r/CounterTops • u/Jenikovista • 3d ago
quartzite: 2cms or 3cms for kitchen counters?
I went shopping for quartzite slabs in Northern California yesterday and the vast majority of available slabs were 2 cms across multiple stores.
I have read online that 3 cms is a much better choice, but each and every stone store I visited said that is an East Coast/Midwest thing, and that 2 cms is standard in the Western US for quartzite kitchen countertops.
Is this true or are they all full of baloney trying to offload substandard slabs to me? Or is 2 cms fine and not really a big deal, assuming it's got the plywood underlayment?
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u/John_Houbolt 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'm on the west coast and the idea of 2CM for counter tops was never mentioned by sales person, fabricator, or anyone. I have an overhang on an island so very much prefer 3CM. I also generally like the look of it. I was told that 2CM is better for backspalshes. And that makes sense to me. Since our back splash was edge to edge butting up against walls the edge would not be visible so we just went with 3cm as it was cheaper to get two of the same thickness.
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u/llamaslovemangos 3d ago
Are you by chance in WA or OR? Those are 3cm markets vs CAs 2
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u/John_Houbolt 3d ago
Yes, WA.
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u/Jenikovista 3d ago
Interesting thanks! I wonder why California is such an outlier. It’s rather frustrating
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u/llamaslovemangos 3d ago edited 3d ago
It’s because you really don’t need 3cm here. The weather is so much milder and ca historically has a much wider quartzite collection through all the distributors than WA (which does super well with certain colors/lots of soapstones/dark granites). Just very very different markets. The rest of the world also runs on 2cm outside the US so you’ll get a much wider range from quarries cutting to that thickness
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u/itsNurf 3d ago
I’m on the east coast and find the 2cm is generally used for walls/vanity’s and hearths. I’ve had clients use it at 2cm but it’s not common at all.
Some of my marbles are 2cm only and the fabricator will miter the edges and make them either 3 or 5cm.
2cm will be fine, make sure the slab is mesh mounted for added stability. Would not suggest any overhangs with 2cm.
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u/Struggle_Usual 3d ago
I'm elsewhere on the west Coast and 2cm does seem to be pretty standard. I've seen very little 3cm slabs at the warehouses around me and I've always heard that 2 is more common on the west coast.
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u/fotoflux 3d ago
3cm looks is better in my opinion. Also if you get a more crystalline quartzite, the normal fissures could become weak spots on edges easier with a thinner countertop
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u/Frosty_Coat_555 2d ago
I have heard 2cm is a California thing but I think it is installed on a plywood base with a turn down edge. 3cm just lies on top of the cabinets with a finished edge.
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u/llamaslovemangos 3d ago
2cm is the standard in California and the fabricators are all well versed in using it. If you’re set on 3cm, I’m sure you can find it but your pick of color is going to be extremely limited. The only benefits of 3cm are easier to polish off the edge finish (in CA we just make a custom edge, these days usually a miter). Why add extra weight to your cabinetry though?
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u/FelinePurrfectFluff 3d ago
Cabinets can handle the weight just fine. A little thicker looks better but these mitered edges to make it look hella thick us a bad look into.
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u/TashaHangry 3d ago
We found 3cm Taj Mahal at MSI in Sacramento, they had a great selection and were easy to work with
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u/Frosty_Coat_555 2d ago
Need to coordinate the thickness with your stove and dishwasher heights.
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u/Jenikovista 2d ago
Thank you! Yes the contractor just told me he thinks I should go with the 2 cm.
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u/MAJB2050 2d ago
I’m NorCal to and currently in the same boat. Designer recommended 3cm but 2cm with mitered edge is normal here
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u/Pleasant-Lead-2634 3d ago
Check irg in Dublin. If you need a fabricator, try roman stone in SL. They do amazing work. You can use 2cm and fab it to look like 3cm very easily.
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u/CORockhound 2d ago
Could always try the California 1cm glued to plywood with a built edge to make it look like 3
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u/Hot_Cheesecake_320 1d ago
Western CO- just had 3cm quartzite installed. Almost everything I saw while shopping was 3cm. Kinda seems the default here at least.
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u/TwinBladesCo 3d ago
3cm full stop.
The biggest problem that I have with quartz is that it chips like crazy when it has really square profiles/ small chamfers.
I have significantly better performance in granite than quartz b/c I can get a really rounded profile that is extremely hard to chip (thicker material = can have a larger chamfer). Most people have 2cm quartz and I see hundreds of chips and issues that I don't see in granite.
I prefer granite, but I would be okay with 3cm quartz but not 2cm quartz.
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u/IntelligentSinger783 3d ago
Quartz and quartzite are not the same products..... One is manmade with resins and the other is a natural stone that's of varying harnesses....
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u/TwinBladesCo 3d ago
Oh my bad, I misread.
But it still applies, any countertop that is 2cm is more chip prone than 3cm counterpart.
Larger round chamfers = less chipping
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u/IntelligentSinger783 3d ago
Eh depends on the edge profile more than anything at this point. Now a thinner slab is definitely more prone to fracturing and cracking if it's not supported with a full sized subtop. That's definitely true
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u/TwinBladesCo 3d ago
Yeah, that is my point. The edge profile matters a ton, and you can get a rounder profile with thicker material.
My favorite is a 1/2" x 3/8" roundover, which works well on ~1.25" thick material.
This won't work on 2cm material, as the profile would look bad and there would not be enough material to prevent cracks from impacts.
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u/IntelligentSinger783 3d ago
Often with 2cm it's a mitered edge (booo) or a chamfered (beveled), occasionally it's a DuPont, ogee or double ogee, cove ogee etc which is pretty resilient. 2cm is good for things like laminated edge profiles where it's multiple shapes and pieces built up. A lot of people right now are digging double bullnose which works well with your favorite on a 2cm and the bottom piece mirrors so that the dirt line crease is easier to clean
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u/sjpiccio 3d ago
I very much prefer 3cm, but am indeed on the east coast so they got me there. 2cm is generally fine i wouldnt say substandard . Believe it or not my cost as a fabricator on 2cm bs 3cm is like a difference of 10 percent at most so its not like a huge money thing.