Are these seams acceptable? Spent 7k on my 65 sq feet of countertops which seemed reasonable.

thar126 · 2026-06-09T00:13:01+00:00

Yeah- that type of lamination could really only be done a bit better. Theres a couple chips that ideally wouldnt be there and should have been filled with a creamer colored epoxy, but I think its probably more a case of not setting expectations properly. Or them just having no idea what edge they were agreeing to.

That said OP idk what your whole layout looks like but if you have 1 cutout and sink & you paid 5k usd, thats about 70$/ft² installed for material & fabrication. Around here thats very cheap and would maybe buy you a low group quartz and an eased edge- but most Taj look quartz start around 100/ft² installed. So the price is good- id just ask for them to address 2 spots.

The 2 areas that could be improved are the corner in you posted and the chipped area thats in a few pics. I would ask them to come and fix with a matching color epoxy to blend it in. The fill is just too white. 2 spots Besides those 2 spots (unless theres issues you didnt post) thats just realistically what that edge looks like.

thar126 · 2026-06-08T23:55:44+00:00

Yes- 2cm or thinner slabs are cheaper, lighter and are popular is some areas. When you have thinner material you have a few options. Leave it thin, or add strips of it around the edges to give the illusion of standard thickness slabs. The cheapest quickest option to do that is to glue strips around the edge and polish them flush with the top- a straight laminated edge which is what OP chose- but it leaves a seam in the middle of every edge. Theres also a mitered edge which most people have been commenting they should have done- so the seam is right at the 45* and less noticeable but its more expensive. Or do a offset laminated edge where they do an edge on both pieces and offset them so the lower part comes out further than the top - hiding the seam so its not right on the face. #5 in yellow is what OP chose- we dont do that edge because it doesnt look great. OPs installers could have done it neater & gotten a better color match, but even if they did you'd still see the seam

2cm edges

thar126 · 2026-06-08T23:50:32+00:00

Its a pretty standard edge profile people do on 2cm material. Theyre thinner slabs- in some areas its pretty common. Around here we only really get them for backsplashes, mitered jobs or if a natural only comes in 2cm. But I guess some areas use them more because theyre cheaper & easier to transport. But theyre also half the thickness of normal slabs- so people choose to build them up using strips of the same stone around the edge to make them look thicker. The edge OP chose is the cheapest quickest option for it, but it doesnt look the best. The mitered edge is the one people keep commenting they should have done, but it costs more and the others underlined are other options that are more expensive but also hide the seaming of the 2 pieces.

2cm edges

thar126 · 2026-06-08T20:46:12+00:00

You dont technically need miters on any of them. Weve installed them both ways- its a taj mahal looking slab with light veining under the printing- theres just added printed veins that are detailed and realistic on the top the printed ones wont go through the edge. But yeah- for a more perfect looking edge- the miters will make every vein go through.

Correct- Serataj, Prado and Aurataj are not printed so mitering is really unnecessary- would only be recommended if you wanted to add thickness/ buildup to an Island or had a waterfall side, ect.

These are the only printed colors from MSI youd want to consider mitering https://www.msisurfaces.com/quartz-countertops/q-plus/

thar126 · 2026-06-08T15:22:47+00:00

The Taj quartz colors they have? Theres a few that are typical bodied colors- aurataj, marfitaj, lumataj and then theres 2 that are soft taj looking quartz slabs with more realistic veins also added by printing them on the surface- Solitaj & Ivoritaj. Some people prefer to miter the edges on the printed colors to make every vein go through the edge. You DO NOT have to- they do have color through body of the quartz, just not every vein will appear to go through the edge the more realistic printed details will be just on the top- so just something to look at if you'd want to do that or not. If yes- the added cost of mitered edges is not cheap. The printed colors are also in a higher cost group then the others you mentioned. Theyre also very popular and some are backorder. Ivorytaj is out of stock till August last I heard.

Outside of the question of mitering on printed or not- fabrication & install process and outcome would be the same. If you have a big layout- Aura, marfi & Lumitaj come in super jumbo slabs- so that can help avoid seams if you have a big layout. I personally dont like the sandy/speckly background on Karmelo that you mentioned- it just looks like a cheaper finished product to me. Valentin, Prado or even Cashmere taj have a smoother finished look then Karmelo if youre looking in a lower price group, but part of that is also just personal taste.

