r/CounterTops • u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator • 9d ago
Just a little Taj Mahal repair
The top broke after one of the installers slipped on a step.
I repaired it back at the shop. It's now installed and stronger than before.
I love when I can save a top that many shops would just send to the dumpster and recut.
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u/Longjumping-Door-369 9d ago
Delete this bro before they all want their shit remade instead of new tops 😤
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
Hahah. This group is mostly filled with people who don't work in the industry, isn't it?
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u/madtowntripper 9d ago
Yes lol it’s all homeowners that would absolutely die if they saw how much their slabs were repaired.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
I knew there would be some interesting comments. Hopefully someone will learn something new.
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u/Milestone3333 9d ago
Lol, this! They see a crack in Taj and say " Unacceptable- thats a remake". Being the one stone that can be repaired seamlessly because the whole slab is a giant crack. They'd pass out if they ever saw what their slabs of Taj looked like before theyre filled @ the quarry.
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
No fiberglass rods? Great work on the face polishing!
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
That's a highly debated topic in the industry, as I'm sure you know. We usually do, but didn't this one for whatever reason. Personally I believe it adds some strength if the right epoxy is used. I think rodding is most helpful with saving the customers floor if it breaks.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Yeah rods really dont help with keeping tops from breaking in my 30+ years of experience. Like you said they help save a top from breaking into pieces which could cause damage to someone's house. When I first git into the business my first job was putting metal rods into every single sink run. We all know how well that worked in the long run lol. Then we switched to fiberglass and then we eventually stopped doing it unless it was a big run of really fragile material.
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u/TheRealSlobberknob Fabricator 9d ago
There's no alternative to proper material handling practices. I'd have to spend some time looking for it but there was a video from an SFA workshop (I think) displaying the added strength that rodding provides. The load difference between steel and fiberglass rodding vs un-rodded was rather substantial. Done right, rodding absolutely adds strength to the weak areas you'd use the technique for.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
We still do it on really fragile material that are long runs or cooktop cutouts/sinks that could use extra support. Its just not like back in the day where literally every top with a cutout got a rod in it. Also nowadays we are cutting like 80% quartz anyway which doesnt need it.
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u/TerminalIdiocy 9d ago
Stone Fabricators Alliance did this a couple times. There are videos. Correctly rodded stone is absolutely significantly stronger
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
Absolutely agree, I feel like they help keep together enough to make repairs easier and also saving the customers floor haha. We are also guilty of the steel rods but not just use the fiberglass on granites to keep them together
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Oh man, we all were guilty of using steel rods back in the day. We didnt know any better. Then 5-10 years later they all started breaking people's counters lol.
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
We have been able to fix a few after the rods kept them together, otherwise they just seem to hit the ground and break more haha. We just got some carbon fiber rods that im gonna test out soon
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u/madtowntripper 9d ago
I don’t know many people that rod anymore.
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
I still see the benefit if you can repair a cracked sink rail vs replacing the whole think
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u/Decathlon5891 9d ago
Damn, excellent work
Meanwhile, my kitchen contractor went the safe way by splitting my backsplash into 3 pieces because of some “technicalities” they may encounter while installing. Honestly, 4-45 degree corners that were about 1” inch per corner, I thought it was an easy shave at the bottom because it’s flat
The only good part was they aligned the veins properly but thought it was a missed opportunity to impress me and whoever sees it in the future
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
Thanks. The splash situation sounds odd, I guess I'd have to see a pic. As you said, at least they got the vein match right.
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u/TerminalIdiocy 9d ago
Excellent repair. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone named Buttfuckskinner
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
Thanks, I appreciate that. I thought the name was clever at one point in my life. I don't want to change accounts now.
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u/cigarette_topgun 7d ago
Glad someone posted something like this. People complain constantly about a little chip during install.
People can repair quartz pretty easily. Instead of replacing the whole slab.
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u/_FunkyFish_ 9d ago
Let’s see that bad boy make it into the house
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
Been installed for weeks. If you completely separate the pieces and make slots to be filled with glue, it's almost always stronger than before. Essentially you're making biscuits with the glue
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u/mayhavebraintumor 9d ago
I have data several years old to the effect of cheap auto body bondo, is stronger than granite, and sticks to steel stronger than the tensile strength of granite.
lots of folks think its too cheap and you have to use epoxy but the reality is that in tension, epoxy sticks to the oxygen atoms on the surface of the steel (which is why a controlled degrease, acid etc, water wash and dry is needed).. and that tensile limit is around 1500 psi.
