New Hearthstone Soapstone Heritage - is this white line normal?

[GreenLiving57]

Hi,

Just bought a new Hearthstone Heritage. Two pics attached of an imperfection in one of the stones.

As soon as it was unwrapped, on my hearth, I noticed a white line running on top of one of the stones. My first thought was it was a huge scratch, or stain. The store says it's just natural veins of the stone. Every time I walk by it today though the thought "scratch" comes to thought. I wish it matched the other stones.......

Any thoughts on such imperfections of soapstone?

I realize this is a natural stone product, but I don't know why Hearthstone didn't put this stone on the side, and match the top ones?

 

[bholler]

Looks like a natural vein to me

 

[webby3650]

It’s a natural vein.
Hearthstone has been pretty bad about matching stones and completely polishing stones for a while now. It won’t happen on the top, but those veins is where I typically see cracks develop. Never on the top though.

 

[Highbeam]

My heritage had similar veins. They changed color with use to a more rust colored line.

 

[GreenLiving57]

I learned a lesson - never buy a Hearthstone without inspecting it first. I bought mine wrapped straight from the factory without seeing the stone up close. Every stove I looked at on the showroom floor has perfectly matched top stones.

Clockwise, stone 1, 2, and 3 match well. 4 has the scratch looking line, and 5's grain direction doesn't match the other stones.

It's disappointing, considering the money I paid for this darn stove. I have never seen a stove on a showroom floor, or in any pictures in any of their online brochures that show this type of line, or mis-matched stones.

I am assuming changing out a stone is difficult if not impossible? Getting this stove into my home was a 3 hour ordeal due to many issues of my rural property, and I don't imagine the store would go through - twice as long getting this one out and another in for a replacement.

If anyone reading this thread feels I'm over reacting, feel free to chime in - the delivery guy from the store definitely thought I was......but I'm darned upset tonight and several other folks have seen the stove as well, and the first thing they say is what is that line on the top.

 

[bholler]

I learned a lesson - never buy a Hearthstone without inspecting it first. I bought mine wrapped straight from the factory without seeing the stone up close. Every stove I looked at on the showroom floor has perfectly matched top stones.

Clockwise, stone 1, 2, and 3 match well. 4 has the scratch looking line, and 5's grain direction doesn't match the other stones.

It's disappointing, considering the money I paid for this darn stove. I have never seen a stove on a showroom floor, or in any pictures in any of their online brochures that show this type of line, or mis-matched stones.

I am assuming changing out a stone is difficult if not impossible? Getting this stove into my home was a 3 hour ordeal due to many issues of my rural property, and I don't imagine the store would go through - twice as long getting this one out and another in for a replacement.

If anyone reading this thread feels I'm over reacting, feel free to chime in - the delivery guy from the store definitely thought I was......but I'm darned upset tonight and several other folks have seen the stove as well, and the first thing they say is what is that line on the top.

You bought a stove made of natural stone. It is going to have veins color and pattern variation. The store may exchange it for you but i would expect them to charge you a delivery and restocking fee.

 

[webby3650]

We had a customer reject one this spring for the same reason. It happens, the Stone is a natural product. Sure they could have matched them better though.

 

[GreenLiving57]

Thank you for all the replies, I truly appreciate any and all opinions and thoughts on this matter. I simply cannot fathom that Hearthstone let this slip through their quality control - if I was purchasing a factory second, or second hand, it would be another story. I spent hours last looking at every pictures of a Hearthstone I could find, and I could not find any with this sort of imperfection that even though it is a natural vein, appears as a large scratch.

If this stone was on the side, or back, would not be such an issue. However this line sits directly in the middle of the front stone on top, and stands out like a sore thumb - and EVERYONE of my friends and family that have seen it so far - the first thing they ask, is how I put that large scratch on it already - it looks like you drug something across the top. I have had a sleepless night, getting up to look at the stove many times, deciding if I want to go to task with my local store, and Hearthstone, as I can already hear their reply similar to one above.

I paid over $3600 with tax and delivery for this stove, and am extremely upset this morning. I did months and months of research, before deciding on this stove, and now this happens.

 

[Nigel459]

Thank you for all the replies, I truly appreciate any and all opinions and thoughts on this matter. I simply cannot fathom that Hearthstone let this slip through their quality control - if I was purchasing a factory second, or second hand, it would be another story. I spent hours last looking at every pictures of a Hearthstone I could find, and I could not find any with this sort of imperfection that even though it is a natural vein, appears as a large scratch.

If this stone was on the side, or back, would not be such an issue. However this line sits directly in the middle of the front stone on top, and stands out like a sore thumb - and EVERYONE of my friends and family that have seen it so far - the first thing they ask, is how I put that large scratch on it already - it looks like you drug something across the top. I have had a sleepless night, getting up to look at the stove many times, deciding if I want to go to task with my local store, and Hearthstone, as I can already hear their reply similar to one above.

I paid over $3600 with tax and delivery for this stove, and am extremely upset this morning. I did months and months of research, before deciding on this stove, and now this happens.