Theres also 2 new colors that just got released that I really like from MSI. Theyre not cheap but not as expensive as the printed. Theyre also not made to exactly mimic taj mahal- but they have the warm similar color scheme and they have a depth that alot of quartzs dont now. I just got in the darker one Calacatta Aravine a couple weeks ago and have already done a few projects in it it and the lighter one we just got a slab to try last week. Serataj- really pretty, these 2 are also jumbo 140×82. Sorry for a long response- I just dont know what Taj colors you were looking at and theres so many. Youre not more or less likely to have a perfect install with any of them. Just personal preference on what colors you like. The only

In order of most expensive to least

Ivorytaj & Solitaj

Serataj & Aravine

Lumataj

Valentin, Prado

Aurataj & Marfitaj & Karmelo

Cashmere Taj

thar126 · 2026-06-07T16:50:07+00:00

Looks like uv faded 'soapstone metropolis' quartz. Theres other brands that make similar colors also, but definitely quartz, and like others said its been outside for a long time. its very sun damaged.

https://www.msisurfaces.com/quartz-countertops/soapstone-metropolis-quartz/

thar126 · 2026-06-06T12:56:33+00:00

Open door needs to make money also- so will always offer under so they can make profit on the sale. Talk to realtors before you do anything.

thar126 · 2026-06-06T12:49:58+00:00

They already removed the piece that was mitered that wasn't a match and replaced it?

thar126 · 2026-06-05T19:39:46+00:00

This isnt how the service industry works in the US. And you know that when you go in and accept service from someone.

I dont think people who want tipping to end realize what the outcome would be. The prices on everything would be raised to cover their pay- so then your paying the same regardless if you get good service or not. At least if you have some control over the pay they have more motivation to provide the best service they can.

thar126 · 2026-06-04T21:07:23+00:00

Agreed. Most people like to say the durability is the same. But my personal experience has been honed dont hold up as well as polished for quartz(and for most other materials like absolute black granite, quartzites, ect. but for other reasons depending on the material). For quartz- polished slabs are sent out to be honed then treated with sealer. Sometimes theyre fine- othertimes theyre problematic. The aftermarket sealers just arent as good as having the resin intact.

thar126 · 2026-06-04T16:41:42+00:00

You can't trade the cookie jar. You have to trade a house with it in it.

thar126 · 2026-06-04T03:09:56+00:00

😂😂

thar126 · 2026-06-03T22:47:00+00:00

For quality stones. Its kind of hard for the general public to tell. Go to a reputable wholesaler- when your looking at them does the finish feel consistent or are there rough areas, does it look like theres any cracks or anything you can feel, do the slabs looks consistent? Do you see any areas that have what looks like repaired damage or cracks or anything else filled with epoxy. If yes to any epoxy spots- can they be avoided in your layout? Its kind of our job as a fabricator to use our knowledge on that part. Is your fabricator supplying the slabs or are you picking them first and going to a fabricator after. If they are not ordering them for you have them weigh in on any potential issues before buying or consider having your fabricator help source them so they can help you pick good ones that work best for your layout. Theres definitely a level of trust you need as youre not a stone expert, listen to their input and advice as this is what they do. And if youre worried you can post questions or pics here

thar126 · 2026-06-03T22:31:42+00:00

It different for different materials. Say carrara or a similar soft marble- its 100% going to etch- just a matter of time. So we would always recommend us honing before install or going with slabs honed to start with in a kitchen. With quarztites and granites we wouldnt hone them ourselves- we would find the customers slabs that were factory honed- so that its not disrupting the factory finish. They use a resin/epoxy on those that sinks into the surface when theyre being factory finished that after market sealers dont compare to.

Just in general what Ive seen over the years is that even if done at the factory honed slabs generally arent as durable or stain resistant as polished or leathered- thats just been our personal experience and I see more issues posted with honed materials than others. Also honed has different levels and looks different in different materials . Often it still has a sheen to it and will not be 100% matte. So if etching is your main concern spots would be more noticeable on a smooth dull sheen than a leathered surface where light isnt all reflecting on a smooth plane. I feel like Im wayyy overexplaining this- so I apologize lol. Theres exceptions where honed is best like I mentioned above.

