Oh here is the third layout option.

So is that first mark a crack or a fissure that turned into a crack? Then which layout should I choose? The one with the black mark next to the sink, the black mark on the overhand, or the lower portion of the mark but it is located on the same side of the sink and right in the middle of that stretch of marble

Your top can be refinished in place; I highly suggest you do so. Your fabricator need to get much better at setting customer expectations. If you want flawless marble, get Corian please.

I would add that if the OP "didn't take care of" the marble island, she should not have picked marble, regardless if she thought it was going to be replaced. You didn't have to ruin Mother Nature's beautiful creation because you thought it was a throwaway.

And guess what, even if you "take care of" your new marble island, it will still etch and stain, just more gradually than your throwaway island, but it will still etch and stain.

"your fabricator need to get much better at setting customer expectations"

@Joseph Corlett, LLC, this is so tru in so many things today, sad but true. The internet in some ways has ruined everyone by making them all feel like they are experts on everything, even without staying in a Holiday Inn Express.......................

One of the installers “cleaned” the marble with a Brillo pad causing pretty deep scratches. Obviously buying marble means I will definitely have stains and etching (it’s life), but I wouldn’t think there would be scratches from the start. My main question was which layout to choose. I ended up choosing the layout with the blemish/fissure/crack (whatever you want to call it) by the sink. Thank you everyone for your thoughts

“One of the installers “cleaned” the marble with a Brillo pad”

You hired a terrible ignorant counter fabricator if that is what they did. I find it hard to believe they cleaned your marble with Brillo. Why was it dirty?

They were removing the adhesive. And I agree it was pretty ludicrous. He was someone coming in to help install and clearly didn’t know how to deal with marble. And it was the scratchy green scouring pads. Perhaps some people use it. It did not help in this instance

Hello, for those of you that said, it can be repaired and to embrace the uniqueness, would I still be able to have my fingernail catch the mark even after they polish it after installation? Do I need them to come out and fix it so it’s completely smooth? Here is the new fixed part of the counter and the underside. This is located by the sink. The fabricator/installer said they are not worried about a crack forming in that area (they call it a fissure).

"would I still be able to have my fingernail catch the mark even after they polish it after installation? Do I need them to come out and fix it so it’s completely smooth?"

Completely smooth may be unrealistic. A retrofitted apron sink will fix it.

Oh I don’t need it to be completely smooth! I just want to make sure that even with a fingernail “catch” it’s still repaired. I don’t want to deal with this later on

And Joseph would you still call it a fissure even with that noticeable mark underneath the sink run? It has a definite gap. Again, it’s not in an area that’s seen, I’m only asking from a structural standpoint if it needs to be fixed. I have a two year old that we sit up on the counter to wash his hands and I’m scared something is going to break! He’s only 25lbs but still, it makes me nervous

If you can feel it with your fingernail then it is a crack, not a fissure. This crack will gather gunk and pronounce itself. Cracks are caused by the installers or fabricators of the stone. It is not unrealistic to want something installed correctly. Contractors love to call them fissures so they can close out the job and never answer your call again once the crack collects gunk and ends up looking terrible.

"Fissure" is stonespeak for "crack". When you're selling slabs, would you rather tell a potential customer that a stone has a crack or a fissure? I've never heard of the fingernail test as an industry-approved method of making a determination.

Natural stone has cracks/fissures; Corian does not. You've made a tradeoff; live with it please.

A fissure is a “crack” or soft spot in the stone that is sealed into the stone. You should not be able to feel a fissure. if you can feel it then it is a crack not a fissure. The fingernail test works because you can easily feel if there is an actual crack. Any contractor that tells you otherwise is covering themeselves and trying to not repair their own mistake. Contractors like joseph here want you to ”live with it” after they crack it on install. Contractors like joseph dont realize that we like fissures in our stone! They add character! But no one wants a crack! A crack will collect gunk and eventually look horrible, especially on a lighter colored stone.

Heres an example of a crack in marble that my contractor claimed was a fissure. The best part is that the crack went through the lower trim piece of the counter top, which is a different piece of stone.

It is not unrealistic to want your countertop installed correctly. Find a skilled contractor, not one like joseph here.

Contractor claimed that this was a ”fissure” even though the stone is cracked on all sides. top, bottom, and both sides and the crack is easily felt. i only noticed the crack because it started to collect hard water and discolor. This would only get worse over time. Im having the contracor install a whole new countertop.

Ugh. We went with them at face value when the swore it was a fissure that would not crack :( and we believed them.

Did they say anything to you about the structure of the marble with the crack.

Like you said I like the fissures in my piece. I just didn’t want a crack.

"Find a skilled contractor, not one like joseph here."

LMAO.

No my general contractor and sub contractor contiune to tell me that it is a fissure, even though they are replacing the whole counter top at no cost to me. They refuse to admit any fault and wanted me to ”just live with it.” I refused and was admit that i wanted a new countertop. I would say that yes the structure on my broken countertop has been weak-end. The crack is in the thinest part of the counter top near the sink. It is cracked on the top, bottom, and both sides. If enough weight was in the right spot i could see damage occurring. I personally was more concerned with discoloring from hard water and gunk since my marble is white. I actually didnt even notice the crack for almost a month after install. Then the hard water started getting in and it was yellowing around and inside the crack. They ”polished” it but i could still feel the crack which meant water and such could still get in. I can see why youd be concerned with the structural integrity since your crack is in the kitchen. Does your crack go on all sides like mine? If it was only cracked on top I wouldnt worry to much but if it is cracked all the way around like mine then you might have to be careful with it.

Joseph you dont even know the difference between a crack and a fissure. No contractor should be telling customers to ”live with it”. Like the author said we buy marble for the fissures! They look awesome! But a crack is a different story.