Cracked granite island

[John Arnold]

No photo, because you can hardly see this thing.

New construction. Buyers discovered an almost invisible crack in the granite island. I can definitely feel it and follow it with my fingertips. It's about a foot long, and there's a spot that you can catch your fingernail on. Doesn't seem to go all the way through to the bottom.

What would be done about this, aside from replacement? Would this be polished out or filled, or what? Or, is it "normal"?

[wayne soper]

Granite is HARD!!! Polishing is not possible on site.
Blame it on the listing broker:D
The installer/ manufacturer should be out to take a look
If not the contractor is on the hook
depending on the test of the line
Epoxy filler I think would be best option if not too bad.
And can match color
depending on brain matter

[Jerry Peck]

The only successful correction for cracked granite that I am aware of is ... replacement.

You may be able to epoxy the crack, but the crack will continue through the granite.

[Steven Turetsky]

The only successful correction for cracked granite that I am aware of is ... replacement.

You may be able to epoxy the crack, but the crack will continue through the granite.

I agree

[Garry Sorrells]

my 2 & 1/2 cents worth.

To salvage the counter it will require that the crack be completed through the slab.
Then the counter has to be reset & leveled.
Next the the slab has to be epoxied together with clamps to draw together.
Finally you have to hold your noise and walk away praying from that point on.

Alternative #2 is if the slab is in alignment (not raised) filling would be a temp fix that could be filled and polished (filler not granite). But, over time the cause of the crack may worsen and cause the crack to reopen wider or to move out of alignment vertically.

The problem if not a flaw in the granite is that it is not being supported correctly and a stress point was created and then failed.

Best answer is installation error and should be replaced. Hoping that the next install is done better. "Pays your money and takes your chances."

[John Kogel]

All the responses so far are for real granite. There are synthetic granite products out there that could be repairable, but that's not the best way. New house, new owners, they get a new counter top, no jerking around. :)

[Jerry Peck]

All the responses so far are for real granite. There are synthetic granite products out there that could be repairable, ...


The problem ... is that it is not being supported correctly and a stress point was created and then failed.

Even if there was a flaw in the granite, once cut, polished and properly set (see Garry's quote) the flawed granite would not crack, and the synthetic/composite materials would be under the same stresses if not supported properly and correctly.

Granite is not flexible, it wants to be firmly and securely supported on a flat plane ... stress it out of plane (bend it) and it will crack (it may take a while to crack, but it will eventually crack if not supported in plane).

[Garry Sorrells]

All the responses so far are for real granite. There are synthetic granite products out there that could be repairable, but that's not the best way. New house, new owners, they get a new counter top, no jerking around. :)

The original was about granite not quartz re-manufactured into a quartz product like Silesstone. And was directed at how to salvage the counter. New replacement is almost always better than fixing the problem, if cost is not a factor.

There may be issues that we are not aware of, like $ 8,000 credit back to buyer if they accept a repair. Builder saves money on lost counter in replacement. Repair may not be noticeable if done right.

Lets not read more into the question else we will be replacing the toilet as part of the answer.

[Scott Patterson]

The original was about granite not quartz re-manufactured into a quartz product like Silesstone. And was directed at how to salvage the counter. New replacement is almost always better than fixing the problem, if cost is not a factor.

There may be issues that we are not aware of, like $ 8,000 credit back to buyer if they accept a repair. Builder saves money on lost counter in replacement. Repair may not be noticeable if done right.

Lets not read more into the question else we will be replacing the toilet as part of the answer.

The buyers will never be happy knowing that the granite on their island was cracked and then repaired. No matter what is done they will know where the crack is/was and they will see it no matter how good the repair is.

An $8,000 dollar credit would amount to around $5 a month reduction on a 30 year mortgage.

If it was my home I would want a new slab of granite installed.

Would you accept a new car from a dealer with the knowledge of it being repaired after it was damaged but it looks fine now?