Scratches & Chips: Prevention and Repair

How Scratch-Resistant Each Surface Really Is

All the premium surfaces we install resist everyday scratches well, but there is a hierarchy. Knowing where your material lands helps you set the right expectations and habits.

• Sintered stone (Dekton, Neolith, Lapitec): among the hardest surfaces available, extremely scratch-resistant
• Porcelain (XTONE, SapienStone): very scratch-resistant on the fired surface
• Quartz (Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone): harder than granite and highly scratch-resistant for daily use
• Granite & quartzite: very hard natural stones that resist scratching well
• Marble: the softest of the group and the easiest to scratch or scuff

Prevention Beats Repair

The best repair is the one you never need. A few simple habits keep every surface looking flawless:

• Always cut on a cutting board, never directly on the stone, even if it's hard enough to take it
• Lift heavy pots and appliances rather than dragging them across the surface
• Keep grit and sand wiped up, which is easy to track in near the beach and acts like sandpaper
• Avoid abrasive scouring pads that leave fine scratches in polished finishes

Fixing a Scratch

Light surface scratches can sometimes be buffed out, but the approach depends on the material. Minor marks on quartz may improve with a gentle rub of a soft-scrub product and a non-abrasive pad. For natural stone, light scratches can often be honed and repolished by a professional. Deep scratches in any surface usually call for a pro, since DIY buffing can dull the finish if done too aggressively.

Fixing a Chip

Chips typically happen at edges and corners from a hard impact, like a dropped cast-iron pan. Small chips can often be repaired with a color-matched epoxy or resin filler:

• Clean and dry the chipped area completely
• Fill with a color-matched stone or quartz epoxy, slightly overfilling
• Let it cure fully, then level it flush with a razor blade held flat
• For visible or large chips, have a fabricator do the repair for a seamless match

When to Call a Pro

Hairline scratches you can barely feel are usually cosmetic, but chips at a seam, sink edge or corner are worth a professional's eye so the fix is durable and invisible. Softer edge profiles also resist chipping better than sharp ones, which is worth considering up front on our edge profiles page. Have a damaged spot? Send us a photo and we'll advise.