What to Look For When You Choose Your Slab
A sample tells you the color. Only the full slab tells you the story. Five things to check before you say yes.
Natural stone is one of a kind. The slab you see online, or the sample in your hand, is never exactly what goes in your kitchen. That’s why we always say: come see the actual slab.
1. Look at the whole slab, not a corner
Veining changes a lot across a single slab. Step back and look at the full piece, then walk up close. The movement you love on one end may be quiet on the other.
2. Think about where the veins will land
Your island, your sink and your cooktop each take a different part of the slab. Ask to see how your countertop pieces will be laid out on it, so the best part of the stone ends up where people will see it.
3. Check the color in good light
Warehouse light and kitchen light are different. Look at the slab in daylight if you can, and bring a cabinet door or a paint sample to hold next to it.
4. Know what’s natural
Small pits, natural fissures and color shifts are part of real stone, and they are not cracks. A good fabricator will point them out and explain what you’re looking at, honestly.
5. Reserve the slabs you choose
If you love a slab, tag it. Slabs from the same lot can look different, and the one you picked can sell. If your project needs more than one slab, choose them together.
Our gallery in Kenner has slabs indoors so you can take your time. Book a visit and we’ll walk the gallery with you.
Want to see these stones in person?