Trying to Avoid Having a Seam in Granite Countertops

9 years ago

First off, want to thank you all for having such a wonderful community here. In redoing our kitchen I've been lurking on these forums for awhile now and some of the posts help me made final decisions when it came to selecting things!

Anyways, the reason I'm here, we are getting granite counter tops, and on the one counter we are about 1.5" short of not having to have a seam. I would like to avoid having a seam if at all possible, but I'm not sure if it is.

One thought was to bring the wall out 2" (I don't know how, just add a layer or two of drywall? haha) We are redoing the backsplash anyways. However, if we do that then it would have to stop that at the stove (so it doesn't stick out), then do the same on the other side of the stove to match. I'm just not sure how it would look, to have a "recessed" wall for the stove.

I think that's our only option to avoid having a seam. If it's not a feasible option, then I have to decide where the seam goes. My options are
-go straight back at the corner so it's parallel to the sink, instead of diagonal like it does now
-middle of the sink
-back corner between stove and wall, just do a 2" strip. I normally set stuff there anyways, so I'd literally be the only one who would notice or see it

Any thoughts or insight to this would be much appreciated!

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Comments (11)

Errant_gw
9 years ago
How long is that run? It doesn't look longer than the average slab of granite, to me. Have you already met with a fabricator and chosen your slabs?
debrak2008
9 years ago
My layout is almost exactly like yours. Our seam is at the sink.

Photo of our seam.

Some photos to show the layout. Sink wall is 12' 3".

Edited for spelling.

This post was edited by debrak2008 on Wed, Nov 5, 14 at 20:42
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" I don't know why they don't do it differently but it probably saves on product and is easier. I was upset that they did it that way at my mom's." They did it that way because they had to. Where else are you going to get pattern matching material? You must make the miter out of the immediately adjacent material to get a match. Look at driftdown's drawing again. Even if you could somehow stop the miter cut before you get to the "should not have been cut" area, from what material are you going to make the small mitered edge for the "SNHBC" return? The matching material to make that small edge has been used to make the "L" miter. It can't be used twice or be in two places at once. Mitering the top from corner to corner doesn't solve anything either, for the same reason. The only thing that could have been done differently and may have looked better is to have run the seam with, instead of against, the grain of the stone, but you're still gonna lose the 2". It is impossible to avoid.
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One or two areas on the counter are, presumably, your prep zone(s). You could have a section of butcher block in those locations. This eliminates any seams in the main countertop material (since each section is now shorter), is functional, and adds visual interest. A long slab of uniform counter can be cool, but it can also look like the interstate. If the idea of adding variety to the counter gets interesting, then there are endless possibilities. You could have a section of marble or another whitish stone for your baking center. You could flank the sink (if undermount) with draining countertop with runnels and/or a slight slope. But if you do really want a seamless 17 foot stretch of counter, then here are some options I would investigate. - A steel countertop fabricator (they will weld the seams, then grind and polish, such that the pieces become one seamless piece). - Someone who specializes in custom wood countertops could probably make you a 17 foot long top that, while made of many small pieces, is perceived as one piece (something like a hardwood floor). Find the thread about someone's walnut island - the photos are drool-worthy. There have also been pictures of wood counters stained black (ooh) and wood can be dyed any color under the sun (aah). Waterloxed wood seems to handle sink-side duty fine. - As mentioned, concrete. I don't know much about this - can a counter be poured in place? I can't imagine moving a 17 foot x 2 foot x 2 inch slab of concrete. It would weigh 900 pounds, the number of men required to handle it might not fit in the kitchen, you'd want to check your floor joists, and the top could easily crack during installation.
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Haha, you folks are so awesome! You've really helped me to see the light and accept the perfection of imperfection. So, I called my granite guy yesterday after the unanimous results here and told him to keep the little jerk and that I'd learn to love it like only a father could. And to answer your question may_flowers, I seriously considered an apron sink at one point, but given the hackeration that would have to happen to my existing cabinetry and the added cost of the sink itself, I decided to go with a 60/40 Kraus SS from Amazon (again, thanks to GardenWeb recommendations). I got a wicked awesome 4th of July sale price on it too, as I was going to purchase on a Sunday night at $360, but woke up the next morning and got it for around $270! So anyways, my Samsung SS appliances arrived yesterday and the granite will be installed early next week. I'll post pics when the granite gets here so you all can see how everything turned out! Thanks again!
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In the corner where the lazy susan is there should be supports screwed to both sides of the wall to provide support in the corner since there is no cabinet. As Joe said, the top should be reinstalled and supported properly and seam should be realigned. Good luck
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allisonkbye
Original Author
9 years ago
We have picked out the slab, it's exactly 113". They told us to assume it will be 112" once they clean the edges. To start it exactly where it is now and end touching the wall it's about 114", so technically we need 2". I haven't picked the backsplash out yet, but I figured that will bring out the wall at least 1/4", maybe 1/2" with the mortar. I'm so close!
allisonkbye
Original Author
9 years ago
@debrak2008 Is that Alaskan White? If not it looks IDENTICAL to what we picked out, which I picked after seeing pics on here on another thread of it. Anyways, I only noticed the seam in your close up picture because I was looking for it, so that's definitely reassuring! Thanks for sharing the pics!
debrak2008
9 years ago
Ours is called White Diamond but I think, White Diamond, Alaskan White, and Bianco Antico are all cousins in the granite world.

We never notice the seam in person and so glad its at the sink.
Errant_gw
9 years ago
Oh darn, you are just a tad short! In that case, I imagine the sink would work. Or maybe he can do a little piece at the very end, where you said you would probably have things sitting out, anyway?

This post was edited by Errant on Thu, Nov 6, 14 at 12:34
deickhoff0
9 years ago
Isn't there usually, or maybe even always, a seam at the sink? A well done seam at the sink with the right filler can be nearly invisible. I've had it done twice and had to look hard to find the seams in front and back of the sink.

This post was edited by deickhoff0 on Wed, Nov 5, 14 at 21:59
Jillius
9 years ago
How thick is your granite? If you use it for the backsplash too, a 3cm thick slab is roughly 1.25" wide and could cover a gap between the wall and the stone. Then get some kind of edge detailing that has an extra piece glued to it to make the shape. With any luck, that'll stick out enough to make up the remaining difference.
allisonkbye
Original Author
9 years ago
Jillius, that's a really good idea! The granite is 3cm. I bet if I put the back splash on the wall first then did a lip there with the granite, kinda like it is now, it would be just enough to cover up any seam I would have there.

Right now I'm leaning towards just doing a seam in the sink, but if the template people think they can pull off giving me a 2" strip back there without it looking hideous, then I'll probably go for it. I hate the look of having cluttered counters, but we use our toaster and knife set almost daily, and that spot is where they sit now. So I really don't think it will be too obvious, but if I can see it and if it looks hideous, it will probably bother constantly just knowing it's there. I'll keep ya'll updated. You've all been so helpful thank you so much!! Love this forum :)
PRO
Granite City Services
9 years ago
I am a fabricator.

One option is to set the end splash 1st (rather than on top of the granite). This shortens the sink run by the thickness of the stone. The only downside is you will see the tiny seam in the front edge where the splash comes out to the face of the counter.
thepeppermintleaf
9 years ago
Another option is you could pick a different slab that has longer dimensions to avoid a seam...

Trying to Avoid Having a Seam in Granite Countertops

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Trying to Avoid Having a Seam in Granite Countertops

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