Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
pipdog_gw

Quartz owners: mitered laminated edge or stacked?

Pipdog
10 years ago

Our GC wants us to go with a stacked laminated edge for our quartz counters. We had a stacked edge for our quartzite in our last house, and I hated the seam -- it was very noticeable to me in a stone that had some movement. So for our other counters in the bath, we had our fabricators use a mitered laminated edge, where you can't see the seam in the middle.

My GC's explanation is that the stacked edge is ok to use on quartz because there's no movement. He mentioned that a mitered edge might chip more. ?? We're guessing that he wants to do stacked because it costs more to do a mitered edge.

If you have quartz counters, what method of laminated edge do you have?

Comments (18)

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    I have a stacked edge and it's virtually invisible. My Caesarstone is more mottled than having movement, but it's a rather consistent mottling. I have seen well-done miters and others not so good (this forum has examples).

    The edge of my peninsula from a few inches away. The camera has better near vision than I do. :)

  • kevdp4
    10 years ago

    Quartz is very forgiving either way, laminated or stacked. There are still many fabricators that do not do miters, so stacked may be all they offer.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Our bathroom edge is mitered and it's amazing. The material is CS organic white.

  • Gooster
    10 years ago

    Here's my mitered edge, laminated edge. I had to go this way to save another inch in the aisle. It is 1" of overhang versus the standard 1.5". I have a little bit of patterning in mine. The seam is just about invisible at the edge; they can round it a bit more to better resist chipping but my is spec and warranty compliant.

  • Pipdog
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks for the responses.

    linelle, that's a nice looking stacked edge.

    sjhockeyfan and gooster, any issues with your mitered edge chipping?

    kevdp, our GC said his fabricator had done mitered before but he recommends stacked for quartz (and I wasn't able to get an explanation from him, just that they had had "issues").

    From an aesthetic perspective, I prefer the less visible mitered edge, but I'm wondering about chipping/durability.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    We've had no issues but a) it's a bathroom vanity not a kitchen counter and b) it's only been in for 3 months, so who knows?

  • Gooster
    10 years ago

    It has been about ten months and there is not a single chip or dent anywhere. However, I do have a farmhouse sink the main cleanup area, which reduces the number of exposed edges in a high "collision" potential zone. In contrast, my raised shelf behind the sink, in Carrara marble, has a dent from a vase being set down too quickly.

  • firstmmo
    10 years ago

    I never had any problems with my mitered edge...I have a real aversion to the stacked edge mostly because I have always chosen granite or marble. The patterns of each make it more visible if you stack versus miter. Perhaps the quartz has more mottled of a pattern, but IMO, why take the chance of looking non-matched? If your fabricator has the talent, then I would miter.

  • illinigirl
    10 years ago

    kevdp4- It is interesting to me that you bring up that many fabricators do not do miters. I am finding our fabricator is very resistant to mitering. When I brought it up her excuse was- "well it's too expensive so nobody does it so we don't do it". Yeah. I'm a bit frustrated. Our kitchen is a new construction build so I'm fairly locked in to this fabricator as our builder's preferred vendor. I'm more than a tad nervous, however my designer insists that they've never had a problem with this fabricator in the 6 years she has been working with them.

    They were also resistant when I brought up (after Trebuchet's advice) doing a 1/2 radius on the sink edges to reduce chipping. Same response about "too expensive, we don't do it" Well that's crap because a 1/2 radius is a STANDARD edge option with them. So I don't get it. Is that kind of edge option really hard in a sink vs on the counter edge? How does a positive reveal of a sink affect doing the 1/2 radius at the sink?

  • susanlynn2012
    10 years ago

    What a great post! Both edges seem to look nice to be in pictures so I guess I need to see them in person. I love Linelle's stacked counter edge but I also love Gooster's Mitered edge!

  • Pipdog
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    hi illingirl, do you happen to have any photos of a 1/2 radius edge or can you link that thread? I tried googling it but couldn't seem to find it.

  • illinigirl
    10 years ago

    Pipdog-
    It was a thread called "quartz owners- a little survey"

    here's the link:

    Here is a link that might be useful: quartz survey thread

  • Pipdog
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks illinigirl!

  • calumin
    10 years ago

    If your fabricator is comfortable doing a mitered edge, then you'll probably get a better finished product. However with many patterns the difference may not be that noticeable. As others have posted, I think the biggest issue is that many fabricators aren't comfortable doing a mitered edge and may steer you to do a stacked one instead.

  • Jill Oster
    5 years ago

    i am trying to decide between a mitered edge and a laminate edge. I have pure white ceasarstone. Can you see the seam on the mitered edge? The fabricator said he can do either. anyone have a picture of pure white laminated stacked or mitered edge?

  • honeybear333
    2 years ago

    @Jill Oster i know this tread is old, but what edge did you end up picking? Can you post a picture? I am in the same dilema and am thinking about ceaserstone pure white too. thanks

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    2 years ago

    Yes, you can see the seam on a mitered edge. How inconspicuous it is or isn't is up the fabricator's skill level.


    Stacked or mitered depends upon the thickness, color, particulates, and movement in any given slab.