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darcie_moore

Corian seams - standard install?

7 years ago

Just had Corian rain cloud installed and was surprised that I have two seams. Wasn't mentioned during sale or measure. Fabricator is saying this is standard because of the movement involved in pattern of the material. Anyone had this experience? I fully expected one seam in the corner -- and that's what I had with the janky, off the shelf laminate. To have two seams seems on this install seems a little excessive to me.


They are offering to order more material to recut so that both seams are better matched -- but this will require being home twice for them (once for them to remove countertop; second to have them reinstall) and being without sink/kitchen for a week. Also means I have to pay the plumber to disconnect sink, faucet, disposal and dishwasher and again to reconnect.




Comments (19)

  • 7 years ago

    You can barely see it in the pics. Is it a lot more visible in person? Once you get stuff on your counters, it will be even less noticeable, but if it bothers you, then have it changed now rather than be aggravated by it forevermore.

  • 7 years ago

    I'm interested if 2 seams is normal?

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    What does the Corian fabrication guide say? What did the Corian customer or technical support representative say when you called?

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Really IMO the seam is good and whether 2 or 1 as long as they look that good what is the issue

  • 7 years ago
    I would prefer, if it were my counter, that they do a short straight piece and then a long piece on the sink side. However, with a pattern you will not get a match that way. It looks like they did two seams in an attempt to pattern match, but missed the mark on the sink side. Question is, will it always bother you? If the answer is yes, then it is worth letting them fix it for you. Why pay good money and then be forever dissatisfied?
  • 7 years ago

    2 seams is how they go the pattern to flow so well. You got as good as it gets with a random pattern. Matching srams in colors with movement is NOT ever going to happen. It isn’t natural stone.

  • 7 years ago

    Here’s our RainCloud seam. We only have one.

  • 7 years ago

    I would have expected only one seam, like the one shown by 1929Spanish.

  • 7 years ago

    Thanks everyone for your comments. I think the diagonal seam is really good. My preference would be to have just one seam in the corner -- even if the match was not great. I had purchased through Home Depot -- who was surprised there were two seams. Home Depot, fabricator and installer have all been great at trying to find solutions. They have offered to cover the cost of the plumbing disconnect and reconnect and have also offered to let me choose a different Corian with a solid pattern (no movement). Also sounds like this was good education for the Home Depot folks and they are planning to do more education with their kitchen associates.

  • 7 years ago

    Also - installer is saying they can never just have a diagonal seam on Corian installs. Something about not being able to get diagonal seams level and snug enough. Seemed odd given there IS a diagonal seam. :)

  • 7 years ago

    It's very nice how they transitioned from one side to the other. It looks very natural. Give it one week and you will be saying "what seam?".

  • 7 years ago

    If I had to guess, I'd say they were piecing it together rather than buying another slab. I would have them replace the entire thing with a single seam. Joseph can probably send you hundreds of photos with single seams.....or go to The Google image view. The pattern has nothing to do with it.

    Darcie Moore thanked 1929Spanish-GW
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    the seams are a nice job (have never seen two done like that) but I don't like the piece next to sink, and then joined to what appears to be a darker piece. looks like they seamed two different pieces altogether. looks like they tried to cut corners somewhere ( excuse the pun)

    Jospeh Corlett hopefully will see this. he's an expert in the Corian fabrication.

    Darcie Moore thanked Beth H. :
  • 7 years ago
    I’d want nothing more than the one seam. The one above the little cabinet door is very obvious. I would pay for a new countertop if that was my only option.
    Darcie Moore thanked Anne Duke
  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Hello, I've been fabricating Corian for over 30 years so I will explain the seams. Some people like the mitered, corner seam so the veining in the material goes lengthwise. Essentially the direction of the material changes direction to follow the cabinet.


    The vertical seam could be there because the length of the right piece is longer than 12' . If longer than 12' they have to add a piece because the material is only 12' long. Or, they just used the material they had and needed to make it longer. The last reason is due to fabrication rules. Corian does not like seams in the corner unless the edge material is one piece. It just makes for a weak seam.


    It's hard to give exact reasons because there is only the one picture and I don't know how it was installed.


    Could you show more pictures?


    Hope that helps, Andy

  • 7 years ago

    Andy - you installed my Corian and did a beautiful job!

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    That's awesome, I'm glad you like it. Rain Cloud is a great color.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Darcie, if you need more help let me know.

    Darcie Moore thanked Olive Mill