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We’re wrapping up our first home renovation and I’m unsure if this is normal or not. I noticed some cracks (or fissures?) in our island (jadore quartzite), which stood out because they catch your fingernail and catch differently in the light. One section seemed like it was a crack and was maybe epoxy’d over?

Can I expect these to get worse over time and is this worth addressing?

Does this compromise the seal? Especially if it’s running from the cooktop install to the end of the slab?

Would adding structural support to the overhang help relieve this issue (12”)?

Is this normal and acceptable work?

Images here: (it was a little hard to capture because of polish reflections but maybe trained eyes can tell?)

https://imgur.com/a/5YwMSs2 (ALBUM/GALLERY Link)

One image here

enter image description here

(First time trying to attach photos, hopefully this works).

We love this slab so much, hoping you guys can ease this anxiety that’s crept in!!

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    It is a matter of opinion. I wish you had noticed it earlier and not paid for it. It is possibly a natural fault in the stone, and its possibly been stressed. If the fault is flexed, it may get worse. I would definitely support the cantilever. And do not sit on it. It's the worse thing people do to bench tops.
    – Rohit Gupta
    Commented Dec 25, 2023 at 5:54
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    I would say that's not normal. It looks like a piece that broke off and was then epoxied back in place. If you had a contractor do this, you should get back with him
    – JACK
    Commented Dec 25, 2023 at 13:41

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Quartzite has natural faults. You should expect your finger nail to catch in places.

The slabs typically are finished with a resin at the factory then shipped to the supplier. Your installer then cuts them to the correct size and they typically look for any faults / weak spots and choose the cut to eliminate the worse one. Natural stone also has voids which are epoxy filled. The epoxy is often stronger than the natural stone strength if it is filled.

Sometimes the slabs do break and then you have to decide if you have it repaired or pay for a new one. Repairs can be ok if they are with the natural seams and blend in. Hard to tell if yours was repaired or not.

I wouldn't be worried about future issues with those areas. You aren't ever supposed to stand or sit on a natural stone like this.

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    I think the biggest "tell" is whether or not it it was broken and repaired in a substandard way is if the stone is uniform across the surfaces. As you suggest, the seam or fissure, (IMO, different that a crack,) may be detectable by running a fingernail across and it finds the crack, that is one thing. If you can run a fingernail across the joint and it hits a raised portion where the pieces are not lined up anymore, that is a faulty repair. Surfaces that are completely flat to one another, good, pieces that are not in the same plane, not good.
    – Jack
    Commented Dec 26, 2023 at 1:01
  • That's a good point. I think the piece looks too good to have cracked out and been put back and the surfaces look perfectly aligned.
    – Fresh Codemonger
    Commented Dec 26, 2023 at 6:26
  • The only are I have for concern it the few cracks or fissures that are close to the edge, bunched together. The long ones going away are no concern at all. It is either a mitered edge where there is a slight seam visible along the edge and with that th small, what could be considered pieces long the bottom edge on the lower right side. If they were chips that were glued back in at the right time fine, so they could be finished out properly, but if the chip or chips, if that is what they are, and were refitted back in after the polishing, there may be a detectable edge to feel, not able to see.
    – Jack
    Commented Dec 26, 2023 at 6:35

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