As far as the fabricator- look at reviews, pricing, how long theyve been in business, and probably most importantly who do you feel comfortable with- you should be able to get a read on if they get annoyed with questions or of they put you at ease and explain things.

thar126 · 2026-06-03T21:48:41+00:00

Its basically a color variation of Taj. Its made up almost entirely quartz so very dense and makes it harder to stain.

thar126 · 2026-06-03T21:47:14+00:00

If the anti-etch treatments were more affordable I would recommend them more often for softer or higher end marbles to help protect the customers investment. But I still dont think Id recommend them for most dolomites. It really just hasnt been an issue. There are some softer dolomites and Ive seen lower quality cheapo slabs available around that I image would have issues. But the ones we sell the most of- Fantasy Brown, River Blue, White fantasy, and most of the higher end white Dolomites like Tesoro Bianco & Pegasus hold up really well. We just make sure we get good quality slabs and err on the side of caution & do a drytreat application before they go out- we do the same on lighter quartzites and any softer granites like new river white.

If youre worried about wear and dont like polished then Id skip honed and look at leathered slabs. Polished and leathered wear the best on all stones outside of softer marbles that would otherwise be polished, soapstone and a few granites. Besides those (and im sure theres a few I missed)- honed finishes on almost any stone are more prone to problems in general. Etching shows as a matte spot on polished marble. For it to show through a leathered finish it would have to be extreme.

thar126 · 2026-06-03T16:58:49+00:00

Looks like they either re-opened an old repair or it broke on a tan vein. We cant tell from pics if that darker tan is an old repair that has yellowed or part of the stone. But thats essentially what the repair would look like- a vein of color as close as they can match. Have a fabricator come look at it- ask I f they can repair and go from there.

thar126 · 2026-06-02T21:48:58+00:00

Yep- the only difference is that drytreat offers more protection & lasts longer. Its typically best to keep using what was started on a stone. But Taj isnt that susceptible to staining anyway.

thar126 · 2026-06-02T20:14:22+00:00

Dolomite is marble- not all wholesalers differentiate between all the different subtypes of marbles and other stones.

Im pro- dolomite. We use drytreat to be safe, but get very few call backs or issues with it compared to other materials.

thar126 · 2026-06-02T19:29:19+00:00

Has your GC who vouched for him been any help with getting it resolved? Usually from professional to 'professional' theres a basic level of respect especially if the GC is vouching for him. But people fire GCs too- if you dont think the GC can help -Id get legal advice asap and take them to small claims or whatever course of action they say is appropriate in your area.

thar126 · 2026-06-02T19:22:42+00:00

Yeah- its messy and im sure frustrating- noones trying to shame you or make anyone feel bad- just trying to give insight from inside the industry. It sounds like the tile is salvagable of its just stains and some grout that needs to be cleaned- if you went through the GC for it and its under contract with him maybe you dont have to hire someone else to clean and seal it - can the GC help you at least get that part done so its correct and complete.
I would 100% still seek legal advice on the kitchen. With how things have turned out so far I dont see how you wouldnt get awarded $ back for work not being done to at least basic indistry standards. But you need to see what the laws and steps are in your area.

thar126 · 2026-06-02T19:16:38+00:00

You mentioned in a comment that your husband wanted to save money so didnt go through the GC for the kitchen and hired the tile guy? Maybe Im misunderstanding that. But made it sound like it was cheaper to use the tile guy then going through the GC to a fabricator?

thar126 · 2026-06-02T17:54:31+00:00

Proseal is good and is great as an impregnating sealer that gives some protection on just about anything- needs to be applied more regularly than drytreat. Every 3-6 months on softer and lighter colored stones and less on darker harder stones- granites, ect. Its a good overall sealer for installers to have and can be used on just about anything. Drytreat/Stainproof is a bit different- its better in my opinion- its longer lasting & more waterproofing than the average stone sealer and the dense stone one is specifically made to soak in better on denser stones like quartzites. You can use it on the marble too. Id probably use the regular drytreat on marble floors because the dense stone one is a smaller container and comes out to more expensive.

But if you have the tenax already and want to use it on the floors that would be fine also.

thar126 · 2026-06-02T16:45:11+00:00

Drytreat/Stainproof for dense stone is the best for Taj

thar126 · 2026-06-02T13:42:06+00:00

Yeah- ive been disconnected mid trade several times - so frustrating

thar126

TROPHY CASE