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firstmmo

Slab not big enough for island? Seams?

firstmmo
11 years ago

I am wondering how those of you who have islands too big for one slab have felt about your seam on your island. I am considering an island that is 10.5' x 5' with a 4" square edge and I don't think I will find the slab that I want in that size. Are you happy with your seam? I am worried because my last island was 9' x 5' and I loved that it was one continuous piece. I am considering doing one end with 18"-24" in wood or SS to get rid of the seam.

I just don't want myself looking down the middle of the island and seeing it there.....does it "go away" eventually from your sight?

I have three slabs leftover from another project and can use these but the pattern is so graphic I am not even sure where I would "continue" the slab. The slabs are mostly "consecutive" so the fabricator mentioned us bookmatching two of them so that the seam would look like mirror images of eachother.



Comments (14)

  • breezygirl
    11 years ago

    I have black walnut on my island so no experience with stone seams, but I had to jump in and say........WHA?????

    You have a new house? New kitchen? New island to plan??? I think I'll faint and fall over if you tell me that you left that absolutely stunning, amazing, jaw dropping, gorgeous, beautiful, envy-of-many-on-GW, breath taking kitchen you finished a couple of years ago. Say it ain't so!!!*!%!*!!#!!

    If you do say it, I suggest book matching the stone as its a really nice look. Depending on your layout, a slab of black walnut as a cutting surface near your prep sink would be another great possibility as long as it made sense layout-wise.

  • cardamon
    11 years ago

    I second what Breezygirl said. The kitchen I know you to have is beautiful. Are you changing the island or is this like Breezy asked another house? If it is a new kitchen I just think you are a lucky girl. I want to do another kitchen so much. But until that happens I live vicariously on here. So I'll be waiting for your pictures. Please post o.k.? Love the slabs you showed.

  • beekeeperswife
    11 years ago

    whoa whoa whoa there young lady.....

    I had to re-read your username, title to the thread, and then the date...and in fact it isn't an old date...

    what's up?

  • pps7
    11 years ago

    Yeah, what bee said. If you are moving, can I buy your old house?

  • beekeeperswife
    11 years ago

    aha, I read the other thread (where the gorgeous kitchen was revealed--it's floating around nearby)

    firsthouse says they sold that house! And this is a new one.

    Ok, now that the shock is over (and I even sold my first kitchen, so I shouldn't be shocked)....

    I didn't want a seam in my island. I found a slab large enough and maxed it out. The fabricator wanted me to do a seam that I would "never see", on the same slab but to make it easier to manuever around in the shop, transport, etc. I said I thought I would always see it and it would always bug me. I paid a premium for them to do the island as one big honkin' piece, but it was well worth the extra dough.

    If you can't get a slab large enough, what about doing like alabamamommy did, and add a goreous cutting board to one of the ends?

    And, I'm so excited that "we" are getting to work on a new project with you!

  • Fori
    11 years ago

    If you can bookmatch it, I'd do that. It's a wonderful look when done right and I think can be better than seamless.

  • finestra
    11 years ago

    I cut my island by a foot. It is 105" and I have to say that it is really long. You have to make sure you have a good fabricator if you are going to bookend it. I think Beaglesdoitbetter did it.

  • DCJersey
    11 years ago

    Beagles, would you mind telling me who your fabricator is? I am looking for a good one and live 25 min from Baltimore.

  • beaglesdoitbetter1
    11 years ago

    Sinai Marble and Granite
    I'm not sure if they are still around though, someone else on GW said they tried to contact them and never got an answer.

  • hobokenkitchen
    11 years ago

    Those slabs are stunning!

    I don't remember your first kitchen, but I'll be trying to find it after I post this!

    I'm not sure if this is an option for you, but we have an island which is too long for single slab and we were afraid of a seam in the island too.

    We added a piece of end grain mahogany butcher block to the end of the island and we're loving how it came out. Just another idea to throw out there.

  • PRO
    Granite City Services
    11 years ago

    another option is to have a small raised section for the area that would have to be seamed. It's typically quite functional and the elevation change eliminates the grain matching issue.

  • firstmmo
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi Friends!
    Yes, I did sell that house with the white kitchen. It was a bit of a shock to me too that I had to leave it, but we had an offer we couldn't refuse. My new (old) house is in the planning stages for a remodel. I wish I could re-create that kitchen but I think every home has it's own "story". That house, when I first saw it, had that big room as a perfect solution for it's layout. My new house doesn't have that layout (and we don't have the budget for a total teardown and rebuild), so I'm working with what I have :)

    I like the idea of a different material at the end, like wood or SS as Hoboken did. I am just not sure that the white colors seam as well as some of the other slabs. Beagles' is perfection but I am worried I won't have the exact same result.

    I saw a recent post by kam(?) that had a seam she didn't like and she had to re-do....that got me worried.

    Bee: Speaking of new kitchens and moving, I saw your drama over the white grout vs the gray grout and laughed. I still love that tile and am seriously considering it for one of our bathrooms. It's just so wonderful and I love your new kitchen too!

  • flevy
    11 years ago

    Firsthouse... I had the same issue. I needed a slab that was bigger then anyone could find. I wanted white and it had to be a min of 134x 72. I was at the slab yards at least once a week. Everyone there new me. Then they started to call me when something came in that they thought I would like. After 3 months of hunting, I hit the jackpot. By this time everyone in my area knew what I was after. So the slab yard called my fabricator and told him he was sending over a pic to forward to me. After review the pick with the slab yard, the fabricator was confident enough to put it on hold for me. Then he send me the pics for review.

    The slab yard recieived the delivery the evening before. It was uncreated the next day. Pics were sent around at 9am. By the time I got to the slab yard at lunch all the slabs were on hold with deposits except for mine. Needless to say I loved it and now think the yard and my fabricator are the best!

    My point.... Tell everyone what you are looking for. It's out there... You just have to find it and you need all the help you can get to do so.

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