Whilst a professionally installed granite bench top should not crack, if you were unlucky enough to hire a subpar installer or decided to take the task on yourself, you may find that it develops small cracks over time, especially if the bench is not properly cared for. You should always call in the professionals to repair the more serious cracks in granite surfaces, but smaller ones can easily be dealt with yourself.
Step 1: Thoroughly clean the surface of the granite around the crack using acetone or a solution of 50% ammonia and 50% warm water. Dry the area thoroughly using a soft cloth to prevent further damage.
Step 2: Visit your local stone supplier or hardware store and pick up some granite epoxy. Being sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, mix together enough of the hardener and the resin to last around 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3: You can then use the colour pigment kit that will endeavour to match the colour of the epoxy to your granite bench top. Make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly or you may find that the colour doesn’t match.
Step 4: Take a foam brush or artist’s palette knife and use it to spread the epoxy into the crack. You could even use a toothpick if the cracks are more hairline in nature. Wipe any excess epoxy off the granite immediately to prevent it hardening.
The cracks in your granite bench top are now filled in. To protect the epoxy from chips and other damage, you could apply some appropriate sealer over the areas where the cracks used to be. This will help to seal the epoxy against staining, discolouration and other problems that could affect the integrity of your stone.