How to Renew a Scratched Countertop

Family HandymanFamily HandymanUpdated: Mar. 11, 2022

Make cultured marble shine again

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Introduction

Renew your bathroom vanity. Make a scratched, dull-looking cultured marble top look shiny again with an auto polisher and special cleaners and polish—and save the cost of replacement.

Tools Required

  • Buffer/polisher

Materials Required

  • Cultured marble polish
  • Medium-cut cleaner
  • Sandpaper

Polishing Cultured Marble

I was disappointed by how quickly my cultured marble countertop lost its shine, so one day I took out my auto polisher and went at it. What a difference. Cultured tops are made of polyester resin with a clear topcoat (called the gel coat). This is the same material that’s used with fiberglass and it buffs out beautifully. Removing the faucet makes it easier to buff the top.

Project step-by-step (3)

Step 1

Remove Surface Scratches

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First, wet-sand with 1,000-grit paper (available at auto parts stores) to remove small, shallow scratches and surface stains. Don’t try to remove deep scratches or deep stains. You’ll risk sanding right through the gel coat. Rinse and dry the top.

Step 2

Buffing

Next, buff with Meguiar’s Medium-Cut Cleaner or similar polishing compound (also available at auto parts stores). Cover the walls and floor before buffing. The buffing can be done by hand, but a small power buffer is much easier.

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Step 3

Protect New Finish

Finally, protect the restored finish with a coat of cultured marble polish (available at home centers and bath specialty stores). Follow the label directions.

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You may think some home repairs are out of your league, but even beginner DIYers can handle many of these fixes—and save a lot of money in the process!

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Originally Published: November 28, 2018