Is it ok to cut a granite countertop after installation?

12 years ago

Hi! We've had a few bumps in the road with our granite countertop installation. The biggie was it came with the wrong edge (their mistake), but it was one I could live with, and I just wanted the project done, so we worked it out.

It wasn't until after the granite was installed that I realized there was another big issue.

My kitchen is u-shaped. One corner has the seam where two huge pieces of granite meet, and therefore is a 90-degree corner. The other corner doesn't have a seam (the granite is all one piece), and has a curved/rounded (radius?) corner.

Of course this doesn't look right. They should both be the same. (And my copy of the template drawing they provided shows two right-angle corners.)

The fabricator/installer has offered to send their best guy out to correct the rounded corner to a right-angle. This is fine with me.

They say they will do this with the countertop in place/still installed, and it will be dry-cut, which will create a lot of fine dust. This is still okay with me. I'm getting used to constantly cleaning and dusting as this kitchen project has been going on for over a month.

My concern is for the granite. Will it look good? Will the polished finish match or look dull? Am I trading one issue for another?

And even scarier, will the granite chip or crack and result in an ever bigger problem? I know dry blades get very hot, and heat is not good for granite.

Has anyone else had to do this? What was your experience? Should I move forward with the work, or just stick with my non-matching corners?

Thank you for your advice!

Featured Answer

bigdoglover

12 years ago

Matching seams does not seem like a necessity. In fact I think it's considered desirable (and superior) to have as few seams as possible, and am guessing the granite fabricator was pretty proud of himself for eliminating a seam there! :-) I know mine was, he nearly burst with pride when he showed me where he had managed to cut the granite corner with no seam.

Also, not sure why they'd need to dry cut it. I had to have my cooktop hole cut a little bigger (long story) and one of them sprayed water from a bottle on the blade while the other one cut. It was still a mess. Granite dust got into the drawer glides and it took A LOT to get it out (imagine your drawer gliding over something like sand...) Got it in all the drawers, what a mess. Am also wondering how wide the seam would be if they cut it after it has been glued in place, since they wouldn't then be able to "push" the two pieces together.

Just my opinion, but all things considered I would leave it as it is. You will have more things in your kitchen when it's done and this one thing won't seem like such a glaring issue.

Comments (13)

cat_mom
12 years ago
Our guys did a big radius in the one inside corner in our kitchen--which we did not want (they never asked about that during templating, and we never imagined they would not be doing a 90-degree corner). They cut/ground the counter into a 90-degree corner right after they installed the granite. It's not perfectly straight/square (you can only tell if you're looking down the length of the counter run), and I did have to have them touch-up the corner a couple of times initially to get the edge to match the rest of the counter, but I'm very glad we had it corrected. I would have hated the look of a radiused corner in our kitchen.

They taped cardboard over the cabs immediately below the corner, and used a wet sponge and a vacuum to contain the dust. There wasn't much mess if any to speak of.
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celticmoon
12 years ago
bigdoglover, I think the OP means changing only the shape of an inside corner from a radius (curved) to a right angle - to match the other corner (where there is a seam.

Cutting out a square inch or so max and losing the curve, yes?

That should be doable. Be fussy - it is their mistake so they aren't doing you a favor, they are making it right.
User
11 years ago
Hey catheliz, I have to ask whatever happened with your countertop. The SAME thing happened to us today, and I was wondering what you decided to do with yours. Also, what explanation did they offer as to why they did it that way? It is SO hard for me to believe that they think it is okay to have two different corners in a kitchen that are almost next to each other.
PRO
Granite City Services
11 years ago
I am a fabricator.

catheliz - you are right in expecting the 2 corners to be the same. this is a mistake by the fabricator and they seem to be acknowledging it. it's an easy mistake to make. we've done it ourselves.

A good fabricator can turn the radiused corner into a 90 degree inside corner. if the edge has a complex shape like Ogee or FV30 it would take an exceptionally good fabricator to make the corner look right. if it a shape like a flat or simple radius then it's very do-able. there will be dust and water but if the fabricator takes adequate care the mess should be contained to a very small area.

my 2 cents.
milele
11 years ago
I am looking for somebody that would cut off my cooktop cut out. In other words I want to replace my drop in cook top with a stove. I need 4 cuts of 2.5 " each. The counter cannot be moved. I am close to Boston. Any suggestion on a great fabricator that would do repair work? Thanks
anitha
9 years ago
Hi,

I am having the same issue, just curious to know if you could find some one to do that for you. I live in New Hampshire, so thought it would be of great help if you could share that handy man for help.

Thanks,
ajc71
9 years ago
The stone doctor in Everett is the man to call, have used very successfully many times

Here is a link that might be useful: Stone Doctor
Matthew Telepak
8 years ago
bigdoglover i live in flower mound and am looking for a small piece of carrera marble for a small kitchen island. I probably can find a small piece somewhere for scrap but my problem will be fabrication - getting it cut and polished to my dimensions. You stated there was a fabricator here in Dallas that will do this for $28 sq foot. Need some guidance.

Thanks matt
feleciawp
7 years ago
I recently had granite installed in the butler's pantry area. Structurally the sides are not straight. The installer placed the granite/backsplash against a crooked wall. Therefore, I have a blob of caulking between the granite and the wall. It looks awful. Was there a way to shave or adjust the granite to fit against the wall better. It happened on both sides.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
7 years ago
feleciaqp:

With granite backsplash, you bring the wall to the splash, not the splash to the wall. Float some mud; it'll be fine.
User
7 years ago
Add your backslash. It will hide it.
Nancy Vicente
3 years ago
I just got a call that my granite counter tops were not able to be cut in the L shape and that there was going to be a line but that they were going to match it wth