My thoughts...your stone is beautiful!

The things that can't be changed: It is a natural product so there will be variations in color. There have to be seams; stone slabs can only be so large. It is easier to see tonal differences in lighter stone. The linear pattern of the stone makes it much trickier to match as well.

You noted 2 solutions. My input is that whenever we have something brand new, we want it to be perfect. Usually, over time, we become more accepting of imperfections. Truely manmade items can be very perfect & regular, but what you see in nature has imperfections and irregularity. If you keep the stone (but they do need to fix that one seam edge), I suspect that, as the rest of your kitchen decor is flushed out, it will become less noticeable to you. (And you must resist the temptation to point it out to everyone who comes over!!)

The quest for the "perfect" match of your stone, which includes buying another slab, has no guarantee that you won't have some problem with that match as well. It's expensive too. So, that's a gambling question for you to decide.

If it were me, I would keep the stone after going through my thought process above. I don't know if this helps you at all. I hope it gets easier for you!

Beautiful, beautiful stone. We have the luce di luna also but no seams so we didn't run into the matching problem. As Doonie says, it probably will be nearly impossible to get a better match due to the characteristics of the stone. A while ago someone posted a picture of a asymmetrical curved seam that was quite lovely. I can't remember if it was done just for the fun of it or to help to disguise the fact that the color and veining couldn't be matched. Maybe something like this would be helpful---sort of the idea of making it look deliberate instead of a mistake. However, I must say I also agree with Doonie that over time you won't notice what seems to jump out at you now. Our stone has a few places where it looks like we have oil stains on it. These spots were there when we bought the stone and no one knew what they were or could remove them. We liked the luce di luna so much we bought it anyway and now I really don't "see" the spots anymore although they are still there. HTH

I agree with doonie. I really think that in time, you won't notice the color variation or the veins that don't line up. Your kitchen is a perfect example though of why I like seams at the sinks instead of in the middle of a run of counters though. A short seam at the front and back of the sink or cooktop would not have been nearly as noticeable.

that quartzite is absolutely stunning though. i mean it is really, really incredible!! You could not have chosen a more perfect material for your counter tops!! I hope they can get it all fixed up to your satisfaction.

Doonie-

Was your Fabricator trying to get everything out of one or two slabs?

The seam (what you REALLY have a problem with) can be "popped" , re-dressed,
and re set - way tighter than what is shown. This is NOT rocket science and
good Fabricators know how to do this right the first time. However -
your situation is further complicated by the mis-aligned seam and the
peninsula that was OBVIOUSLY cut WRONG by your fabricator.....

Your peninsula looks "odd" to me - like you only had "so much stone" to work with-
hence my question about trying to "squeeze" everything out of one or two slabs...

Adding the walnut top that would butt up against the stone on the peninsula -IMHO -
screams out = "Hey I screwed this up"..... Not what I would do.......

The last pic clearly shows ME that the stone was cut "short" and now you have
to "jerry rig" a solution... I am surprised that your Fabricator went along with this
battle plan - unless I am missing something OR I did not read your OP well...

Nope - I didn't read it wrong.... just went back and re-read it..... looks like
you knew what you wanted - but your fabricator screwed the job up...

OK - My here's professional opinion on this is:

For a kitchen application of THIS CALIBER (you have a potential "show quality" app that
could EASILY be featured in a Design Magazine or competition - I would
insist that
1. the job gets re-done entirely
- or -
2. the seam is re-done
- and -
3. the peninsula gets re-made to the correct size and set properly.

IMHO - CLEARLY your Fabricator was "asleep at the wheel" on this - it shows me that
he does NOT have a lot of experience through out the various phases of
the project (bad seams, mis-aligned pieces, wrong size of peninsula and
further comittment to set it anyways)

Hit your "re-set" button - do NOT pay in full for this - either get him to re-do
or get a new Fabricator to start all over - this project is WAY too cool to settle for
anything less....

I know it's easier for ME to say this than to carry it all out on your part - but...
You asked for advice.......... I consult on stuff like this for a living, and
you would NOT BELIEVE some of the absolute CRAP that I see coming from
so-called "professionals".... this project has SO MUCH potential to be a show
piece application - why should you compromise and settle for 2nd or even 3rd class??????

Remember the hallmark motto of Mercedes Benz:

"Das Beste Oder Nichts"

(The BEST or NOTHING)

hth

kevin

Thanks everyone. I too think that the colour variation will be less noticeable to me as time goes on, once the backsplash is done, the walls are painted, etc. My dh already says he does't notice it so much. BUT, it is there, and always will be.

Kevin - thank you for the advice. The fabricators were working with one slab only. My cabinet maker saw their plan for where to take the three pieces, and says that it did look like the most obvious way to get three (large) pieces out of the one slab. The 15" walnut overhand (essentially the 'bar' portion of the counter) was planned for all along - I've seen wood flush up to stone on other counters and it looks great. I'll try to post a pic so you see what I'm getting at. Our cabs are walnut as well.

