Where Are Your Granite Seams?

13 years ago

My granite guy recommends putting the seam in the middle of the sink cutout. He says that gives me the smallest seam. I asked him if I should be concerned about having a seam at a high water area and he said this should not be an issue. My other option would be a full width cut where the counter turns a 90 degree angle. What do you all think about having the seam at the sink? Anyone experienced problems with this?

Thanks!

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Comments (15)

craftlady07
13 years ago
my counters were just installed a week ago so no issues at all, but my seam is at my faucet behind my sink and you can't even tell its there. I think it's the least conspicuous spot they could've picked for it. Almost every person who has seen my counters thinks that its all one piece. I send them on a scavengar hunt for the seam and nearly everyone has passed it and had to come back and I have to give them "cold, warm, hot" clues to find it. :)
cairnqueen
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks craftlady. That's pretty much what the granite guy said. The faucets hide most of the seam. It sounds reasonable to me but I don't want to make a stupid mistake without getting some input from folks with personal experience.
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Thanks all, very very helpful info. Boxerpups, special thanks for these great photos, would never guess where the seams are in your counters. If things would work out so well for us, I would prefer they use caution with my handpicked slab and add a seam. You make a very good point about my confidence in the fabricator also. I think that must be the true source of my uneasiness. I do feel they are competent because they give all the right answers to questions (that I learned to ask from this forum), and they are well established in this area, but I just didn't click with the salesman and I only overlooked that because our contractor, who is wonderful, overall likes them. The owner also is great. So every time the salesman tells me something, I don't trust him. So I think what I will do is ask about their ability to hide seams and show them your photos if you don't mind--to give them an idea what our expectations are. Then I can put this to rest and move on. Thanks so much again everyone! And please stay tuned for backsplash questions, that is the next step!!
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I would have them seam it, take the money and buy something pretty - vase, rooster, fancy espresso machine - to sit on top of the seam. If the grain/pattern is truly directionless you won't even see the seam in a week. You can either inspect the slabs before they seal the seam, or you can actually take scraps and hold them next to each other, if you can turn the scraps any which way, and they still seem to match at a distance, it should look fine. Maybe someone here will comment on seam placement. My kitchen counters are seamed at the faucet, which is supposed to be an inconspicuous place, because the faucet base splits up the seam - at first it drove me crazy because I saw it every time I looked at the faucet, now I have to look to notice it.
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If you go to the thread called "Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!", about 1/3 down that thread there is a posting called "Stone information and Advice (checklist)". You should read that link, which discusses everything you'd need to know about stone, including seam placement. Our fabricator would not do a seam at the sink. There are several other places to do a seam in a kitchen, and you want to support a heavy sink with no weak points.
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Laurie
13 years ago
We went with option 2 (see pic below)- back and front edge of sink. It's been 2-3/4 years and no problems.
blfenton
13 years ago
Interesting and I guess I'll be the counter-argument in this one. I know that there has to be a seam in the granite - but do I want to be looking at it all the time when cleaning up? No, I don't. Our seam is not in the sink area but it is (if you look at laurie 2008:option 1) instead of going straight up it goes around the corner and straight to the left. The sink counter is all one piece from corner to corner.
This isn't about our guests seeing it, it is about me seeing it. And the installers did such a great job you really have to look for it to find it and see it.
MCMesprit
13 years ago
Our granite was just installed last week and the one seam was put in the corner of the L-shape counter top (several feet from the sink). We were concerned it would still show too much because the granite has lots of movement that is difficult to match. But they did a great job. There is also a seam in the 4-inch back splash and that they did place directly behind the faucet.

One concern: if you do get a seam in the counter top granite near the sink cut-out, make sure that they reinforce the granite with steel rods in front of the sink. Our installers do this with all granite installs wherever the granite is narrow (like around sinks) but they mentioned that it is particularly important if there is a seam near a narrow portion.
isletwoisle
13 years ago
Our seam is just where Laurie 2008 has hers (option 2), and like craftlady said with her seam, most people think our counter is all one piece (it's a giant island...13' long, and not even possible that it could be one piece, but we love that people think it is!) Our fabricator did a great job.
mountaineergirl
13 years ago
Our seam is close to the corner, a few inches over. Our granite installer will not do seams at the sink because it leaves those areas weaker. So, as mentioned above - I'd get it reinforced with rods or whatever.
Buehl
13 years ago
Our seams are not in our cutouts. One is a 25" inches to the left of our cleanup sink and the other is a 3" inches to the right of our cooktop cutout.
rob from nj
13 years ago
Ours is right down the center of the sink. You can't see the one at the faucet and the front is barely noticeable.
xand83
13 years ago
We have it at the 90 degree angle. I think it depends on your stone. The more movement, the less you'll notice a seam. But I think it would bother me at the sink. It would just seem off, to me.

Ours is just to the right of the outlet.
limom_2bts
13 years ago
Our fabricator also does not do seams at the sink. I left the seam decision to him, since he's been working with granite for over 25 years...figured he knew better than I what would work best. The seam is about 1 inch to the left of the 90 degree angle of my peninsula, front to back. I have Colonial Gold, which has flowing veins and the flows run perpendicular at the seam. When I first saw the granite installed the seam really stood out but after a day I realized you don't even notice. My DDs concur and if ANYone would tell me the truth it's certainly them!
kitchenaddict
13 years ago
Hi fran...

Here's my seam at the sink...right between the faucet and the air gap...

My fabricator has 25 yrs experience..so I didn't question his work...No problems so far.

KA:)
kitchenaddict
13 years ago
Opps...I meant hi cairnqueen!!

KA:)
sayde
13 years ago
Does it make any sense to have seams on either side of the faucets and to get a spare piece so that if you ever want to change a faucet you have a spare piece that matches the rest of the counter?
boxerpups
13 years ago
Hi Cairnqueen,

My seams were not at the sink. I know this is common. I
think my installer wanted to do something artistic with the
pattern and movement of my stone.

Seams at the sink are perfectly fine and I have seen
it done here on GW. I would not worry too much. The important
things is are the seams nicely closed with a tiny almost
insignificant space.
Here is a picture of mine...

Can you see the seam? It is almost invisible.

This below is NOT my seam but I love this image to
explain seams for those thinking about granite.

How seams are held together while the glue dries

Where Are Your Granite Seams?

Comments (15)

craftlady07

cairnqueen
Original Author

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Where Are Your Granite Seams?

Comments (15)

cairnqueenOriginal Author

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cairnqueen
Original Author