What you're seeing is what we call a "glue line" - This happens when two pieces of stone are laminated to create a thicker looking edge detail. This is common. The glue lines in laminating - no matter HOW good your guy is (even me - HA!) WILL be able to be seen if you look for them. This is normal. Some glue lines are not as noticeable as others (ie: look at Boxerpups - you can barely see them) ... This is attributable to the stone, and the abilities of your Fabricator, and the kind of glue they use (with or without tints) As far as remedies now - you can use some stone enhancer (Ager Tiger) on the edge and it might help disguise the glue line - but it won't make it go away entirely. As crazy as this sounds too - a black sharpie pen hitting the black areas will also help minimize the visual impact of the glue lines. Those of us making a living doing Slab Countertops have used this little trick of the trade for decades...... ;-) It's always advisable for Fabricators to SHOW you a sample of a laminated edge to alert you to the glue line issue - I always say that the glue lines WILL be there - and no matter how good I can get them - you WILL see them if you look hard enough for them..... hth kevin

" 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.

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 :)

The island pattern match looks good. Most people would be very happy if they got a match up that good. Center of the island is as good as anywhere to seam it. With the variation in color of the stone, no one color for the seam adhesive is going to disappear. If the perimeter is going to be redone, the fabricators we work with will NOT under any circumstance put a seam near a sink or over an open area (such as dishwasher, undercounter ice maker or undercounter frig/wine cooler). Some fabricators will and swear that it's okay. I would work with them to find a way to seam in another location that is less noticeable and receives less daily use.