Why does it matter if it takes two slabs? I'm sure they are charging by the SF.

I'm no fabricator either, so I hope one weighs in. But here's my very amateur reasoning why they can't do what you're suggesting.

You're assuming that the slab will be perfectly squared at 68x129, which is unrealistic for a natural stone. More likely one side will be 67.5 inches while the other side will be 68.5 (or even worse). Your calculations are leaving no allowance for that.

I would also think that you lose material every cut you make--it's not like paper, but more like wood (think of the sawdust). Whether that loss is 1/16 of an inch or 1/2, I have no idea. Add in whatever your edging choice is, and they have to shave off a little bit more.

The last thing is that long piece, 26x144. Would you be happy with having a seam 15" from the edge of the piece? A seam is necessary, but a quality fabricator isn't going to tack on a piece at the end of a long run; they're going to put it in the most inconspicuous place (like a corner of an L-shape, or behind a sink cutout) or, barring that, right in the middle to create 2 even pieces. So you actually need 2 of the 26x72 pieces.

At least that's my thinking.

Dimensioned drawing of your layout please.

Slabs are not square. There are kerf cut losses. Even solid color stones like Absolute Black have subtle patterns and color shifts that must be accounted for in the seaming and flow. Only the snallest of condo kitchens can get by with 1 slab. Your size kitchen always takes 2 slabs. And sometimes 3 slabs, if the veining is dramatic and difficult to match up.

And finally, 3 rows of 26 add up to 78, not 68, which is the width of your slab. And thsts without kerf cut loss and color matching.

Let the fabricator do his job that you’re paying for. Stick to your day job, that I hope to goodness does not involve any math!

@verbo - easy on the snark, please. Oy.

I use math every day in my job, thanks.

I know that 3 rows of 26 doesn’t add up to 68.

1 row of 27, 1 row of 26, and 1 row of 15 does, however, which is what my sketch shows.

Have you ever done any sewing? You wouldn't cut a piece of fabric at the exact size of the finished clothing. You have to allow extra fabric for seams and pattern matching.

Are you using 2cm or 3 cm stone? Edge profile?

@chispa - by dog once chewed buttons off one of my favorite pairs of shorts. I sewed on a new button. About ten minutes into wearing them with the replacement button, it fell off. That is the extent of my sewing experience :)

3cm, eased edge.