The following question was asked by Kathy:
I have just moved into a house that is 6 years old that has corian counter tops. There is a big stain which we tried to bleach out, however it has appeared to just change the color a bit.
There are a number of different manufacturers of solid surface materials. This stuff is fantastic! Cut it, scratch it, burn it, and you can still get it looking back to it original appearance. It is non-pourous so if bleach did damage the surface, it will not have damaged the material beneath. Start by clearing the damaged area, and give yourself room to work. You will need a vacuum, sand paper (120grit, 250 grit) scotch brite pads (which are typically green scrub pads for scrubbing your dishes). These are avaliable in different coarsenesses, and although purple is ideal, the common green ones will work as well. Start with the 120 grit sandpaper, sanding the area that is damaged to remove the offending marks. Work in a circular motion, being sure not to sand too deep in any one spot (or your counter will be uneven) The 120 grit will leave a matte finish, so depending on your finish this may be enough to remove the scratches and dull spots. You can use a palm sander, but it will create a lot more dust, and if your not careful you can sand away too much material. For a glossier finish use the 250 grit, and then the scotch brite pad. I have had some installers that keep going all the way up to a 600 grit very fine sandpaper. There are products that will restore a glossy shine, but one installer suggested using pledge furniture polish, to return the lustre and match the surrounding counter top. In any case your counter was very expensive, for the reason that it can be made to look brand new very easily. Even if you are not up to the task any Solid Surface Counter installation company would refinish your counter at a minimal expense in a couple of hours.