Starting from the beginning with the counters - first, I'm sure they won't go there. The manager who came out last week immediately apologized for the obvious finishing errors on the peninsula run, said it was clearly unacceptable - he told us that of course they would remove those two pieces, correct the problem and re-install. At the re-install they would do a better seam at my "real" problem area. It doesn't look like there is a better match in the remnants remaining of my one slab. Also, I REALLY DON'T want to remove the almost 10' run that includes the prep sink and cooktop - it is perfection.

If I understand correctly, my slab was simply one cut off the same large piece of quartzite. If Ciot (they are the people with the stone, two hours from here) has other slabs from the same piece (which I think they probably do), in theory should I not end up with a second slab with near identical colour variation? Then we can take a piece from the top 'whiter' end of the slab? As I said, I'm sure my fabricator won't pay for slab, I expect they would do the job for me, but I'd have to pay for the whole slab. I'd rather not, but it may be the only choice at this point if I want a perfect counter. I live in a medium-sized city, this is an expensive, unusual stone (for this area anyway). The fabricator doesn't think they'd be able to sell the remainder of my second slab - they don't want to be stuck with it.

I certainly feel like I have the weight of multiple slabs on me at this point.

This is a situation where the two slabs should have been purchased from the beginning rather than trying to get everything out of one slab. Sure, it's more expensive for you to have purchased two slabs, but if perfection is your goal, well, perfection costs. If you were trying to stretch the budget with only one slab purchased, then you have as good as it's going to get, minus them addressing the seam alignment issue.

You're right Holly. Although no one even suggested to us that we needed two slabs to do the job properly. We never told them that we could only do one slab - we asked how many slabs were needed given our dimensions, the fabricator said one. A little more communication from them might have been helpful, or a warning when the colour issues became apparent.

I'm considering other uses if we need to purchase a new slab. We intend to make a round or triangular island for the kitchen over the next couple of months. I hadn't thought about counter, but obviously we could use the quartzite.

We are considering buying the new slab provided the fabricator does all the finishing and installation on their bill - which they pretty much have to do regardless.

OMG! That stone is SO beautiful!!!!

I would not try to match the pattern or the color. That IS the beauty of natural stone. Of course the edge has to be redone but not the slabs themselves. I love the slight variation so that it does not look like a manmade material.

Trying to match natural stone and line up everything is against the grain (pun intended) of using such a material.

Once you have the wood counters next to the white stone, the contrast will overshadow the contrast between the slabs.

I simply LOVE your choice. Dont tinker it with anymore (after they fix the edge).

Kevin,
I am so glad you posted. I could not agree with you
more. My heart breaks for Sochi and her stone. In
the words of Dr. Phil. "What were they thinking?"
~boxer

Sochi,
Your kitchen is beautiful. Your taste is impeccable.
I think you are being way to kind and accomodating to your
installer. And I tend to respect stone artists. Unless
they give you 1/2 off I would have them fix the errors.
Please don't pay them until they do.

The beautiful baby in the photo deserves to use perfect
stones in a lovely kitchen. Sending get well wishes to
your beautiful counters.
~boxer

Ps. I love all your kitchen Elements can't wait to see
it all done.

Thanks boxerpups and pharaoh! You're both very kind. I'm leaning towards buying another slab (assuming I can get a sister slab from the same stone) and going for the better match. Pharaoh - it isn't the vein matching I'm concerned about now, that really isn't as critical in this stone, it is the colour. I will have a seam somewhere where the colours will not match, given the nature of the slab and the size of my counters. I just don't want that mis-match to be where it is currently located.

Kevin - how much stone do I need behind and in front of the cooktop to allow the fabricator to safely put the seam there? Is quartzite very different to work with than granite? Is it know to be more / less fragile in these situations? What should I expect for seam width? I know 1/16 is industry standard, but what should I demand from these fabricators? The current seam is a hair wider than 1/16 on the counter, but is 1/8th on the front lip. The other seam isn't much better, but it isn't as noticeable given (a) the location (b) the better colour match.

Kevin, here is a picture of what we planned to do with the walnut counter meeting with quartzite flush on the peninsula:

In part I'm considering plunging in to get the slab because I can use more stone elsewhere. We planned on having a round island, like the one in the link below, so I could use the same counter. We also need a new stone for our fireplace hearth - perhaps I could use it there?? (go to the Walnut and Silver kitchen on the site).

Here is a link that might be useful: beautiful walnut circular island

Yeah, I'd get a redo from the cooktop right. I have no fabricating experience, but I don't see why they had to put a seam through the striations when one parallel to the striations would be far less visible. It's not that great a distance, they could have marked out that area first on the slab. I guess that's what distinguishes the fabricator that's an artist from one that's a grunt.

bumping up for new questions for Kevin and others.

