wrote:
Hi,

Just when our bathroom renovation was almost done.....

One of the workers was trying to get out these little marks in the new
sink (wish I hadn't made such a fuss about those now) and he saw a
container of CLR in our basement and decided to use it to try and get
the marks out of the sink. In doing this he put the container on the
marble vanity top.

So the next day I saw these marks that match the bottom of the clr
container on the vanity top. They are deep enough that the clear coat
on the marble has been eaten away but not really very deep. Doesn't
look good though and of course I want it fixed.

I had one guy out to look at it and he gave me a price of $450 to
refinish the entire top. The top only cost $500 so that seems pretty
expensive to me. That guy also told me the entire top had etching
marks on it which really isn't true so I don't feel comfortable using
him.

I was hoping to get it done for about $200.

Shouldn't it be possible to just have someone in to repair the spot
that has the marks on it? It is only on one side of the vanity top.

Yes, it should be possible. How good the job is depends upon how deeply the
polish has been etched by the acid in the CLR; not very deep, I would think,
since the only CLR that came into contact with the top was whatever residual
amount on the bottom of the container.

If you are even slightly handy, you may be able to fix it yourself. Two
things need to be done...

1. Get it smooth. From what you have said, I suspect it is already
smooth enough for the next step. Can you feel roughness dragging a
fingernail over the etched spot? What does it look like with a magnifying
glass? Even if it looks and feels rough, try step #2 first. If you do have
to smooth it, I would use #600 wet or dry sandpaper. Follow that with #1000
and follow that with #2000. Keep the paper flat - around a wood block is
fine - and don't "dig"...just rub lightly in a circular motion using water
as a lubricant. Doing this will also dull the polish on any adjacent areas
that are sanded.

2. Polish. Polishing is really making finer scratches than the existing
ones. Finer and finer grits make the material glossier and glossier. I
would first try something from some place like these. The prices are
ridiculous given what they are but a lot easier than $100s. Even auto body
compound would work to polish but don't use it as it contains rouge and oil,
both will stain marble. I don't recall where I got it - have had it for
years - but I have a bottle of polishing material that has 10,000 grit
aluminum oxide with water. I use it mostly with a cloth pad (old sheet
material) rubbing by hand in a circular motion. You can get any sort of
gloss from dull to very shiny with it depending on the starting sheen and
how long you rub. Probably got it at an auto body place.

http://www.marble-cleaning-products....gloss-restorer

http://www.mystonecare.com/ProductDe...tch&Click=1831

http://www.stonecarecentral.com/Marb...m?1=1&CartID=0

More...
http://www.google.com/search?client=...hannel=suggest

--

dadiOH
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