POLISHED MARBLE FINISHES FOR A COUNTERTOP PT 1

Marble is a beautiful stone that many engineers have chosen as their material form to build a variety of buildings. Residential and commercial buildings alike adorn this elegant stone. However, there are a variety of finishes that can be put on a stone's surface. A finish commonly found on marble surfaces is what is known as a polished finish.

What is polished marble?

Simply put, a polished finish ends up somewhere between an unpolished and a polished surface. The appearance of a polished marble surface is not as shiny as polished marble and has a matte appearance. The image above is a photo of polished marble.

The gloss is very low on the surface of the stone. The visual difference is clear when the two surfaces are placed side by side and while some people prefer the look of a polished marble countertop, the difference in the appearance of the surface brings with it some specific "needs to know."

One of the biggest differences between polished marble and a honed slab is that the surface is more porous, which translates into different performances in specific shapes. One of the advantages of polished marble is that it is more resistant to scratches.

This makes sense because the surface is not as smooth as a polished surface, so a sharp object will only touch the peaks of the surface; leaving the valleys intact. And because the surface isn't completely smooth when you scratch it, it's not as noticeable and the surface isn't as reflective.

Another advantage of polished marble is that when it gets wet, it is not as slippery as a polished surface. This makes it ideal for surfaces that accumulate moisture or get regularly wet.

Stain Protection & Cleaning

Although a honed surface has the aforementioned pros that go along with it, that is not to say that it will be the best choice for everyone. Hence, the title of this article.

One of the characteristics of a porous surface is that it allows liquids to penetrate the surface of the stone. This means spills need to be wiped up immediately. And, if the liquid is acidic, it would not hurt for you to rinse the stone thoroughly even after cleaning up the spill.

Acidic liquids can create problems for calcite-containing stones like marble. There are very particular ways to treat stains on marble.

The importance of having adequate equipment to cut dekton and porcelain

Dekton, among other alternative stone materials, continues to grow in popularity for applications such as countertops, flooring, and both interior and exterior wall cladding. Being a hard dense product, it is crucial to use appropriate tooling during the fabrication process. Carlos Sustaita, production director for STA Granite, provides several important tips of advice for those working with compact sintered stone.

Why do products such as Dekton need special/different tools than those that are used for cutting granite and marble?

Material hardness is the key to understanding why you need different tools to fabricate Dekton. The material has a

very high density (ultra-compact), which means that if you don’t use proper tools, you can either break the tool or the material or even worse, damage the machinery.

The cutting process requires trimming the edges to release tensions. Then you have to follow cutting recommendations, which include using plenty of water, the proper speed, feed rate, etc. Once you follow the rules, it’s a piece of cake.

When doing edging on Dekton, What is the difference in the process compared to a natural stone?

In this sense, Dekton’s edge is very easy to work with since the material is very homogeneous, and it is easy to get very good results. Any fabricator can do it well on the first attempt.

What are some common mistakes that fabricators are making when it comes to cutting this material? And, what are some common mistakes with doing edging or doing sinkholes or something?

The main mistake is trying to fabricate Dekton as if it was a granite or quartz composite. You will fail if you use the same tools, speed rates, and so on. Another common mistake is trying to cut Dekton in uneven support. It is a common source of problems too.

Sometimes people ask about what machine is best to cut Dekton. I believe the key is not the machine but the tools and proper maintenance. I have seen people with very modest equipment doing amazing things and the other way around.

7 Keys for Cutting Ultra-Compact and Sintered Dekton and Porcelain Materials

1. Water

It may seem too simple or too intuitive to matter, but less than adequate water AND hoses positioned incorrectly is the most common error causing headaches among cutting these materials.

2. Check your table level

One of the more overlooked aspects of successful cutting is, to the degree that your table is not level in the horizontal plane, vibrations will occur. This unevenness can result in chipping and likely breaking the edge of your slab.

3. Buy the right blade

As cliche, as it may sound, choosing the right blade for the material you are processing, is critical.

4. Removing tensioning strips

While each manufacturer of ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials may, or may not have tensioning strips built into the perimeters of each slab, if they are not removed before cutting, the slab is at higher risk of cracking or breaking.

5. Feed rate and RPMs

Using the same feed rate and RPMs you may be accustomed to when cutting other materials can be a recipe for trouble. Unlike fabricating more common materials such as marble and granite, we’ve seen the most success cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials when following a systemized approach is used.

6. Avoiding Plunging

While plunge cutting tends to be of little concern for most sawyers when cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials it can pose big problems resulting in cracking or breaking your slab.

7. Cutting Sinks

Projects requiring a sink cut-out can be an obstacle many fabricators dread. Since we already know plunging is not the ideal way to go about this, what are your options? When preparing a sink cut-out, it is advised to drill each of the four corners with a 1/2” core bit before to start initiating cutting.