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Countertop cuts for U-Shaped Kitchen

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  • Mar 8th, 2019 12:22 am
Sr. Member
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Jan 15, 2009
552 posts
287 upvotes
Toronto

Countertop cuts for U-Shaped Kitchen

What is the typical cuts of the slabs (quartz) for a U-shaped kitchen countertop? Is it 3 slabs and where the corners are, cut and joined at a 45 degree angle? Is there any other cuts and/or arrangement that makes more sense? My concern is the seams showing.
7 replies
Deal Guru
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Mar 23, 2008
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Edmonton
Talk to the fabricators when they come out to measure. We have an U kitchen, and the seams are at right angles to the countertop.

C
Deal Expert
May 30, 2005
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Richmond Hill
Depends on the size of your kitchen. Different manufacturers create slabs in slightly different sizes, which dictates where the seams have to be. Also cost is an issue - having the seams in a place you prefer may mean an extra slab has to be used, in which case the installer will charge you appropriately.
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Deal Addict
Jan 28, 2007
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SW Ontario
My former neighbour at my shop was a granite cutting company for years. There are a number of factors that may influence this, such as what slab sizes are available to that of the counter design, slab grain and colours, layout, and costs.
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Deal Guru
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Oct 16, 2008
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Vaughan
My quartz counter top was cut u-shape, it was offered and determine by installer.
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Sr. Member
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Jan 15, 2009
552 posts
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Toronto
It looks like my installer is planning to use 3 slabs, which means there'll be 2 seams. Each slab would be around 126 x 63. What kind of expectation are there for seams? Obviously it won't completely blend in, but I don't know how to judge it if it sucks or exceeds expectations.
Deal Fanatic
Nov 17, 2012
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Toronto
It totally depends on the company doing the work and material chosen.

I had Caesarstone put in on an L shaped counter section at my cabin (it was the one major splurge along with the copper sink - lifetime choices). I expected seams in one place, and discussed it at length. But, they indicated that Caesarstone should not be rotated 90 degrees - i.e. the joints should be oriented in the same direction on the slab when laid out. The slabs can warp / flex and you don't want two opposing flexes happening at a joint.

Anyhow - long story short, work with your installer and don't miss details. At our house, I had marble put in. Typical seams, nice install, but one inside corner has a radius, the other is a 90 degree angle. I didn't notice until after the install was complete. Hardly noticeable and unless I pointed it out to someone, they would likely never notice. But it's the kind of thing that can happen.

Discuss seam placement, support under the slabs, edge profiles, inside / outside corners, sink placement / radius of inside corners for sink cutout, hole placement/size for faucets... make sure there is enough room for the faucet to be installed between the sink bowl and cabinet - need room for a wrench to get up there.

Lots of little details if you're acting as 'contractor' and doing some of the work yourself. I installed my sink and faucet for example, so I was on the hook for the sink template, front-to-back placement, faucet hole specifications...
Deal Fanatic
Nov 17, 2012
5381 posts
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Toronto
Oh - and general principle is the seam orientation and placement is to achieve the shortest seam possible. In my home kitchen, one seam is at a 45 degree angle as it ends in a corner bulkhead. So it's maybe 18 inches long.

The other corner seam is a straight cut, making it 25 inches or so long.

A 45 degree cut all the way to the corner of the kitchen wall is the longest possible seam and least likely to work well. They need to shim/level the slabs and doing that on the top of the cabinet where there is support the full length of the seam is much easier than over dead space in the inside corner of a kitchen base cabinet.

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