You arrive at the gallery and dozens of slabs face you. What actually matters before you decide?
Ask to see the slab upright and in daylight
A slab lying on a rack looks completely different from one standing up. Ask to have it stood upright, step back three metres and look at it the way you will look at the wall at home. Spot lighting in a gallery flatters every stone — ask to see it in natural light too.
Check vein direction against the plan
Diagonal veins on a slab that looks stunning in the gallery can be cut awkwardly when a three-metre worktop is fabricated from it. Bring your kitchen dimensions and ask to have the cut lines marked on the slab itself.
Ask how many slabs from the same batch
If the project needs more than one slab, make sure they all come from the same bundle — that is, they were cut from the same block in the quarry. Slabs from different bundles of the same commercial name can differ significantly in tone.
Look for cracks, repairs and mesh
Many natural marble slabs arrive with a fibre mesh bonded to the back for reinforcement — that is normal and accepted. What you should check for is open cracks, obvious resin fills or areas that look 'repaired'. Ask to run your hand across the surface.
Take a sample home
The lighting in your home is what decides. Take a small piece, place it on the chosen cabinet next to the chosen floor, and look at it in the morning and in the evening. Many decisions change at this stage.
Ask for the final price in writing
A price per m² is only the beginning. Make sure the quote covers measurement, cutouts, edge profiling, delivery, installation and sealing — and that it states explicitly what is not included.
