Seam in countertop?

last year

last modified: last year

Our island will be 122"x50" (plus any edge overhang), with a 42" sink on long edge 26" in from one of the short ends. Is there any chance that this could be a single piece, or will there definitely be a seam if we go with stone? Are seams had to keep clean? (Front runner right now is Fantasy Brown.) Would it look odd if the two short ends with only cabinet sides had a smaller overhang or were almost flush with the cabinets, while the edge in front of the sink had the standard 1.5" overhang? The other long side is a seating area. If a seam is needed, where is the best place for it on this island?Thanks in advance for your help!
Also -- what countertop/backsplash combo works best with natural maple cabinets, light gray with browns "limestone" look porcelain tile (https://midwesttile.com/product/stone-valley-sale/), SW Pure White walls, and medium dark hemlock open joists? There is a wood stove at the end of the kitchen that will need a 5'x8' backing behind it, so it would be nice if that tied in as well. Ease of cleaning and maintenance are important to me.
Leathered FB countertops with marble subway tile? Matte Glacier white corian with this tile (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Merola-Tile-Rambla-Arena-14-5-8-in-x-22-3-4-in-Porcelain-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-14-04-sq-ft-Case-FEC16RBA/206729367) ?

Featured Answer

lucky998877

last year

...and make sure that there is access to bring in a 10' /800 lbs counter through your space.

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Comments (6)

T T
last year
122" plus overhang will be 125" minimum, which will likely require a minimum slab of 126-127". If you can drop the width by about 5", that will greatly open up the number of stone choices you have as one slab. Ideally, I'd recommend not more than 115" of cabinet run so that you can likely get away with any slab that is 120" or longer. The slab choices drop off relatively quicky as you go bigger.

We needed about 123" and had to wait for a specific lot of slabs to be delivered that had sizes big enough. Also, some stones don't typically come in the larger sizes depending on the quarry and source. I would highly recommend no seam ob your island. You won't lose much by reducing the cabinet width by 5 inches or so.
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HALLETT & Co.
last year
You are already looking at stone- have you asked the stone yards what jumbo slabs they have? That’s where I would start. And yes, be open to a slight redesign of the island to reduce the length slightly.
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chicagoans
last year
last modified: last year
My island counter is a shade over 124" and I don't have a seam and my slab wasn't marked as jumbo. I agree with Hallett that you should go to stone yards and take a look at the sizes of stones you like. I found some (that I didn't use) that were about 132" and not marked jumbo; jumbo slabs were bigger although most that I found were quartz if I recall correctly.

I'd avoid a seam if possible, especially if you want a stone with lots of movement. Some seams turn out nearly invisible (good fabricator, home owner involved in template process, or book-matched slabs); unfortunately we've also seen many posts here from folks unhappy with their seams.
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HU-449804533
Original Author
last year
Thank you!! There's hope for a seamless island then :-) Unfortunately, the cabinets are in and due to an unforeseen challenge during installation that required the addition of filler, the island is now the full 122"... Hindsight is 20/20. We are lucky that the island is just inside a 36" door feet from the driveway and there is good room to maneuver, so from that perspective, we are in good shape.
chicagoans
last year
Also be sure to speak with your fabricator and contractor about proper support for the overhang. We have steel supports, which were planned and discussed by the cabinet maker, GC, and fabricator to make sure everyone was on the same page.
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