Search the forums

Loading
Home › Forums › House Chat › Kitchen and Bath

Quartz Seams

garybarbour's picture

Quartz Seams (post #206118)

garybarbour on Sat, 04/21/2012 - 12:17
in

How do I break the epoxy bond of a Quartz Countertop?

-A +A

Gary (post #206118, reply #1 of 6)

by
Moderator Badge
calvin in reply to garybarbour [original] on Sat, 04/21/2012 - 13:11

Wish that it didn't.

 

 

 

 

What kind of seam?   The small pc at the back of a slide in range?  That I've seen done.

Full depth counter?  That would be more difficult and maybe not as easy on the heart.

A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.


http://www.quittintime.com/

 

Keep in mind that "quartz" is (post #206118, reply #2 of 6)

by DanH in reply to garybarbour [original] on Sat, 04/21/2012 - 17:57

Keep in mind that "quartz" is a composite of resin and sand.  The "epoxy" joints are essentially the same resin material as the countertop itself, except without the sand -- the strength will be about the same and the bond between adhesive and countertop will be quite strong.

So "breaking" the joint is not at all guaranteed to produce a clean separation.

You could in theory take advantage of the fact that the epoxy can be cut with a knife, while the presence of the sand prevents this in the countertop material itself.  So a utility knife, eg, could at least partially penetrate the joint.  Whether you could go deep enough to produce a glass-like break is hard to say.


Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.  --Herman Melville

The only quartz I've seen (post #206118, reply #3 of 6)

by IdahoDon in reply to garybarbour [original] on Sun, 04/22/2012 - 14:47

The only quartz I've seen taken apart was a zodiak countertop and they just heated it up with a torch and the joint came apart like granite - maybe they were lucky, but it seems the melting point of normal epoxy is less than the stuff that holds it together.

 

Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.

Give your fein multicut or (post #206118, reply #4 of 6)

by hefnerconstructionlc in reply to garybarbour [original] on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 19:47

Give your fein multicut or rockwell multicut with a grout cleaning blade and saw the epoxy out very gently.  I would practice with some scrap material with epoxy to get the right feel for it.  Our you could try a ton of razorblade and soften the joint with acetone. Good luck

hef (post #206118, reply #5 of 6)

by
Moderator Badge
calvin in reply to hefnerconstructionlc [original] on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 19:53

I don't think they'd have a joint as wide as a grout blade and quartz wouild be murder on the grit.  Might stand a chance with the thinner diamond blade from Fein, but I doubt even that, the epoxy would probably just soften enough to fill in around it.

Still haven't found out if it's a full seam or just a range back.

A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.


http://www.quittintime.com/

 

Yeah, the seam in ours is (post #206118, reply #6 of 6)

by DanH in reply to
Moderator Badge
calvin [original] on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 03:24

Yeah, the seam in ours is maybe 1/32" -- wide enough that you might get a utility knife blade in, but not much else.  Though a plain combo blade might fit -- it would be able to cut through the epoxy.


Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.  --Herman Melville