What is the thickness of your granite? I'm in CA and most granite slabs here are 2 cm. As a result the edges are laminated to make them thicker on the edges and to cover the plywood under them. 3 cm granite is usually not laminated. (I would prefer the 3 cm thickness but not sure why CA doesn't have it.)

I really like our quartzite edge. It is slightly rounded on the edges. The laminated seam is noticeable if you look for it but most people don't know it's there.

Camphappy, your edge looks great! I don't know that I can even see the seam, the lines in your quartzite really help camouflage it well.

Our quartzite is 3cm its called new super white the fabricator had a counter in his showroom that was a laminated mitered edge they cal it a built up 45 degree edge I didn't see seams but at that point I didn't know it was laminated so didn't look for it im attaching our slabs maybe the movement would hide a seam

Sorry for being ignorant but what are all the test. I know someone said to leave mustard on it which I did and it was fine what else. I really wanted Calcutta marble but my dh does not want marble for some reason.

Put various things on it that typically cause etching....lemon juice, red wine, vinegar, tomato sauce, oil, etc. I would leave them on for more than a few minutes, overnight if possible. Also, there's a test for hardness (quartzite is very hard, marble is not)...I believe you take a chunk and see if it will scratch glass.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1019015624007.html

Here's a link to a GW post regarding a marble laminated edge. Definitely get the fabricator to make a laminated edge sample for you out of YOUR stone. Linelle has a laminated edge & you cannot see the seam. If you can see a distinct pattern between the two pieces of laminated stone, the seam may be very visible & you may not like the look.

If your fabricator is pushing laminated over a mitered edge, he may not have the skill to do a true mitered edge. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2700753/marble-countertops-help

So the more I'm hearing the more I think this slab is leaning more to a marble. I really wasn't going to go with a marble cause we cook a lot and use our counters a lot but I really like this and I have seen nothing at ll I like besides this. Am I crazy to go with a marble for the kitchen. We hardly use acidic things because they make my husband I'll but I'm still nervous about staining.

Will they give you a piece of it to test? The only way to really know if it's marble or quartzite is to do the testing - vinegar & lemon juice will etch pretty quickly. Also, the glass scratch test. Staining isn't as much of an issue if the stone is sealed. It's etching that is the problem. I have marble but I wouldn't advise you to get it unless you know what etching looks like & can live with it.

There are some beautiful true quartzites out there-I hope that gorgeous slab is one of them.

So I tried the lemon juice and after an hr the house keeper thought it was supposed to be cleaned:) so I just checked the "cleaned" piece and I see something it looks like a dirty spot but only in certain light

I'm going to try the lemon juice over night

Is it really matte looking in the spot where the lemon juice was?

An etch appears as a lighter spot, not a darker spot. A darker spot is usually liquid that has been absorbed into unsealed stone. Let me try to find a post from one of our stone specialists about etching.

There are so many different shades of whites and greys that I can't tell I just can see a circle that kinda looks like something dried on it and wasn't cleaned and it doesn't feel shiny like the rest of the piece

That sounds like an etch.

That's what I thought k so freaking out a little cause this is seriously the only quartzite/granite that I came close to liking. The only other thing I liked was carrera which once again is a marble

This stone is polished? If yes, the etching will be even more noticeable. White Macaubus Quartite (Lcskaisgir has it) is a true quartzite & beautiful. Unless you know you can embrace etching & that could be difficult w/ a polished stone, I'd keep looking. See if your stoneyard can locate slabs at other stone yards. This is coming from a marble owner. No regrets on my choice but I knew what to expect.

The white macaubus had to much yellow my cabinets are grey lowers and white uppers and the white macaubus looked really yellow next to them

Yellow? Mine has no yellow...

I'm not on my computer or I would post a photo.

I just tried to look up my reveal to grab a pic off of there...WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL MY PICS?? There are only two and I posted a ton! Must've gotten lost in the transition.

How do I search for your reveal

I will have to post a pic for you because somehow there are only two pics there now since the Houzz takeover and I had MANY there before.

Lcskaisgir love the two pics I did see but the slabs I saw here in michigan were all yellow and my grey lowers are like a blueish purply gray

I'm in Michigan too!! I got mine from T&M in Farmington.

Where is that I went to pmp universal granite Dwyer another one near Dwyer and someone on 19 and van dyke maybe I'm just the most picky person in the world. Also who did u have fabricate I am supposed to use granite city because my decorator who is also a close friend has used them many times but when I asked them questions today I just got a bad feeling like maybe I'm making the wrong decision in using them

I have no idea what a "laminated mitered edge" might be, however, much more important than technique is result. I've gotten results equal to or superior to a miter with a rabbet on Corian Witch Hazel, a solid surface with lots of "movement" like natural stone.

He also called it a built up 45 degree edge

Sorry, I didn't realize you had responded. I went to all those places too (and others) weekly, for months. T&M is in the area of Dwyer kind of, but on the other side of grand river, on a side street that backs to the highway. What was great about them is that you could go on their website and click on a particular stone that you are interested in and it will show you photos of all the slabs that they have in all of their locations throughout the country. And then you can have them transfer in whichever specific slabs you are interested in, without being obligated to purchase.

They must be right behind my dealership suburban gmc I saw a place off the highway but couldn't see the name.

I went to granite city again and I hated the built up edge u definitely saw a seam which makes me think maybe they aren't as good at fabricating As people say and that makes me nervous because they already have my slabs.

To a person familiar, a "laminated miter edge" and a "built up 45 degree edge" sound like a "banana orange fruit". You either have a mitered edge, a laminated edge or a built up edge. You have a banana or an orange.

Since your decorator is a friend, you should express your concerns. The last thing he/she would want is a disastrous installation. I would ask to see some countertops that they fabricated.

Also, are you sure you want marble? The "most picky person in the world" might not be okay with etching. It's a truly gorgeous slab but if you can't deal with etching that could be your way to release these slabs & find a true quartzite.

I remember lcskaisgir's hunt for her slabs. It took awhile. She passed on a number of marble slabs labeled as quartzite & in the end found her beautiful quartzite slabs.

I believe T&M brought her slabs in from another state. I also bought my slabs from T&M in Illinois. My slabs were transferred from a Minnesota T&M.

Not trying to talk you out of those slabs - you could also just have them transferred to another fabricator.

It is closer to 5 than it looks on the map, it kind of backs right up to it.

Did you already pay for your slabs or do you just have them on hold?

Treb, that edge on the witch hazel looks beautiful!

I put a down payment on them but I'm pretty sure they would refund it since they have a list of 27 people looking for this exact material. The day it came in I went to go give a deposit at 1230 and out of 15 Slabs 6 had already been paid for in full i guess it's an extremely popular material. I'm thinking of maybe using it for perimeter since the majority of kitchen prep will be done at the 9 foot Long Island and doings something else for the island that's more durable