Marble - how to sand or grind

[Alan Zoff]

I have a wooden kitchen unit fitted with a marble work-top. I now want to use it as an island unit and would like to shape the rear edge of the marble top (which has a plain vertical edge at the rear as it has been against the wall) to match the three other finished edges which have been chamferred. It will then have the same finished edge on all four sides.

Anyone got any tips on what equipment/materials I might use on marble to get the chamferred edge? Is there a particular grinding stone I can put in my electric drill, for example? Do I need grinding pastes?

I've asked at a couple of DIY stores and searched on the net but haven't had any joy.

[Val_2]

Do as I did with the odd bit of granite to finally finish off the front part of my hob top and that was get the local funeral maçon to water polish the edge and take a little bit off. My original tops were water finished with a champhered edge too as these places have the proper equipment and it wouldn't cost a lot either.

[powerdesal]

I used an angle grinder with a stone cutting disc for chamfering the

edge then fine wet and dry (wet) until the surface was polished to

match the rest.

[Alan Zoff]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Will give the DIY approach a try first but if it looks as if I will make a mess of it, the monumental stonemason is an interesting option. (It's one activity in rural central France that remains thriving business!)

[Jonzjob]

"(It's one activity in rural central France that remains thriving business!)"

Well people are dying all the time to use it [:-))]!! (sorry about that?)

When I did a slate table top, table still not made yet, I had and old Black & Decker finishing sander attachment for my drill. I used this with first 120 wet & dry and worked my way down to 400. It was used wet, carefully, and the finish is lovely. The top is about 2 foot by 4 foot and was a fairly good sawn finish. If you use an angle grinder that will do the donkey work. Then use the wet & dry on a peice of wood and that will give a nice sharp chamfer. If you want a softer chamfer then fold a bit of cloth under the wet & dry. But use plenty of water, it will stop the abrasive clogging.

If you are using a modern finishing sander be carefull. A lot of them have a dust extraction system and may well suck any water up and through the motor. Not a good idea, either for the motor or the operator!