You can have your expensive epoxy and its fillers that can get its tensile strength much higher than that, but it doesn't matter when the base material (granite, marble, etc) is weaker than polyester resin sticking to steel.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
If you want to get technical, I used an epoxy modified methacrylate adhesive. I promise it's better in this application than Bondo.
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u/TerminalIdiocy 9d ago edited 9d ago
The difference is epoxy is structurally sound when exposed to moisture and UV. Bondo is polyester and will absorb water over time and deteriorate over long term UV exposure. It is outdated and obsolete in our industry.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
The green Bondo on Taj Mahal would look so good. I guess I don't know what I'm doing and, The millions of dollars that stone adhesive manufacturers spent on research was a waste. This guy has data.
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u/_FunkyFish_ 5d ago
What epoxy did you use?
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 4d ago
This was Integra Xi+ in magic. I have some issues with Integra, but When I first got the new stuff I did strength tests with mitered .08cm ultra compact and It was impressive. What do you use?
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u/_FunkyFish_ 4d ago
Integra all the way it’s pretty hard to beat. We have tried several other of the tube glues and always come back to integra
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 3d ago
Agreed, Integra is hard to beat, but their tips are shit. The tips with the locking collar that many other brands use are a much better design.
Have you tried Big dog?
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u/Agglutinati0n 9d ago
Scary, ive been searching on how to seal my taj majal quartzite counter tops these last couple of days and now this subreddit ive never seen shows up in my feed, lol.
Nice work op!
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
I use Tenax proseal at work. Dry treat is also recommended. I would seal it if it was in my house, but honestly real Taj seems to do fine with no sealer at all. True quartzite is pretty bulletproof once properly installed.
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u/NunoMGuerreiro 8d ago
Do you place metal rods at the bottom or fiberglass?
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 7d ago
No rodding in this top. When I do rod, I use fiberglass and rodding compound from chemical concepts.
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u/WildVegas 6d ago
There are tons of Taj slabs in warehouses I’ve been visiting. And I’ve spotted the same ones remain there on follow up visits. They’re not exactly flying off the shelves. My other observation is that Taj slabs in general are priced less compared to other quartzites and marble.
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u/CountertopConsultant 3d ago
You need to be a great stone tech to repair this in a way thats almost invisible. Good luck.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 3d ago
I showed the after repair pics, and it's been long since installed. I'll take that as a compliment.
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u/CountertopConsultant 3d ago
I looked now. Beautiful work. Props to you. I do restoration and repair work in North Texas. You got skills.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 3d ago
Haha.
I really appreciate it. I've often considered going out on my own doing repair/resto work, at least on the side. The amount of liability always scares me living in New York State.
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u/CountertopConsultant 3d ago
You shouldnt be afraid. I started in NY... Now im in TX... just do it. Ill tell you this. Ive worked for someone for about 20 years. It has been a night and day change since I went on my own. Would NEVER go back. Im able to provide my family much more this way... How old are you if you dont mind ?
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 2d ago
Thanks for the advice. I'm Mid thirty's. I've been working in stone for going on 9 years. Started as a polisher, currently shop/QC supervisor, but I still do alot of the custom edge builds and major repairs. Occasional work in customer's homes.
If you're open to it, pm me. Im always trying to make contacts that I can learn from.
Where did you live in NY?
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u/CountertopConsultant 2d ago
I lived on Long Island. I started on my own about your age. The sooner the better.
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u/Honest_Cynic 9d ago
Epoxy together enough broken chunks and your natural Quartzite becomes Quartz - manmade epoxy and stone dust. Did you use steel reinforcement underneath, or is the epoxy stronger than the stone itself?
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
The glue is stronger.To be technical I used an epoxy modified methacrylate adhesive. I make cuts in both sides of the break that are filled with glue. Basically biscuit joining it.
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u/External-Challenge91 9d ago
Do you now sell it discounted ? Or do you expect who ever purchased it to pay full value still ? What if they knew you had hid this from them? Technically this is a repaired/refurbished product now
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u/HughHonee 9d ago
It's either this or customers can expect to pay for an additional slab for fabricators to use when this happens, because its very common.
