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Thread: Can quartzite countetops be rounded over after installation

  1. #1
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    Sep 2016
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    Can quartzite countetops be rounded over after installation

    Bought a house with quartzite countertops. There is one corner that sticks out into traffic. It should have been radiased to maybe one inch. Instead it is almost a sharp 90 degrees that bites you hip and may break off in time. Can that be rounded over in place or does it have to go back to the shop? It can not really be removed without breaking the joints.
    Bill D

  2. #2
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    I have a new (to me) kitchen island with a concrete composite top. Like yours, one edge was sharp and rough. I spent about 3 hours over a weekend - 15 minutes at a time using coarse wet/dry sandpaper to take the edge off.

    Quartzite is harder, but it can't hurt to try a little elbow grease.

    https://icestoneusa.com/

  3. #3
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    Belt sander? I'm not familiar with Quartzite but when we did Corian countertops I did the shaping in place. Yeah, it made a mess.

  4. #4
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    If it were Corian or similar, I'd say "yes" immediately (or even soapstone which we have that is workable), but I believe that Quartzite is a different animal and more "stone like" in how it's made compared to other solid surface materials. You may want to check with a local fabricator who installs it to see where the skeletons lie with what seems like a simple modification. I suspect it can be done in-situ, but it may require either suitable tools and/or suitable expertise to avoid something like unsightly chipping.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
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    Oct 2019
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    If just a small radius will do, perhaps try diamond sharpening stones to shape the quartzite. Then polish to required sheen.
    If a larger radius is desired or needed, then perhaps a diamond grinding wheel could be used on a small grinder. .... That'd be messy though ...
    Diamond tooling works on granite, so I'd imagine it'd work on quartzite as well.

  6. #6
    When it comes to rock, it seems anything's possible! There's a skywalk about a block from our house, goes over a 4 lane highway to access the middle school across the street. On the other side, the concrete 'offramp' (landing, footing?) to the main sidewalk was like a 6 or 7" drop, which I assume didn't go over well with the wheelchair and ADA crowd. Don't know who did the work but someone ground down, sloped and polished the edge-- it's smooth as glass, and beautiful! - it looks like anything BUT what was a slab of concrete! Someone may make countertops like its done, but I've never seen anything like it. I need jump on the Segway and get a pic of it and post it up
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
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  7. #7
    Join Date
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    So everyone is on the same page, here's a description of this stuff...I don't think it's going to be DIY based on this.

    "Quartzite is a strong and durable stone that is a popular countertop surface choice. When sandstone is heated and pressurized, it converts into quartzite stone slabs with quartz pieces that emit a decorative crystalline appearance. Quartzite kitchen countertops are resistant to heat and stains, and with proper sealing, lower maintenance than other natural stones. Quartzite countertop designs run anywhere from light, earthy hues to bold, dramatic veins. Natural quartzite countertops are ideal for residential and commercial applications including kitchens and bathrooms."
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
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    Here's another bit of info. "When cutting Quartzite, you will need to make sure you are using the correct Quartzite Blades. These blades are specially designed to work with this incredibly hard stone. If you try to use a normal granite blade, you will find it takes forever, you have to make multiple passes, and will have problems with chipping. This is a huge problem on miter edges. Our Assault QTZ Quartzite Blade is specifically designed to cut Quartzite quickly, in one pass, and with minimal chipping."
    https://www.basicdiamond.net/blog/do...ith%20chipping.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Williams View Post
    When it comes to rock, it seems anything's possible! There's a skywalk about a block from our house, goes over a 4 lane highway to access the middle school across the street. On the other side, the concrete 'offramp' (landing, footing?) to the main sidewalk was like a 6 or 7" drop, which I assume didn't go over well with the wheelchair and ADA crowd. Don't know who did the work but someone ground down, sloped and polished the edge-- it's smooth as glass, and beautiful! - it looks like anything BUT what was a slab of concrete! Someone may make countertops like its done, but I've never seen anything like it. I need jump on the Segway and get a pic of it and post it up
    I finally went over there and took some pics--
    on the left was the high side, which was more likely around a 4" drop rather than a 6 or 7 inch drop ...
    anyway, it was ground down to about 1/2" above the base cement-
    pcon1.jpg

    It's lost some of its original shine but still looks nice. I wouldn't mind countertop that looked like this!
    pcon2.jpg
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
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    Diamond roundover bit in a router, wet if you can keep it at least misted as you cut. More water is probably better, connecting to a wet/dry vacuum to such up as much of the spray as possible will help. Will probably still take a while. Might well be easier to call a countertop guy with the right tool to come do it.

    Oops, I see now your rounding a different dimension. Cut with a diamond saw close to the line then follow with a diamond rtim bit tracking a template glued to the countertop. Same issues with dust and cooling the cutter. I'd still call a countertop installer.
    Last edited by roger wiegand; 05-13-2021 at 12:50 PM.

  11. #11
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    El Dorado Hills, CA, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    ...but I believe that Quartzite is a different animal and more "stone like" in how it's made ...
    To confirm, Quartzite is a natural material, not man-made. And definitely harder than granite.

  12. #12
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    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
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    Some sort of coarse diamond stone/paddle to shape it like you want, and polish it out with strips of the Aluminum Oxide films that Lee Valley sells. I'm sure there are other sources for that film, but I find it handy for all sorts of uses. You could also use diamond grit with a buffing wheel on a drill, or small polisher.

  13. #13
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    Nov 2013
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    Just want to mention that no matter which tools you try, protect your drawer slides. The dust will be very abrasive, and I've heard of whole kitchen's worth of slides being replaced due to the counter fabricator allowing too much dust/grit to get into the cabinets and ruining the slides.

  14. Quote Originally Posted by Lisa Starr View Post
    Just want to mention that no matter which tools you try, protect your drawer slides. The dust will be very abrasive, and I've heard of whole kitchen's worth of slides being replaced due to the counter fabricator allowing too much dust/grit to get into the cabinets and ruining the slides.
    Definitely this. The idiots who installed my counter eyeballed the cutout for the cooktop (literally I handed them a template and instead they took the cooktop and used a marker to trace out what they thought was the cutout) then enlarged it after installation when it didn’t fit. I spent some time blowing and cleaning the slides in that cabinet. Didn’t replace them but they still sound gritty.

    The plus side of that story is it’s definitely possible to cut with what appeared to be a standard diamond blade on an angle grinder. I have no idea how hard it is to polish, though.

    Bruce

  15. #15
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    Chipping would be bad. Dust could be bad. The cost of doing it right will be in the rear view soon enough. And think about a larger radius and other corners.

    Call a professional and use plastic and tape to protect the cabinets. You don't know what the pro will do but he will appreciate your efforts. If this is a very easy job the pro may do it on good will. They stand to make real money on a referral.

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