Looks like a vein to me. M. Teixeira is a quality fabricator and I doubt very much they would go to the trouble of fabricating and installing a cracked top. That being said can you feel a crack?

Your second picture looks like a crack to me. As millworkman suggested, feel it to get a better idea of whether it is indeed a crack. You could also try to slide a thin piece of paper in it -- if the paper goes in even a little bit, it's obviously a crack.

It could be both ... a vein/fissure that turned into a crack during fabrication and was repaired. If it has been repaired properly then it should not be an issue with use and durability of the stone.

thanks

I dont feel it, but if I wet it, the water does react differently to the crack than the surrounding area. if it just stays this way I am fine. just concerned it could get worse over time

One other comment. if it is a fizzure or vein, and they are quality installers, why would they position it at the most vunerable part of the stone- where the back corner of the sink meets the counter? No other place on the counters does this occur. I didn’t dictate which section they chose and they had lots of stone to pick from—all looked clean and consistent to me.

I would contact your fabricator and ask them the questions that you have posted here. Purchasing soapstone countertops is a fairly big expense for most people. If you need reassurance regarding why it was positioned at the most vulnerable part of the install - they would be the best ones to answer those questions for you. Keep all of your correspondence with M. Teixeira + your fabricator regarding their responses to your questions.

M. Teixeira is a very reputable company - if I was purchasing soapstone, that's the place I'd want my slabs to purchased from by my fabricator.

If something adverse happens to the stone in the future + it's negligent to place a fissure/vein where the back corner of the sink meets the counter, your fabricator will be responsible to remedy the situation (in my jurisdiction, a claim must be brought within two years of when the negligence was discovered or should have been discovered - with an outside time limit of ten years from the date of installation).

I don't know what the negligence statute provides in your jurisdiction - but my guess is that it will provide at least two years also (and may not have the overall limit of ten years - that was added to protect doctors from negligence actions that weren't discovered within ten years of the negligent act).

@Joseph Corlett, LLC - what do you think about the photos/questions the OP has posted? An expert re: countertops and installation may be helpful. Thanks!

Dani_m08. FYI they chose the fabricator. Not me.

I have vast experience with M. Teixeira, albeit their New Jersey location. While it’s hard to tell from a photo if that’s a crack, I highly doubt Teixeira would sell and install a defective slab with a chance of splitting. In fact, when I was selecting my Belvedere slab some years ago, I was steered away from slabs that had fissures/weak spots.

Quite frankly, what you’re showing does look like a vein to me. I see other black veins in the photo, though not as dark. Plus, you say you cannot feel a crack, which tells me its a vein.

You had the option of dictating the template of your slab(s). That is, you could have chosen where sections of the slab would be installed in your kitchen. That’s what I did, and why the most dramatic veining was installed in an uninterrupted and prominent spot in my kitchen.

"@Joseph Corlett, LLC - what do you think about the photos/questions the OP has posted?"

It's natural stone; there's nothing wrong with it, although it does look like they hit it with a topical penetrant because the vein/crack is unnaturally dark, particularly compared to the rest of the top.

Can it be felt?

Joseph Corlett. LLC . Thanks. It cannot be felt. It could have been wet prior to the photograph so maybe water was still in there. Water does react to it differently than the rest of the stone.

I examined the stone slab closely prior to fabrication. I did not see this at all in any part of the stone. And they had a large slab with just a small section that I used. I just don't think it was there prior to installation. And I'm being redundant but why would you choose to cut it with that part in the most vulnerable place in the layout?

"You had the option of dictating the template of your slab(s). That is, you could have chosen where sections of the slab would be installed in your kitchen"

This presumes OP knew this, either beforehand or informed by the fabricator. If not, how would she have known to do this?

I can't speak to THIS fabricator, but my fabricator never said anything along the lines of what I quoted. Truth be told, no I didn't know I could do this either until after the fact when I learned this on the forum. It all worked out fine.

I'm just saying -- don't automatically jump to the blame game, OP may not have known and fabricator may not have said a word about layout options for her approval.

Can you take a picture of or describe better what you mean by water reacts differently in that area?

“I didn’t dictate which section they chose and they had lots of stone to pick from—all looked clean and consistent to me.”

@porkchop_z5b_MI, see the above. The OP clearly states he/she didn’t dictate the section to use, because the slab looked clean and consistent. He/she knew they could choose which section to use, but left it up to the folks at Teixeira.

Btw, Teixeira is a one stop shop. They sell, fabricate, and install their soapstone. Soapstone is their main business, and they are the largest soapstone dealer in the country.

" “I didn’t dictate which section they chose and they had lots of stone to pick from—all looked clean and consistent to me.”

@porkchop_z5b_MI, see the above The OP clearly states he/she didn’t dictate the section to use, because the slab looked clean and consistent. He/she knew they could choose which section to use, but left it up to the folks at Teixeira."

We do not interpret OP's statement the same. OP not dictating what section they chose does not mean they knew that they could dictate that; they simply stated they didn't. OP would need to clarify to settle our difference of interpretation.

Regardless, if it is indeed a crack, M. Tex needs to make it right.

