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Crack in granite

13 years ago

So, I have gotten used to the brown splotch that I posted about, the more I look at the counter, the less obvious it seems. I spend a long time admiring my counter last night, it really is beautiful, and I found some specks of different colors that made it special. While I was doing this, I found a 3-4 inch, jagged crack about 4 inches from the seam, in middle of counter. It is rough, and not noticeable unless you were examining the counter like I was.

I left a note for the contractor, I assume this is a natural imperfection, but how do I know that this won't crack more?

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Comments (8)

stacieann63
13 years ago
I just had some small cracks and rough areas in my granite fixed Wed. It was installed in the beginning of March. I placed small pieces of frog tape over every spot I found questionable.(Busy granite) My KD called the fabricators and they came out right away. They even repaired areas I had not found. They say it common in exotic granite and to call them back if I find anything else.
You should have it fixed. Some granites have a lot texture, fissures like mine, but you should have cracks repaired. Good luck.
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boxerpups
13 years ago
OH NO!!! You must be really upset.
Do you have a picture?

I wonder if it is a fissure or a crack?
A crack would be alarming in that the support under may
not be enough. A fissure might just be a feature of the
stone. There are others on GW who have had cracks and they
were fixed. Hoping they come to check this out and fix it
if need be.

~ boxerpups

My granite cracked GW post
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1110531227461.html

By request: My soapstone fissure/crack (photos) GW
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0811290817075.html

Here is a link that might be useful: GW Crack in my granite
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Your installer broke your top and did a poor repair. Crack/fissure doesn't really matter, however, your satisfaction does. Is it broken in the front as well? This is inexcusable these days with the transport technology available. Hopefully, you're sitting on final payment.
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I am a fabricator. Tough problem. If the countertop was properly installed there is no mechanical stress on the granite and no reason for it to crack so the too tight faucet nut is at least possible. I would look along the underside of the countertop to see if it is shimmed so that every part has support. Typically the tops of the cabinetry are not perfectly level and the underside of the stone is also not perfectly flat so some shimming is required. if some section is not supported then a crack developing is quite possible. However, since granite has a compressive strength similar to concrete it's difficult to imagine tightening a faucet nut enough to harm the granite. In fact, it seems impossible to me. unless you can determine that the tops were improperly installed your best bet is to let the fabricator repair the crack. A well done repair will make the crack invisible or nearly so. you might ask the fabricator if the sink area is "rodded". Rodding is the technique used to strengthen the rails around the sink by glueing in a steel or fiberglass rod in the underside of the rail. the rod prevents movement much like rebar in concrete in the event a crack develops. A repair of the crack is much more likely to be permenant if the stone is rodded.
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You have a classic reinforcement rod failure. Your sink leaked, the water penetrated past the cheap polyester bedding the cold steel reinforcement rod, thereby oxidizing (expanding) it, and splitting the stone. There is no stone stronger than rust. You are going to get Craigslisters offering to fill it for several hundred dollars. That will work for about a month. The sink must be dropped, the rod(s) removed, the stone patched and/or the sink replaced with an apron style which will eliminate the repaired crack. Anyone charging less than $1,000.00 for this repair should be thrown out. Depending on the shape of your sink, please post a picture taken further back, you may need a custom sink replacement which could be north of 4K. Depending on the size of your kitchen, your sink's placement in the top layout, the rarity of your stone, and the availability of repair material, top replacement may be more cost effective. Your split is past your cutout; not good. Don't wait please. Not only is this terribly unsanitary, but your top will continue to self destruct. Elkay Quartz Luxe in Silvermist.
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If you can't replace the top for fifteen hundred bucks, I'd say fifteen hundred bucks is pretty reasonable. Your crack is still pretty small so the repair should be fairly inconspicuous. It will be permanent. Sooner is better, because now that the rod gets a daily bath from the crack in the top, it's going to explode. Literally.
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edmasbetsy
Original Author
13 years ago
Still waiting to hear from KD. I also noticed that the granite in this entire section is not as smooth as the other counters, does this mean anything??
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boxerpups
13 years ago
How was the granite supported?
Was it just laid over the cabs or was there a plywood base
above the base cabinets?
I like to have a plywood base before installing granite
on my counters. It provides a solid backing.

The fact that the slab is not smooth could be that it
is cracking all over from stress or it is indeed a fissure.
I wish I knew more but not seeing it I can only hazard
a guess.

Here is what I do know, fissures were created when the
stone was first formed. By God. Imagine a rock in your
garden. You will notice little lines or even what
looks like something an ice age may have created. The
line or cracks are from the layers of volcanic rock or
atmospheric changes from the Earth. But a crack would be if
someone stood on that rock or threw it and it shattered. A
counter that is falling or being stepped on will crack.

Fissures are naturally occurring and have no issue in the
stability of the stone. A crack is usually more obvious.
I have a couple images that might help you. But an expert
will need to check your stone out.

Hoping this gets fixed for you.
~boxerpups

Here is a link that might be useful: Granite broke after 6 months... grrr...
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edmasbetsy
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the pics. I think I am just paranoid, the KD could not find it, and after I did a better job cleaning the counter, is is much smoother. I will mark the spot for KD next visit, which will probably be the last one, we are 95% finished!!!
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boxerpups
13 years ago
What a relief!!!
It will all come together. Peace be with you this
Easter weekend.
~boxerpups
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edmasbetsy
Original Author
13 years ago
Follow-up, I am not sure what they did, but the rough area that I thought may be a crack was fixed. it is smooth now, and I am not concerned. Had to be a bit persistent but they fixed the problem.
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stacieann63
13 years ago
Glad to hear they came out and repaired the crack. I do feel bad that you had to be so "persistent". Your KD should have been your advocate and had the fabricators out right away. It's a lot of money and you shouldn't have to be "concerned".
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