Like new! Ways to disguise chips on a countertop

Any furniture is not eternal, and tabletops are no exception, no matter how reliable the materials from which they are made are. Sooner or later, chips and other damage appear on them. But the good news is that you can fix this problem yourself without turning to specialists.

Tabletop restoration

The materials and tools we need for this depend on the material we will be working with.

Wood or chipboard

If the tabletop is made of wood or chipboard, then a special retouching felt-tip pen, furniture touch-up or tint wax will be suitable to eliminate scratches and cracks. It is first melted and only then applied, after which it is left to cool and dry.

Important! When restoring a wooden surface, the main thing is to choose the right shade of the material.

To restore the surface you will need:

• hair dryer;
• waterproof sealant;
• a homogeneous thick mixture of sawdust and PVA glue;
• putty knife.

Using a retouching felt-tip pen

• First, warm up the damaged area with a hairdryer.

Reference. If there are peeling fragments, they should be removed.

• Apply sealant to the chipped area and leave it for 15 minutes.
• During this time, you need to make a mixture of sawdust and glue (5 minutes) and let it brew (10 minutes).
• Place the resulting mass on top of the sealant and compact it tightly, removing excess with a spatula.
• After this, saturate a microfiber cloth with a felt-tip pen of a suitable color and work it over the frozen composition, going beyond its edges.
• The result can be sealed with varnish. It will be especially good if you use a tint, it will additionally eliminate scuffs. In addition, it will be a salvation if you cannot find a felt-tip pen that perfectly matches the color of the surface.

Using wax

• First, the chipped area is ground with a chisel or sandpaper so as to level it as much as possible.
• After this, melted wax is applied to the place of the missing fragment.

Important! Leave a small margin, since then all excess is cut off and sanded (for example, using a chisel and felt).

Using film

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to return the previous look of the tabletop and make the added fragment “merge” with it. Therefore, the last option could be a special polymer film that imitates wood texture.

Plastic

Minor chips, scratches and cracks on the plastic surface are most often repaired ordinary glue "Moment". The fallen piece is attached back with the same glue.

However, it happens that when it falls, it is damaged so much that it loses its original appearance. In this case, it can be crushed, mixed with an adhesive composition and attached to the damaged area by analogy with wooden surfaces.

Fake diamond

Used to seal cracks on stone countertops. polyester resins. To do this, the surface is cleaned and degreased, and then filled with this material.

Then you just have to wait for it to harden.After a day, you can continue to use the countertop for its intended purpose.

If you need to restore the missing part, buy PVA glue, a repair acrylic composition suitable for the material, abrasives of different grain sizes and felt.

• The damaged area is sanded and polished.
• A reducing mixture is prepared.
• Having repaired the chipped area, leave it until completely dry (about 20 hours).
• After this it is sanded again and polished with felt.

Glass

But if chips, scratches or cracks appear on the glass surface of the tabletop, then this is the only case when you won’t be able to do it yourself.

Important! Repair of such damage can only be carried out by a specialist.

It will be so difficult and expensive that it will be more profitable to buy a new countertop.

Prevention of chipping

In order for the tabletop to retain its presentable appearance for as long as possible and you do not have to restore it, it is important to maintain its integrity during use.

• Be sure to have it in your arsenal special coasters and trays for dishes. This will protect the surface from sudden temperature changes and dirt that can become embedded. Frequent rubbing can also cause unsightly abrasions.
• Don't forget to use care products for the material from which the tabletop is made. For example, wooden surfaces are treated with silicone and moisture-resistant sealants. Immediately after purchase, it is advisable to cover their ends with plastic strips and varnish. This will extend the life of the countertop.
• Locate the surface away from possible impact loads: for example, from the front door or refrigerator door.

As you can see, almost every type of damage has its own restoration technique, which you can do yourself. This will save your finances and does not require much work. The main thing is to choose the right materials and act as carefully as possible.