Because granite is a natural material and is mined from the quarry in blocks usually no more than 9′ to10′ in length, you will end up with seams should your countertop run be longer than that. Also, because granite is sold in rectangular pieces, you may want to use seams to reduce your costs, such as in an ‘L’ shaped corner. The visibility of seams will depend on the granularity, color and pattern. A small, uniform grain will not be as apparent as a larger varied grain. A dark color will be less apparent than a light color. A dramatic pattern with swaths of color definitely will show more seams than a uniform pattern. For more information on seams check out our Templating and Seams article. Most customers have found that the beauty of natural granite outweighs the concern of seams.