The owner of the shop thought I was crazy for wanting to pick a section of the stone. Because there was no significant veining anywhere. I looked over the slab and saw no area that was particularly offensive. And I looked carefully for crack lines.

Regardless, any good fabricator would not position the veining right on the edge near the sink. It actually goes over the edge. It's just asking for trouble. Both him and the sales person at M. Teixiera saw my pictures and insist it's natural vein.

My contractor is more concerned about the part that runs over the edge than the crack on the top. Over time he thinks it is bound to chip off no matter what you do to seal it.

"Regardless, any good fabricator would not position the veining right on the edge near the sink. It actually goes over the edge. It's just asking for trouble. Both him and the sales person at M. Teixiera saw my pictures and insist it's natural vein."

They are correct.

"My contractor is more concerned about the part that runs over the edge than the crack on the top. Over time he thinks it is bound to chip off no matter what you do to seal it."

His and your fears are misplaced, particularly since you can't feel the "crack". It's nautral stone. You've gotten exactly what you've paid for. Give this a few months, please. You'll wonder why you were so concerned.

Joseph Carlett, LLC

I can definitely feel the crack on the perpendicular side of the stone near the sink. I can't feel it on the countertop. I friend that came over today that runs a general contracting business that does kitchens and baths (the visit was totally unrelated but I asked her to look at it since she was here) is also concerned about the durability of the area that runs along the the edge of the sink. I think she thought I went cheap and was surprised when I said I used M. Teixeira.

First you said you can't feel it, now you say you can -- so which is it?

porkchop

I can't feel it on the surface of the counter. I can feel it on the edge. I know it's confusing and I apologize. I originally was focused on the visual crack on the surface. But after talking to my contractor and my professional friend they both were more concerned that the edge of the crack running along the sink side was the most likely to cause problems moving foreward.

If this was a granite or a quartz some people would be more likely to tell you that it is an issue but some soapstone owners act like having ss is a cult, especially if M. Tex is involved. It looks like a crack. It is impossible to tell for sure just by pictures. If it is a crack, it is a concerning location for a crack. Also, a crack is not the same as a fissure, it is not necessarily a natural occurrence that is of no issue, especially due to placement. I would push to have a rep come out and look at it.

"I would push to have a rep come out and look at it."

Agree.

some soapstone owners act like having ss is a cult, especially if M. Tex is involved

Yes, these comments strike me as curious that so many think there can be no problem if M. Tex is involved. No company is perfect all of the time. The important thing is how they remedy a situation when there is an issue.

Interesting to me that the contractor is concerned. In my experience contractors usually want to say that nothing is a problem so the job can be resolved asap, even if it is a facet of the job they are not responisble for.

An update: So the fabricators came out and insist that it is a vein and not a crack. They did fill the area on the side so it is now smooth. They also insisted it will in no way compromise the quality of the stone as the vein area is every bit as stable as the rest of the stone. I did say I was fine with the crack/vein as long as it didn't create a problem down the road.

I knew there was leftover stone. So I said that they can either replace it or give me a written guarantee that if something does happen down the line where that crack/vein opens more I have some protection. Ironically there was a bad review on yelp with the same exact situation with them where they insisted it was a vein and 2 years later it cracked. You never know the details around the reviews but it was enough to scare me. They were keen on the guarantee and if I am protected I was cool.

Got a call this afternoon and they are looking at a way to replace it. Not sure if they have quite enough. Might work. I guess they don't want to risk something going wrong with the existing stone or me blaming them for something that is not their fault. I wouldn't do that, but fair enough, and I appreciate them making me happy. I do plan this time to look at the crop and be more involved. Not sure what I will decided. Perfection can be the enemy of good. And aside from that crack/vein issue, the soapstone countertops are very beautiful.

Sigh. Enough for now. Just wanted you to know.

They are trying to make it right, which reflects well on them. Let us know if you do end up getting new stone.

Still thinking it‘s a crack and not a vein. I did take new pictures to show it wet as the crack does absorb water differently. If the crack/vein doesn't pose any future problems I would be happy with the existing counters as they are really beautiful.

I put water on a couple of the veins in my soapstone and none make the water react like that. It may be an unusual vein or it may have been a crack filled with epoxy which is water repellant.

The counters are beautiful. It is impossible to say for if you will ever have an issue with this area of the counter but if it is a crack that was fixed with epoxy the repairs are supposed to be very sound. The darkness that makes it look like a crack could be mildly irritating if you plan to keep the stone natural, if darkened it will likely blend in.

s m:

What is happening is that the water is seeping into the "crack" away from the edges so that is why it is drying around the crack faster than other places on the stone. I do not think they used epoxy on it. I may just live with it as long as it doesn't get worse.

The sink edge is one of the places that tends to get hit the hardest, especially when washing heavy pots and pans. If that is a crack then there is no guarantee that you will not have issues with it in the future, one accidental whack with a le creuset at just the right weakened spot may make a chunk fall off, or it may not. You have been given the opportunity to change the counters when it will be easiest and least disruptive. If it were me, and if an acceptable alternative were available, I would likely replace them.

This is the most concerning spot: