# Solved: Arcrylic solid surface countertop



## silverado4 (Nov 9, 2004)

Does anyone know of a product I can put on an Arcrylic counter top (not corian) but similar by Wilsonart "earthstone", to help to prevent it from scratching like corian? We just had one installed, and one of their instructions was to be very careful that it would scratch easily. It also can not have any heat (of course) on it, you must use a trivet. It's not us so much that would scratch it, but others that would come in our house, thinking it was "stone", and it's just "imitation" solid surface, like corian, which also is plastic. You must also be careful not to slide your dishes across it, because it would scratch it also. Crazy... Any ideas? I'm looking for a "polish" or some kind of liquid that would give it a "harden" surface to help protect it. Thanks Silverado.


----------



## iltos (Jun 13, 2004)

silverado4 said:


> Does anyone know of a product I can put on an Arcrylic counter top (not corian) but similar by Wilsonart "earthstone", to help to prevent it from scratching like corian? We just had one installed, and one of their instructions was to be very careful that it would scratch easily. It also can not have any heat (of course) on it, you must use a trivet. It's not us so much that would scratch it, but others that would come in our house, thinking it was "stone", and it's just "imitation" solid surface, like corian, which also is plastic. You must also be careful not to slide your dishes across it, because it would scratch it also. Crazy... Any ideas? I'm looking for a "polish" or some kind of liquid that would give it a "harden" surface to help protect it. Thanks Silverado.


i don't know of any...which doesn't mean anything really...i just posted, thinking most protective finishes applied to anything tend to discolor over time

i've seen people with very expensive countertops that buy those plastic "runners" to protect their investment....the kind you see in high traffic areas on carpets

never quite understood that, except from an investment standpoint...seems like the patina of wear is what gives a house charm....well, up to a point


----------



## GoneForNow (Jul 22, 2001)

Kind of makes those granite countertops look more attractive doesn't it?


----------



## vicks (Jan 31, 2005)

I have a 'Fountainhead" counter top in our motorhome... It is 12 years old and still looks very good.. About 3 times a year I use water and scrub it with a fine scrubber (kind of like the green ones you can buy in the grocery store to use on pots/pans only a white or maroon one that I buy at a hardware store.)
After scrubbing it good with that I rinse it then use any good polish on it (I use Protect All bought in the RV dept. of Walmart and rv supply stores) any good auto polish should work though.
One advantage to these counter tops, if they do get a bad scratch you can use a very fine sand paper to remove the scratch then follow the above procedure. You should be able to google or go to Corian or Fountainhead site and get the care for the product...
I love it... when we remodel our house kitchen I want to put it in there too.
Vicks


----------



## silverado4 (Nov 9, 2004)

vicks said:


> I have a 'Fountainhead" counter top in our motorhome... It is 12 years old and still looks very good.. About 3 times a year I use water and scrub it with a fine scrubber (kind of like the green ones you can buy in the grocery store to use on pots/pans only a white or maroon one that I buy at a hardware store.)
> After scrubbing it good with that I rinse it then use any good polish on it (I use Protect All bought in the RV dept. of Walmart and rv supply stores) any good auto polish should work though.
> One advantage to these counter tops, if they do get a bad scratch you can use a very fine sand paper to remove the scratch then follow the above procedure. You should be able to google or go to Corian or Fountainhead site and get the care for the product...
> I love it... when we remodel our house kitchen I want to put it in there too.
> Vicks


Thanks, I'll look into that, Sounds scary to sand paper, but They did use a grinder on it when they put the seals together, then they buffed it. They did use polish afterwards. Wouldn't the sand paper leave harsh marks? I guess that's where the polish comes in.


----------



## Guyzer (Jul 3, 2004)

silverado4 said:


> Thanks, I'll look into that, Sounds scary to sand paper, but They did use a grinder on it when they put the seals together, then they buffed it. They did use polish afterwards. Wouldn't the sand paper leave harsh marks? I guess that's where the polish comes in.


You have to use the right sandpaper. Get the gray colored stuff available at any good hardware store or autobody supply shop.... never use regular wood type sandpaper. Start with 200 or 240 grit, then use 400 and if you're energetic finish with 600. Use it wet... fill a bowl with water and add a bunch of dish soap. Get the paper wet and start sanding... make sure you keep adding water / soap to the countertop as it makes it glide over the surface. This process is called wet sanding and is used by any good body man. Don't overdo it and when done finish with a light coat of polish. I used that method hundreds of times when doing finish paint work on 1/4 scale aircraft and it will bring it to a mirror finish.

Here's some examples. Kind of hard to see in this size but trust me when I say they really shine.


----------



## silverado4 (Nov 9, 2004)

Wimpy369 said:


> You have to use the right sandpaper. Get the gray colored stuff available at any good hardware store or autobody supply shop.... never use regular wood type sandpaper. Start with 200 or 240 grit, then use 400 and if you're energetic finish with 600. Use it wet... fill a bowl with water and add a bunch of dish soap. Get the paper wet and start sanding... make sure you keep adding water / soap to the countertop as it makes it glide over the surface. This process is called wet sanding and is used by any good body man. Don't overdo it and when done finish with a light coat of polish. I used that method hundreds of times when doing finish paint work on 1/4 scale aircraft and it will bring it to a mirror finish.
> 
> Here's some examples. Kind of hard to see in this size but trust me when I say they really shine.


Can you give me a good name of a polish?
Thanks
Silverado.


----------



## Guyzer (Jul 3, 2004)

silverado4 said:


> Can you give me a good name of a polish?
> Thanks
> Silverado.


Any decent auto polish will work. With the wet sanding procedure you will effectively take out all of the scratches providing they are minor. If they are a deep type cut that's a different story. By using the polish in the final stage what you are doing really is filling in the gaps, for lack of a better term as well as take away the " matt " finished look. If you do it right the only way you will be able to tell is by using a microscope. One word of caution I just thought of. The darker color that you will apply polish to the more you will see. Eg: apply car polish to white paint and you see nothing... apply it to black it will stick out like a sore thumb. My intent isn't meant to scare you, just pointing out what may not be the obvious. In the end it's all quite easy and painless.


----------



## silverado4 (Nov 9, 2004)

Wimpy369 said:


> Any decent auto polish will work. With the wet sanding procedure you will effectively take out all of the scratches providing they are minor. If they are a deep type cut that's a different story. By using the polish in the final stage what you are doing really is filling in the gaps, for lack of a better term as well as take away the " matt " finished look. If you do it right the only way you will be able to tell is by using a microscope. One word of caution I just thought of. The darker color that you will apply polish to the more you will see. Eg: apply car polish to white paint and you see nothing... apply it to black it will stick out like a sore thumb. My intent isn't meant to scare you, just pointing out what may not be the obvious. In the end it's all quite easy and painless.


Just sanding it scares me enough. Here is my counter top, and the way they "sanded" it and "buffed" it at the seam.


----------



## Guyzer (Jul 3, 2004)

They are pros no doubt but if you follow my method you can't screw it up. If it ever comes to it you can try it in a inconspicuous spot or you could ask your supplier for a small scrap piece and give it a whirl. It wouldn't scare me either way but it would scare the dickens out of me if I had to use a sander.
Edit: your top is quite light colored so it's going to take a big scratch to even show I would think.


----------



## vicks (Jan 31, 2005)

Wimpy 39 is right on... If the scratch is pretty deep you can start with a coarser sand paper but always finish with a VERY FINE grit ...We had one spot where a glass fell on it and put a pretty deep nick in the counter, we used the above method to repair... you can feel a bit of a dip in the spot but cannot see it ...
Vicks


----------



## silverado4 (Nov 9, 2004)

I'll try this when I get brave, thanks for your tips. Consider this resolved, Silverado over and out.


----------