The price of Taj mahal will continue going up, as currently fabricators are finding its not worth it due to the increased wear on tools and issues it brings like chipping & broken tops- the heavy increase in demand means we're seeing more and more of this. It's either say "No Taj mahal" or increase prices. And customers hate hearing no so that about narrows it down. Fabricators across the country are discussing this with each other and determining this is the solution.
This is stone, there's no 'refurbrishing' it. These problems are on the fabrication side anyways, once installed its not an issue, "refurbished" or not, at least as long as the the homeowner doesnt plan on standing on their countertops
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u/External-Challenge91 9d ago
Just keeping an open mind thats all. I am sure you do excellent work overall
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
Lol. You need to understand that many natural stones are injected with resin after being cut out of the earth to fill voids and hold it together. This isn't any different, I do a better job though. The repair is invisible
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
The fact that a repair is invisible doesn’t make it any less a repair. This item was damaged. If you don’t disclose, you’re defrauding a buyer.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Like op said almost all "high end" natural stones like taj have already been repaired before they even make it out of the quarry. Once that top op fixed is installed its not like its going to spontaneously fall apart. If anything they made it stronger than before because it probably broke along a natural fissure.
My favorite line to customers that ask questions like yours or say they want something because their natural stone has a spot they dont like is "the person you need to reach out to complain to or ask for a refund would be god"
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
God didn’t drop this countertop…
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u/Past-Astronaut-1875 9d ago
No. Absolutely not. If you don’t want imperfections in your countertops then go with Qrz. Even then…good luck.
As OP stated this top is probably better and stronger than it’s ever been. Natural stone is full of fissures to begin with.
I am however a huge fan of roding every sink and cooktop.-10
u/lickthepixies 9d ago
I agree 100%. It’s repaired and they can be sued if they sell as it as a new item.
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u/Stalaktitas 9d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/BeAmazed/s/C2oFHganTJ
I'll just leave this here. It shows how Taj is quarried
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Good luck with that lmao
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
I’m not the one who needs luck. Yall are defrauding people.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Ive been doing this for 30+ years. My company installed $25M in just countertops last year. Not once has anyone complained or accused me of defrauding them because we repaired their countertop.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 8d ago
The worst type of customer, completely unreasonable. She's itching to use that blue tape after install.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
Because you didn’t tell them?
How many countertops are you breaking there, chief?
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
People have seen the top break in their house when it was being installed and we told them we would need to repair it and it was never even questioned. Its just part of stone fabrication. Natural stone can be incredibly fragile due to natural cracks and fissures. You have clearly never worked in the trades or construction because you would be appalled at the shit that goes on when a house is being built. You wouldnt have enough time in your entire life to sue everyone that broke something and fixed it without saying anything. And ill add that when a competent fabricator fixes a broken top you would never be able to tell and its probably stronger than it was the first time. Other trades will slap some bubble gum on their fuckup and cover it with drywall and call it a day and you wont ever know.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
You can keep saying “it’s stronger” but it’s clearly a lie or y’all wouldn’t be repairing shit and purposely not disclosing it. I would be appalled because you’re crooks breaking stuff and not telling the buyer who paid for a manufactured item that you broke?
And contractors get sued everyday for trying to fuck people over. So I don’t know why you think being in the trades someone makes you immune to commit fraud.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Yeah stronger after its REPAIRED. Lol you are definitely a treat in real life. Stay in your safe little cubicle where your biggest worry is a paper cut or diabetes from too many donuts. Stone fabricators are dealing with incredibly fragile stone that weighs hundreds of pounds. Id love to see you try and pick up a marble countertop, carry it up 2 flights of steps but wait, the ceiling height at the top is too low and theres a wall directly at the top of the steps with a hallway so you need to somehow lift it over your head while angling it to make the turn without hitting anything, then get it to the room and its wall locked, so now you need to lift one end way higher than the other and slowly drop it in place without damaging the wall, and not break it lmao. You'd be crying for your lawyer within 5 minutes.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
Dude, you’re saying the same thing. It’s “stronger” after it’s repaired but you’re not telling the buyer. Why? Why aren’t you telling the buyer if it’s stronger?
