bathroom Marble counter seam

12 years ago

We have a large (long) bathroom counter - 128"
We are looking to install a white marble slab counter top. The largest slabs we can find are slightly under 120 inches

So we likely need a seam (unless anyone can get a 129 inch slab)

The question, should we place the slab in the middle or at one of the sinks (they are at either side)

You walk in looking at the middle, so a seam in the middle will be very visible and placing the seam at the sink minimizes the size and places it in a less visible location. One builder friend told us placing the seam at the sink was the best way) but the fabricator insists that seams at the sink can get weak and break or discolor. (We are buying the house from a builder that has a deal with the fabricator so they may be trying to save costs for a longer slab)

Your answers are appreciated

(Note - this is a bathroom top so we are not as concerned with etching or staining - we used granite in the kitchen)

Featured Answer

Fori

12 years ago

Can you do a bookmatched seam in the middle? That looks pretty nice if you have a symmetrical layout.

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Comments (7)

lotteryticket
12 years ago
I think that regardless of whether the seam is at the sink or not that spot is generally the weakest point as the cutout for the sink leaves only a narrow strip of the countertop. So, if that's the case then I don't think having the seam there will make it much more likely to break. But there are some stone wizards here that will most likely give you some great advice.
LARemodel
12 years ago
I saw a house on the market that had a marble counter with a very obvious seam at the center point of the sink. It was an older home and the bathroom was due for remodeling.

Sorry I don't have a photo of it. There was a lot of discoloration, especially around the seam.

Granite and quartzite come in longer slabs - but sounds like you want marble. If you are open to a "marble-look-alike," there is a new product, Neolith, which is a thin porcelain slab. It comes in 12 foot long slabs. I'm considering it for my shower walls.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
12 years ago
DrewCo:

I thought you might like to see how your marble vanity tops will look in six years or so:

I should have pulled the faucets and done the backsplashes, but these customers only wanted to pay enough to make the house look more saleable. This is what two hoursÃ¢ÂÂ work gets you:

Buy whatever you like, but be aware that if you select marble for a bathroom vanity top, youÃ¢ÂÂll be paying for maintenance like that on a vehicle.

To answer your question, IÃ¢ÂÂd bring the walls and/or cabinets in or otherwise design out the seams.
enduring
12 years ago
I would have paid you to pull the faucets and fix the backsplash. It would have been beautiful all polished up :)
jrueter
12 years ago
Would you consider a section of the length at a different height? Then you wouldn't need an uninterrupted stretch of marble; your "seams" would be at the height changes.

[Mediterranean Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2109) by Aliso Viejo Interior Designers & Decorators D for Design

or

[Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Mill Valley Design-Build Firms KCS, Inc.

Another option might be to add a linen tower at one or both ends to shorten the overall length needed
TSG1104
12 years ago
Are your cabinets already in? We did as jreuter suggested. The cabinets with sinks are at kitchen height and between and lower is a make up area just like in the picture he/she posted.

This served a couple of benefits for us. We like having the higher height for the sinks for brushing our teeth and face washing and I like having an area where I can sit to apply make up. We wanted to use the same material for the tub surround and counter tops. By doing it this way, the fabricator was able to do a solid piece for the tub surround with no seams and then use the center portion that was cut out for the counter top. I can't remember if they were able to get one or two out of the center section. In the end, we were able to get everything from one slab which kept our cost down.