All materials have inherent properties and fissures in quartzite is one of them. If you think the cracks formed by the hole drilling will bug you, then yes, an engineered stone is probably a better fit. Most of the counters I spec are engineered, and on occasion I'll spec marble. I put Silestone Ethereal Dusk in my own bathroom and it's both beautiful and very durable.

If the cracks are covered up by the escutcheon plates of the faucet and handles, and your fabricator thinks the cracks won't get bigger over time, you could just leave it alone. But if he can't guarantee the cracks won't get bigger, I'd replace the material with a different choice.

that's a beautiful stone. quartzite is known to do this. it's a very hard stone, but it takes an experienced fabricator to cut it. yes, you should have been told this up front.

if you do have it replaced, i would call around for someone else w/better skills and tools. It can be done properly. Obviously not by your guys.

Can they polish out the cracks to make them less noticeable? will your faucets hide most of it?

up to you. if you do keep it, see if they can repair it. I'd ask for a discount as well

BTW, what adhesive did they use? some quartzites stain w/certain adhesives that bleed through from the underside.

@Beth H. :They are replacing and going to do the drilling with a wet drill on their site rather than at my house. If it cracks again, we move to a different stone. Thank you for your reply.

The cracks are likely from not enough expansion space between the countertop and backsplash. 3 holes on natural veins aren't helping either. Foundation movement, deflection from cabinet, humidity/temperature are some causes of that slight movement. I don't install vertical hard surface tight to horizontal. Even tile can break like that. Some cracks and natural voids can be filled with color matched epoxy and buffed smooth.

Watching your video? The first thing I'd suggest is a different SINK. With a shallower depth front to back. A vanity is generally a top with 21 inches , wall to front edge. I think half the issue was forcing them to squeeze into a narrow space, very close to that back edge.

That said? Quartzite is more brittle - more so when honed. My own fabricators will no longer touch honed Taj Mahal for this very reason. Polished or forget it : )

These are caused by fabricator/installer error; lack of cooling the diamond bit while drilling and/or slamming the tool into the top.

Good point Joseph. Did this happen after install or right away?

First thing that I would do is get a different faucet--a faucet that requires only one hole. 2/3 less chance of getting cracks and years of easier cleaning.

It happened right after the holes were drilled.