Sochi-

I KNOW the old saying of:
"If could-haves, would-haves, should-haves, if's and but's
were CHIPS AND NUTS...
the whole WORLD would NEVER STARVE"
applies here, and I don't want to get a sore foot from kicking a dead horse.....

but.........

first of all - your fabricators should have used 2 slabs for the project to have
gotten a showpiece result. Yes I know that Quartzite is more expensive per
square foot that many other Granites - but the extra cost would have been
worth it for the end result that you now do NOT have....

as far as seams go - from your description - IMHO your fabricator is a rank amateur..
Seams can be made to have NO GAP between the two halves of the stone -
I TEACH this technique for cryin out loud!!!! IT CAN BE DONE BY HAND!!!!

A "dual seam" at the cooktop - one at the left side and one at the right side -
both front and back - might have stretched the stone to the right -
(looking at the counters facing your cooktop)
enough to have given you enough stone to have gotten the overhang dimension
so you didn't have to do the walnut thingy (which is going to show wear
WAY faster than the stone would have)

A guy with more "pro level" experience would have "floated" that idea BEFORE fabrication
started. This guy did not - which tells me he does NOT have a lot of jobs
under his belt, or, he was clearly distracted by other things that held his attention more..
Did you have Boxerpups on the project ? - maybe he was captivated by her
good taste and just couldn't focus on your counters, but then - IF Boxerpups
would have been your designer - this clearly would NOT have happened...HA!!!

Seriously - your fabricator is not up to a re-do if this is his "best effort" "coming
out of the chute" - Tell me you have not paid in full for the job...

IF you get another slab - I would look for a new Fabricator (with a Capitol "F")
that CAN handle a project like this. Quartzite is NOT the easiest material to
work - it is way harder that many Granites and can be frustrating for guys
to hone and poilsh, but it can be done - you need to have a real "PRO" do the
"re-do" - not a beginner.....

hth

kevin

I just put a deposit on this stone for my new bath addition. I was second-guessing this expensive choice until I saw these gorgeous countertops. Maybe it's the photo, but I don't see a huge color variation. It is stunning. I came to this thread because I was concerned about the price my fabricator gave me. ($6800 for 30SF w/ about 20 linear ft. of ogee edge). I guess this is just an expensive stone. I have a 70 year old home so I am opting for a more traditional-looking ogee edge. I have only seen pictures of this stone in more modern room such as the kitchen pictured here. Has anyone seen White Macaubas (aka LDL) with an ogee edge in a more tradional home?

I love your countertop and have never seen or heard of it before and now I have to go look at it. of course everything I like ends up being so expensive. But on another note - can youtell me what kind of wood floors you have in the kitchen. I love them for my husband's office. Can you include information on plank size, pre-finished or not etc.

This Kevin character seems to be overegging things...short on work and trying to get this customer to start again with you? Apart from the 2 small errors, they have done a good job and it looks great. They told you at the beginning what they were buying, what sizes of yours they would provide, and what the cost of that was. You bought on that basis, and you saw the material...so it was obvious that there were stripes and colour variation, and therefore that you would get a variation. Therefore you have no claim either morally or contractually, and Kevin attempting to suggest this is ridiculous. However, everyone has a different level of fussiness and you cant always picture something until installed. So if something really would bug you, then obviously you have to put your hand in your pocket to buy more. They have been out to look, told you they will rectify and have booked to rectify..what more can they do? I would suggest given it bothers you that you purchase the second slab and use the extra material for island/ bathrooms/ windowsills. You should pay for the extra material slab cost, and whatever elements of polishing/cutting are required for additional pieces. They should not imo charge you for fitting, but should charge you for any new templating unless you can provide them with drawings instead. We install 500 granite tops a year and have done so since 2004. A seam of 2.5mm +/- 0.5mm is acceptable. The pieces have to be resined together and that resin has some thickness, and providing it is done cleanly, then this looks good. Also stone chips slightly when cut, and this is smoothed with a very small bevel to remove the sharpness so there is always a minimum gap. Hope this helps, and Kevin give this fabricator a break the 2 issues are minor and he is fixing them.

Ps I have no relationship with your fabricator or even know who he is as you haven't said, just didnt like Kevin's exaggerations and felt another view was required.

4 years later???? You, who do 500 counters a year feel the need to interject your ''expert'' opinion in here? 500 counters a year? LOL! Amateur. Out of a shed in the back yard with a garden hose, angle grinders, and a fourth hand bridge saw, no doubt? My main fabricators do 500 counters in two weeks time. CNC. Water jet. State of the art. My secondary fabricators do 500 a month. A lot of hand edging still going on there. No 2.5mm seams though. They'd hang their heads in shame at doing that sloppy work.

Are you even aware of the MIA? Do you own a copy of the handbook. Do you know who contributed heavily to that handbook? Kevin. That's who.

You might want to move your pitiful attempt at garnering business for your little internet company on down the line.

Not even worth responding to.

Technically 6 Sophie, wink, wink................