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  • Polishing cut edges of granite tiles, possible, how?
  • midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Not the best photo, but nevermind. I’ve put a granite tile floor:

    http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Black-Polished-Natural-Granite-Floor-Tile-305x305mm/p/214561

    down in the downstairs loo, now I’m fitting out I’d quite like to use them on the window sill and on top of the bit of boxing in as a narrow shelf.

    The tops of the tiles are lovely and shiny, but the edges are dull(smooth but saw marks showing). Anything I can do to polish them up to shinyness, or coat them with so it doesn’t look half-assed? Cheers.

    northernmatt
    Full Member

    Our tiler used something like this around our window to hide the edges of the tiles. Nicer than the rounded bead stuff. Sits flush with the tiles on the wall as well so doesn’t stick out.

    http://www.toppstiles.co.uk/tprod4376/metal-trim-s-steel-ef-10mm-straight-edge.html

    This doesn’t help if you want them polished though!

    andysredmini
    Free Member

    I tried polishing some and it took forever. I ended up using a square edged brushed aluminium trim in the end and it looked better than the polished edges. Wasn’t cheap though.

    globalti
    Free Member

    Gloss varnish will make them look better but will accentuate the saw marks. Can’t you borrow an angle grinder and have a go at the edges with a new stone wheel? If you don’t move across too fast you should be able to get an even surface and then gloss varnish them.

    Otherwise ask a professional to do it for you.

    jonahtonto
    Free Member

    if you have or can borrow a car polisher, there are diamond polishing pads available for as little as £40.
    or if you have an angle grinder with speed control a sanding attachment with fine grit would probably work on a slow speed
    have you tried just going at them with an electric sander?

    (dust mask etc)

    dirksdiggler
    Free Member

    Take them to your local stone counter top place. They polish with graduated diamond grinding wheels and will knock that out pretty quick.
    Ive used a few installers for ceasarstone/corian. One small operation guy is amazing and brings everything pre polished done wet in his shop. One budget company missed finishing a few edges and ended up dry polshing on site with dust everywhere… Muppets. It didnt take long though.

    globalti
    Free Member

    When you do decide to have a go, it might be better if you clamped all the tiles together tightly edge on and tackled all the edges as one big job.

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    So I could give it a go on the offcuts with this set and see if it comes up well enough(bit worried my angle grinder would be too fast, cheapo single speed one)? I might take a sample to the worktop place or headstone maker for their opinion too. Cheers all.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-inch-Diamond-Polishing-pads-8-Piece-Set-Granite-Marble-Concrete-Stone-Wet-Dry-/

    juanking
    Full Member

    Stupid question time but here goes. Is the edge against the window equally as ‘nibbled’?

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Factory cut edge to right, plain cut with my standard plasplugs tile wet cutter on right. The factory edge has a little 1mm or so chamfer. When laying the floor, all my cut edges are hidden under floorboards except one corner so I had a go at it with the file and wet and dry to clean it up. For these little shelf bits, I can cut so only the current factory cut edges are on show, it’s these I’d like to bring up to shiny.

    jonahtonto
    Free Member

    how about using the side of the cutting disk on your tile cutter, as you would with a grinding disk?
    its going to wear out the disk faster but assuming your not going to do loads, it should be ok. worth a go?

    i might have a go at fitting a grinder sanding attachment to the wet tile cutter, but i have a history of breaking jury-rigged tools 😐

    Olly
    Free Member

    Electric hand held sander and reducing coarseness of emery paper, then a polishing compound?

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    Take them to an undetaker or monumental mason.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    If you want to polish up garnit you will need diamond grid pads. You can get hand pads for this but they are not cheap. Use wet for best results. You would need to get to at least 1500 grit IMO. It will take time.

    Full set of 8 here up to 3000 grit. £50

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Diamond-Professional-Hand-Pad-Polishing-Grinding-Sharp-edges-Polish-Pads-Grit-/201353619412?var=&hash=item2ee19c67d4:m:md2KUMC5VYU1HL9DGLJsijA

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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