examples of etch-causing foods are orange and tomato juices, aerated cola products and some of the chemically-formulated cleaning products. If the etch marks have just begun to appear, you can rub some marble powder and use it as a cleaning medium to clean the surface. However, if the etch marks refuse to go away and are multiplying, then the problem is a bit deep-rooted and may need the re-surfacing of the granite countertop. This is best handled by stone-care professionals who are adept at carrying out resurfacing and return the lost sheen to the stone. Resining of Natural Stones like Granite This is an exhaustive process that is often used to correct flaws that are present in the stone and were not addressed at the time of procuring or installing it. Often granite countertops have to re-sined to remove the fissures or pits with materials like epoxy resins. The process of Resining includes honing the entire surface of the granite countertop so that it can absorb the resin. This is followed by convection-induced heating of the stone to dry-out and evenly spread the resin. This process is often called 'curing' of granite slabs. Resining of stones helps to add some level of lustre to granite countertops that are multi-decades old and do not react too well to the usual polishing process.
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