Polish Epoxy Countertops: Remove Haze (600–3000 Grit)

Just installed an epoxy countertop and seeing a gray haze, faint swirls, or uneven reflections? Don’t panic—that milky cast is usually surface texture, not a ruined pour. The fix is a disciplined polishing routine that keeps things cool, clean, and flat. In this guide you’ll level micro-texture safely, tighten the scratch field in small steps, and finish with a crisp, high-gloss reflection that lasts.

Why Sanding & Polishing Matter

Epoxy cures hard, but the top few microns can record sanding mistakes and trap fine dust. If you jump straight to heavy compound, you’ll chase highs and generate heat that smears resin. A smart process does three things: (1) levels the tops of orange peel and dust nibs into a single plane, (2) refines the scratch field in predictable steps so polishing is fast, and (3) protects edges and corners where film build is thinnest.

Tools You’ll Need

• Random-orbit (DA) sander with variable speed and a firm pad (flats); thin foam interface for gentle crowns only.
• Hand blocks: one firm mini-block (1–3 in.) for edges and tight spots; one thin foam pad for profiles.
• Wet/dry silicon-carbide sheets: 600, 1200, 3000 (optional 2000 between 1200 and 3000 for extra clarity).
• Spray bottle with clean water + one drop of dish soap (lubricant), rubber squeegee, lint-free microfibers.
• Compounds: a medium cut and a finishing polish; foam cutting and finishing pads (keep them clean).
• Vacuum with brush head; painter’s tape to protect sharp edges and adjacent walls/splash.
• Raking/inspection light; straightedge for quick flatness checks.
• PPE: respirator (P100), eye protection, nitrile gloves; work in cool shade.

Recommended Grit Sequence

• 600 grit (wet): Primary leveling to remove dust nibs, micro-orange peel, and light scratches.
• 1200 grit (wet): Refinement—erases 600 tracks and leaves an even, pre-polish haze.
• 3000 grit (wet): Pre-polish—minimizes compound time and risk of haze.

Step-by-Step: From Hazy to High-Gloss

1. Verify cure & prep the space. The surface should be fully sandable (no gumming). Mask walls and fixtures, remove loose debris, and set a raking light so texture is easy to read.
2. Flood for wet-sanding. Fill a spray bottle with water + one drop of dish soap. Lightly mist the surface. Keep a squeegee handy to quickly read progress.
3. Level at 600 (wet). Wrap a fresh sheet of 600 Grit (25-pack) around a firm block (or use a DA at low speed with a firm pad). With feather-light pressure, take long, overlapping passes. Squeegee every minute: your goal is a uniform, dull satin with no shiny nibs or dots (those are residual highs). Replace paper at the first hint of drag—dull sheets polish, then scratch.
4. Edge safety. Keep machines off knife-sharp corners; do edges by hand with the block, two or three strokes only. Most sand-through happens here.
5. Refine at 1200 (wet). Rinse the surface and swap to 1200 Grit (50-pack). Change your pass direction slightly (then finish with the countertop’s long dimension). Replace all 600 lines with a tighter, even field. Keep pressure low—heat smears epoxy.
6. Pre-polish at 3000 (wet). Rinse again and step to 3000 Grit (100-pack). You’re not trying to “shine” with paper—just leaving a uniform, fine haze that compounds erase quickly. Under raking light, the sheen should look evenly dull-bright with no visible 1200 tracks.
7. Clean thoroughly. Rinse, vacuum runoff, and dry with lint-free microfibers. Wipe once more with clean water; avoid solvents that can soften young films.
8. Compound, then polish. Start with a medium compound on a foam cutting pad at low–medium speed. Keep the pad flat, work small sections, and stop once the 3000 haze clears. Wipe, inspect under raking light, then switch to a finishing polish/pad for full depth and clarity.
9. Edge & detail finishing. If edges still read dull, hand-polish them with the finishing polish. Skip aggressive machine work on corners.
10. Final inspect & protect. After the surface cools, inspect from multiple angles. If a stubborn trail remains, re-enter locally at 1200 → 3000 (wet), then quick compound/finish. Avoid placing hot items or heavy appliances on fresh polish for 24 hours.

Special Cases

Stubborn dust craters or bumps: Spot-level with 600 on a firm mini-block until the crater walls flatten, then blend out with 1200 → 3000. Don’t try to grind a deep pit flat across the whole counter—accept a tiny divot or plan a localized fill and re-sand after cure.
Soft or under-cured epoxy: If sheets blacken quickly or the surface smears, stop and allow more cure time. Gummy resin can’t be finished cleanly.
Heat-sensitive areas (near cooktops): Keep speeds low and sessions short; heat haze can appear if you dwell too long.

Pro Tips

• Flat backer = flat reflection. Use a firm pad/block on flats; thin foam only for gentle crowns.
• Read with a squeegee. Wipe slurry every minute—shiny islands mean you haven’t fully leveled at the current grit.
• Fresh sheets over pressure. The moment cut slows, rotate to a new quadrant or sheet. Pressure creates heat and swirls.
• Crosshatch, then flow. Slight angle change at each grit exposes leftover scratches; finish passes with the long run of the countertop.
• Keep pads clean. Spur or swap pads often; a contaminated pad reintroduces scratches you’ll chase later.

Aftercare

• Use cutting boards and trivets; epoxy is tough but not scratch- or heat-proof.
• Clean with pH-neutral soaps and soft cloths; avoid abrasive cleaners and scouring pads.
• If micro-swirls appear months later, a quick 3000 (wet) pass and a finishing polish restore clarity fast.
• Maintain a dust-free environment if you ever recoat; dust nibs are faster to prevent than to remove.

FAQs

• Can I start at 800 instead of 600? Yes—if texture is mild. If shiny peaks remain after a brief 800 pass, drop to 600 to finish leveling, then continue the ladder.
• Do I have to sand wet? For clarity steps on epoxy, wet-sanding keeps things cool and clean. Dry shaping is fine at coarse grits on wood; for epoxy finishing, keep it wet.
• Why do I see haze after polishing? Usually incomplete refinement. Revisit that zone with 1200 → 3000 (wet), then compound lightly and finish polish.
• Machine or by hand? Hand blocking gives the flattest plane. Machines are fine on big, flat fields if you keep speed low and the pad dead-flat.
• What about going to 2000 first? Optional. If you want extra insurance against compound haze, add a 2000 step between 1200 and 3000.

Watch & Learn

Closing: A glassy epoxy countertop is a process, not a product. Keep it cool, clean, and flat: 600 (wet) to level, 1200 (wet) to refine, 3000 (wet) to pre-polish—then compound and finish. Stock the exact sheets so you can stay disciplined at each stage: clear texture quickly with 600 Grit (25-pack), tighten the field with 1200 Grit (50-pack), and set up a fast polish with 3000 Grit (100-pack). Follow the ladder and your reflection will look like still water.