The biggest downside to a lot of patterned countertops is that they can have seams and it’s inevitable no matter which granite contractor you hire. Here are some things you need to know about seams in countertops.
The Seams Can Be Sealed
Seams are the small bit of separation between the pattern of your countertop material. They mostly happen in patterned countertops, which mainly include marble countertops, granite countertops, ceramic countertops, etc. Any countertop that has a pattern in it will give rise to seams. But it doesn’t need to be alarming to you. seams can be sealed with a lot of things.
One main thing that can help you in sealing the seam is an epoxy based resin. The resin can be applied in between the obvious seams and they can merge the pattern together. This will make the seam very much less obvious and they can fill in the seams as well. you can also use colored epoxy-based resin, to fill in the seam with color. This will also make the seam almost invisible to the eye.
They Happen and It’s Okay
Seams are just as inevitable as anything in life, even if you prepare fully, they will happen regardless. What you don’t want to do is beat yourself up for perfection. If seams really bother you, then you should go for non-patterned options for countertops. Because patterned countertops, which have a lot of veining and design on them, will have seams, because they are cut in to equal shapes to fit on your countertop. Cutting of the entire block will have irregularity in the pattern and you will need to accept it.
If you don’t care about having patterned countertops but you still don’t want seams in your end result, then you can go for solid color countertops which have no pattern on them. No seams, no worries.
A Solid Slab Doesn’t Always Means No Seams
There is a common misconception that a single, uncut slab of patterned granite or marble will lead to no seams. Well, this is not fully true. You see, it can be applicable for single kitchen islands, where only a single block of slab can get the job done, but for countertops, you will need to eventually cut the slab into fitting the entire countertop, otherwise, you might be left with a gap in between your countertops, which can look worse than seams. So, get this misconception out of your brain as soon as possible, because a single slab won’t cut it.
Keep the Seams Less Noticeable
If you really want patterned countertops and you don’t want seams to be very noticeable, then your next best option is to get the slab cut professionally and as cleanly as possible. When your slab is being cut, make sure you communicate the fact that you don’t want any seams in your countertops, so care will be taken when people will be cutting your slabs.
You can cut the slabs, keeping the veining as symmetrical as possible. This will make a world of a difference for your countertops. If your slabs are cut cleanly and with care, then your veining will align better with other cut parts of the slabs, and the end product will have a more fluid and less sporadic appearance to it. So, try this tip out and let your countertops look almost seamless to the eye.
Seam-Free Countertop Options
If you don’t care about patterned countertops, then here are some options for seamless and pattern-less countertops. You can go for concrete countertops. Concrete countertops are plain with no design. They have no pattern on them and also no seams. Another great surface which has no seams in it is a Corian slab. Corian slabs are very reminiscent of granite and it is almost seamless. They have small dots on them, which makes it very easy to mesh with other cut slabs and the best thing is that they have no seams in the end product. Plain materials are your way to go for seamless countertops.
No matter how much you try, your kitchen countertops will have seams. But you can avoid them, if you prepare beforehand. When you shop from countertop replacement companies Potomac, ask them to install materials or designs of materials that don’t have seams.
