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beenana

Ceasarstone seam, how bad would it look? Please share some photos

Beenana
11 years ago

I'm trying to decide where my countertop seam should be. I'm using Ceasarstone Organic white. My architect thinks that the seam should be right in the middle of the sink so you only see short lines. I feel like it's right in front of my face and that would bother me. But if I push the seam off to the side (close to the corner). It would be a long cut all the way. I just wanna know how bad it would look. Anyone has experience with this? Please share. I seen some photos online some of them are pretty obvious and some aren't. Look at this link here. I think they did a good job!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ceasarstone seam

Comments (10)

  • Gracie
    11 years ago

    A lot of people here have their seam at the sink, but I was told that having it a few inches from a corner is a stronger seam. Maybe Oldryder will come along and elaborate.

    You shouldn't get much, if any, chipping along the seam with quartz as you would some granites. My seam is pretty darn perfect. My installer did a great job at color-matching the epoxy, which is what I'd be most concerned about if you want an almost invisible seam. That part is an art.

  • wi-sailorgirl
    11 years ago

    Gosh I hope my seams and up like that one you posted because I'm still not sure I even see it. If a seam looked as good as what you have posted, it wouldn't matter to me where it was, but if it was more noticeable, personally it would bother me to have it in the middle of the sink. Ours are going in corners (sadly I will have two so that I can limit our counters to just one slab).

  • wi-sailorgirl
    11 years ago

    Gosh I hope my seams and up like that one you posted because I'm still not sure I even see it. If a seam looked as good as what you have posted, it wouldn't matter to me where it was, but if it was more noticeable, personally it would bother me to have it in the middle of the sink. Ours are going in corners (sadly I will have two so that I can limit our counters to just one slab).

  • gwlolo
    11 years ago

    The concern about the seam at the sink is that it is harder and more risk for the fabricator to transport the slab without the piece breaking off. The seam is not less or more strong. Your fabricator has to pack the cut stone carefully and carry it in carefully with bracing and support.

    I would insist on it as it is easier to avoid transition for the stone pattern in a small seam. The size of the seam is again a skill. Make sure they use epoxy and pull it in tight. In a longer seam, you will see the pattern transition, however good the seam is.

    Here in my counter you can see the seam somewhat behind the sink but can you see it in front of the sink?

  • adel97
    11 years ago

    Here, in different light, is another shot where the seam is more obvious. LIke marble etching, I only notice it if I look for it, am standing right over it, and in wholly artificial light. At an angle, it's hard to see.

    You do, for a white quartz like this (or Organic White, which you mentioned), have to keep the counter CLEAN at the seam, or the seam will gather gunk that will stand out and be dark and visible against the white. I'm a pretty fastidious housekeeper so that doesn't bother me but it might be a deal breaker for others.

  • Beenana
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    GWlolo and Sharonite, your counters look amazing! I don't see the seam at all. I only see a little line on the last photo sharonite pointed out. Now I'm really considering having the seam in the corner like yours because I use the sink a lot. I know how quickly the gunk can build up.

    I also found an older post about caesarstone seam. This one the seam is a bit more visible.

    Here is a link that might be useful: another caesarstone seam

  • Gracie
    11 years ago

    That chipped-up slab should have never been brought out to the customer, and then they didn't even attempt to epoxy the chips. It's also seamed right in the corner. There seems to be a lot of fly-by-night fabricators out there, judging by the complaints posted on GW.

    My seam is 4" from the corner and is the width of a hair. I also don't have any gunk catching in the seam because the epoxy fills it. I can barely feel it with a fingernail.

    What is your fabricator telling you about seams? Mine showed me an example of what they considered a worst case scenario on a chunky granite.

  • PRO
    Granite City Services
    11 years ago

    I am a fabricator:

    IMHO a seam at the sink is a less than optimum choice particularly on quartz. Properly done a full size seam on quartz is "nearly invisible". nearly invisible means you would not notice it unless you specifically looked for it. such a seam requires that the seam edges be properly prepared in the fab shop (no chips and absolutely square 90 degree edges) and a vacuum tool with jacking mechanism is used to pull the seam edges together at install.

    unfortunately the vacuum tool for installation can't be used on the narrow rails in a seam at the sink situation. I also have a basic objection to putting seams in the busiest place in the entire kitchen. For me it is also objectionable to have the seam in the edge showing in the sink cutout.

    some fabricators sell the idea that sink seams are better because they're shorter but IMHO it is almost impossible to consistently get a "nearly invisible" seam on a sink rail. Fabricators like sink seams because it eliminates the risk of cracked sink rails which can be very expensive for the fabricator and can occur even if the fabricator and installers do everything right. To me this is a quality shortcut. I hate (really hate) cracked sink rails but they happen even with install crews like mine that have 30+ years of experience.

    the only time we recommend seamed sink rails is when the customers sink is a very large (typically 3 bowl) undermount that requires a cutout so large the sink run countertop becomes too fragile to transport and install.

  • Circus Peanut
    11 years ago

    OT: GWLolo, what's your sink? Love the integral bowl, can you tell me about brand/utility? Thanks!