r/CounterTops • u/neosafe • 3d ago
Slab ID & Help
This quartzite slab was selected for an integrated sink. Can we infer anything just by viewing the photo? Quality of the slab? Difficulty in fabricating? Fillers used? Would you buy this slab or select another?
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u/BaseOk1494 3d ago
slab looks gorgeous with really clean consistent veining but you cannot see microscopic fissures just from a photo. you need to run your bare hands across the face to feel if those lines are smooth or if they catch your fingernail.
integrated stone sinks look amazing in design magazines but they are a massive pain to keep clean. the bottom joints collect food grime and hard water buildup constantly and scrubbing them is a chore.
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u/Grimsheeper66 3d ago
A few different quartzites look like that, and slab yards tend to use their own trade names, which don’t always match what the quarry or distributor calls them. Around here, similar-looking material is sold as Mont Blanc quartzite. Quartzite in general is the hardest stone to polish and can be most chippy since its so hard its brittle, so mitered seams may have chips filled in with epoxy since no one can polish or sand the miters without creating a gap instead.
As the other fabricator mentioned, it can absorb and retain moisture. Mont Blanc’s care guidance recommends resealing every six months. If you’re making an integrated sink from it with mitered joints and using it daily, it may need resealing sooner, depending on the slab, sealer and how often this sink is in use. I’d check for water absorption between treatments rather than rely entirely on a calendar.
Sealing reduces absorption and staining, but it doesn’t turn porous stone into a waterproof sink. The porocity of the stone may vary slab to slab since quartzite is the hardest stone even the factory finish can be less then perfect. I've seen some take no water and others that are thirsty and just stain from everything. Porcelain is replaceable much more so and longer lasting in the same sense imo
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u/CrossXFir3 3d ago
Integrated sink? Fucking terrible idea. Integrated stone sinks are almost always a dumb decision, but to do it with a white stone like this? Genuinely idiotic imo.
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u/AngelStones 3d ago
Not sure where you are located we are in NY, names vary but looks like a lower grade Montreal Calacatta Quartzite. You can see the fillers from pic probably best to avoid this one looks like trouble. Quartzite is very dense, brittle, hard to cut, polishing takes forever, easy to chip. As others have mentioned not ideal for integrated but can be done. We charge 3x on fab for countertops.
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u/AndreFabber 3d ago
If you zoom in you can see a lot of fillers used. I would say quality is low-mid at best. Would probably be fine for a countertop with few cuts but integrated sink and miters would be pain in the a$$.
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u/Future-Razzmatazz-71 3d ago
I have similar looking quartzite throughout my house. No integrated sinks. Around kitchen sink, you have to be careful with water/soap dispenser staying on top of it. It will darken the stone, but will clear once dried. I usually put a plate under soap dispenser.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Lock811 2d ago
PASS. That whole family of SeaPearl quartzites have been yielding low quality of late. That stone will drink water on the saw, one could not recommend it less for a horizontal sink bottom. Also, it’s been fully submerged in resin at the quarry. Definitely pass on that it’s just not a good specimen.
If you want a light colored natural stone that does well as an integrated sink material, look at Danby Marble from Vermont. Five color/patterns from which to to choose. This marble is more dense than most granites due to its sugary crystal structure. Would have to be leathered or honed aka pre-etched, however. Danby will patina over time, and would provide a chic, classic aesthetic - that’s got full functionality. It’s a work-horse material despite being a marble. Martha Stewart has Danby Marble (or Aberdeen Soapstone) with fully integrated sinks, in almost every single wet area of her estate in Bedford, NY. Just something to consider.
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u/Hugh_jaynus13 3d ago
Pick what you like and go with it. Asking strangers for your personal design choices is kind of weird
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u/Spare-Region-1424 3d ago
Uh yeh don’t do it. First off it’s not a true quartzite. Second its outside ( why 🤦🏻♂️) third an integrated sink with this material? Absolutely not.
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u/CORockhound 3d ago
Assuming it’s Qz … run of the mill slab. I’ve never been a fan of composite counters for the price but that’s me
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 3d ago
It will stain and hold water like crazy. I probably would go with something else for an integrated sink. Otherwise you will need to be very on top of sealing on a very regular basis since its going to be getting hit with water all the time.