A small countertop sample tells you the color. A full slab tells you what your kitchen will actually look like. Natural stone like granite, quartzite and marble varies from one slab to the next, even within the same color name, so the slab you approve is the best predictor of the finished counter. This checklist covers what to bring, what to look at and what to ask when you choose a slab in person.
Why the full slab matters
- Natural stone is never uniform. Two slabs called "Calacatta" or "African Rainbow" can look quite different. Veins change direction, color shifts across the slab, and some areas carry more pattern than others.
- Your counter is cut from specific areas of the slab. Where the sink, the cooktop and the seams fall decides which part of the pattern you see every day.
- Engineered quartz is more consistent, but seeing a full slab still helps you judge the vein scale and how it will look across a long run of counter.
What to bring
- A cabinet door or drawer front, or at least the exact paint or stain sample. Undertones matter: a counter that looks white on its own can look grey or yellow next to your cabinets.
- Your backsplash tile if you have chosen it, and a sample of the flooring.
- A hardware sample (a pull or a knob) if you know the finish.
- A simple layout with rough measurements, including where the sink, cooktop and any island go. A phone photo of a sketch is enough.
- Photos of the room, especially the light it gets during the day.
What to look at
Pattern and veining
- Stand back first and look at the slab as a whole, then come close.
- Notice the direction of the veins. On an island or a long wall, veins that run the length of the counter look calm; veins that cut across look busier.
- Look for areas you love and areas you'd rather not see. You can ask for the cuts to favor the parts you like.
Seams
- Most kitchens need at least one seam, because slabs come in fixed sizes. Ask where the seams would fall on your layout.
- On veined stone, seams can be vein-matched so the pattern continues across the joint as closely as the slab allows. This takes planning before cutting.
- Long islands sometimes need more than one slab. If so, ask to see the slabs together so the color and pattern match.
Color under different light
- Showroom lighting is not your kitchen's lighting. If you can, look at the slab near a window or ask to see a sample piece in daylight.
- Hold your cabinet door against the slab in both lights.
Natural features versus damage
- Fissures, pits and color spots are natural in granite, quartzite and marble. They are part of the stone, not defects, but you should be comfortable with them.
- Cracks that go through the slab are different. If you see something that worries you, ask about it before you approve the slab.
Finish
- Polished: shiny, shows the color deeply, shows fingerprints and water spots more on dark stone.
- Honed: matte and soft. Hides small scratches; on marble it can show etching less than polished.
- Leathered: a textured, low-sheen surface that hides fingerprints well, popular on dark granites.
Not every stone is available in every finish, so ask what the slab you like comes in.
Thickness and edge
- Slabs are commonly 2 cm or 3 cm thick. Thicker slabs feel more substantial; a thinner slab can be built up at the edge to look thicker.
- Choose the edge profile (eased, beveled, bullnose, ogee and others) with the slab in front of you. Simple edges suit modern kitchens and busy stones; decorative edges suit traditional kitchens and calmer stones.
Questions to ask before you approve a slab
- Is this the exact slab that will be used for my counters, and can it be set aside for my project?
- How many slabs does my layout need, and are they from the same batch?
- Where will the seams fall, and can the veins be matched across them?
- Which parts of the slab will be used for the sink and cooktop areas?
- Does this stone need sealing, and how often?
- What happens after I approve the slab: when is the kitchen measured (templated), and what needs to be in place first?
What happens after you choose
- Your cabinets are installed and level. The counter is measured on the actual cabinets, so they come first.
- Templating. A precise template of every counter is made in your kitchen, including the sink, cooktop and faucet positions. Have your sink and faucet chosen by this point.
- Layout on the slab. The template is placed on the slab to decide which areas of the pattern go where, including the seams.
- Cutting and finishing. The pieces are cut, the edges profiled and the cutouts made.
- Installation. The counters are set, seamed and sealed if the stone needs it. Plumbing is then reconnected.
Choose the slab, not a sample chip
The most reliable way to love your countertop is to approve the actual slab with your own cabinet door next to it. At our showrooms you can walk full slabs and compare them with door styles and finishes, and our own fabricators cut and install the stone you pick.