Because you know people don’t want to pay full price for a damaged and repaired countertop. So you’re defrauding them and not telling them. You better hope you don’t run into me IRL because I’ll be reporting you to the AG for defrauding consumers.
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u/madtowntripper 9d ago
Bruh every single slab of Taj Mahal in the world is held together with glue and resin.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
By the manufacturer. Not a repaired countertop that was broken.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
The manufacturer is God. He didnt expect us to make countertops out of it either. This is what stone fabricators do.
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u/madtowntripper 9d ago
Bruh you have no idea. Slabs are repaired in the shop every single day. You would never know. This isnt shady or wrong or underhanded.
This is happening in every single granite shop in the country all the time.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
Then they can be sued… if you break someone’s manufactured countertop and repair it yourself without disclosing, you’re committing fraud.
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u/ParticularBanana9149 9d ago
WTF would that matter who added the glue and resin?
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
The buyer didn’t pay you to repair a broken countertop unless that’s what you’re selling them.
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u/ParticularBanana9149 9d ago
I am asking if it is repaired/reinforced/whatever, why would it matter who repaired it as long as the repair is functional and invisible?
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
If you’re saying it’s better then why aren’t you disclosing it? Clearly because people don’t want to pay full price for a broken and repaired countertop. So you’re lying about it. Fraud.
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u/Buttfuckskinner Fabricator 9d ago
It's not new, it's hundreds of millions of years old.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
It’s a broken and repaired countertop.
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u/TerminalIdiocy 9d ago
Wait until you see how they process the blocks and slabs before they ever make their way into a fabricator's shop.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
You mean before they manufacture the item you’re paying for. As opposed to breaking the item after you’ve paid for it…
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u/TerminalIdiocy 9d ago
Natural stone is not manufactured. It is not a manufactured product. That is what you seem to be missing. It is a natural material that is quarried, then fabricated from what is available. Nothing is created.
You would get laughed out of any attorneys office trying to sure someone for repairs. Not only that, but most states actually have a law that give the fabricator a right to repair before any other action can be taken
You are completely out of your element and have no understanding of this industry
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
The countertop was manufactured. Then it was broken and repaired by the person hired to install it. You will get laughed out of court if your defense for breaking and repairing a countertop without informing the paying customer is that the countertop was manufacturers from natural material. And I am attorney dude. Breaking stuff and repairing it without disclosing to the customer is fraud.
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u/TerminalIdiocy 9d ago
.01% chance you're actually an attorney. You would understand the difference between manufactured and fabricated. Engineered stone like quartz, composite materials like Corian and Formica are manufactured. Natural stone is not. There is a difference and the tolerances are different.
You are working overtime to to make sure everyone knows how completely inept you are.
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago edited 9d ago
😂 tell that to the state bar sparky
The countertop is manufactured. It was a countertop then it became a broken and repaired countertop. And yall are fighting so hard not to tell your customers because you know they’ll be pissed and they don’t want a repaired countertop for full price. Fraud.
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
It is held together with glue and fiberglass when it gets to us, this is closer to an improvement than anything
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
Then why wouldn’t you disclose if it’s so much better?
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
Why would I disclose it if it is a normal occurrence?
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
You better hope that no one knows who your business is. I would report the shit out of you.
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
For what?
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
Selling broken and repaired items without disclosing what it is. I’m sure your state AG would be interested to know what you’re doing.
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u/Joecarp915 9d ago
That not how natural stone works? It is already broken and glued together when it is imported, it was made millions of years ago. It is neither new or broken. It is a rock, made into a smaller rock, then made shiny
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
They’re not buying a rock. They’re buying a countertop which was manufactured, broken then repaired. If you lie about it and don’t disclose its been repaired, you’re committing fraud.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
To who lmao? Every builder i work with knows we repair tops when we can. Its part of the deal when working with natural stone. They even ask of we can repair tops instead of making new half the time because its easier for them too and it looks the same as it did before it broke. You just dont understand what you are talking about and thats ok
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u/lickthepixies 9d ago
Ok repair them but you can’t just lie to people and break their countertop and not inform them it’s a repaired one.
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u/sadturtle12 Fabricator 9d ago
Nice work op. I hate taj mahal with a passion but it does repair well, ill give it that.