I hear you. I don't know the stove but it makes me wonder if there's any way they could swap out the top, or even rearrange the stove without having to replace it... best of luck, sorry about how you're feeling.

If it's any solace, try to think of how the stove will look after some use. Scuffs, stains, scratches, discolouration are all inevitable with anything over time. Maybe that prominent vein simply gives it character...... just trying to help

 

[GreenLiving57]

Thanks for the advice! I brought in another friend today to look at it, this gentlemen is very mellow and laid back and if anyone, I expected him to tell me no problem, just live with it.

But he had the same opinion as I do - it looks like a large scratch, and I have every right to be complaining - and I should not only ask my dealer and or Hearthstone, but demand either a replacement stone put in, or another stove. I already paid through the nose for a new stove, I don't feel I should have to put out another nickel. I have yet to hear back today from either my dealer or Hearthstone, so stay tuned!

All my friends also can't believe the fifth stone was put in, that totally doesn't match the first three. All in all, this looks like a factory second on a day they ran out of stones that were in good shape and that matched......who knows......

Now if there were pictures of tops and stones mismatched, with white lines that looks like scratches on their website, and in all their sales literature it would be another story - but EVERY picture I have ever seen of a Hearthstone in any sales stuff is always gorgeous, perfectly matched stones - like it should be for the price I paid

 

[barnaclebob]

Can you take a closer picture? It could be a vein but thats the color that soapstone is when its scratched.

 

[webby3650]

Here’s a few from our showroom. Both of these have marks like yours on top.

 

[webby3650]

I hear you. I don't know the stove but it makes me wonder if there's any way they could swap out the top, or even rearrange the stove without having to replace it... best of luck, sorry about how you're feeling.

If it's any solace, try to think of how the stove will look after some use. Scuffs, stains, scratches, discolouration are all inevitable with anything over time. Maybe that prominent vein simply gives it character...... just trying to help

The top stone can be replaced. It’s a full rebuild of the top. I personally wouldn’t want a new stove to rebuilt in the field. Changing a stone is not as simple as many people think. Each stone has a Stainless spline beteeen the stone, then is cement together. The the whole top is bedded in cement. It’s not an easy fix.

 

[bholler]

Here’s a few from our showroom. Both of these have marks like yours on top.

I have seen similar on many in the feild.

 

[GreenLiving57]

Two more pictures, one of a very closeup, which makes it look like a vein to me - and doesn't look so bad when you are looking at one inch closeup - it's looking at the entire surface that makes it really look bad.

 

[saydinli]

I think it looks like crap to have a one off stone on top that “looks” like a crack.

If a few others on top had random veins through them as well, then it would look better.
I agree with OP , they should have swapped that one , with another on the side. Thats just poor craftsmanship.




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[GreenLiving57]

Here’s a few from our showroom. Both of these have marks like yours on top.

Thank you for the pics from your showroom. With all due respect, those to not appear to have such a wide, white line running as bad as mine is. I wish I could trade stoves!

 

[GreenLiving57]

<<<<<<<<<If a few others on top had random veins through them as well, then it would look better.
I agree with OP , they should have swapped that one , with another on the side. Thats just poor craftsmanship.


I totally agree, I do a lot of masonry work myself, and I can simply look at all the stones on this stove, and scratch my head wondering WHY DID THEY SET THEM IN THIS WAY?????? Most of this thread is about the white mark, but that fifth stone pretty much sucks as well - not matching at all to the first three, nice, matching stones

It appears there are two sides on this thread, the side that says it's natural stone, and they all look this way, or the side that says it sucks, demand a new stove Exaggeration, but this pretty much sums it up.

As of now, over 24 hours later, no word from my Dealer, or Hearthstone - I'm crossing my fingers they will get me a new stove, I'm sure they are debating it behind the scenes. I'm extremely upset - this was a HUGE amount of money for me, and was supposed to be a once in a lifetime investment...

 

[barnaclebob]

Yeah that's definitely a natural vein and I personally don't think it looks that bad but they should have put some better effort in to matching the tiles.

 

[webby3650]

My Woodstock has no veins, and they use much larger pieces of stone, and 2 thinner layers. Cracks are not common with Woodstock, but they are very common on Hearthstone. I’d say there’s a reason Woodstock has a different method. I rarely see a hearthstone stove that doesn’t have a cracked stone somewhere...
I’m certain hearthstone will say that vein is normal and acceptable. This is where you’re dealer will make all the difference, it’s his time to shine. We’ll see...

 

[Rearscreen]

Once your humidity pot is on top you'll never see it. Then you will notice the outside gutter has a crack in it and water is leaking and you will concentrate on that. This stupid human life.

 

[jrems]

That’s where you will most likely put a trivet with water on top. Hell, even one of those heat powered fans would be distracting enough not to notice it if it was on top. With natural stone, there will be variations. It could be worse, it could have 5 stones that don’t match!

 

[weatherguy]

I could live with it but it's not my stove. You could always scratch the other ones to match

 

[stovelark]

I've sold many Hearthstones, am always amazed at the variance in color and appearance of one stone to another. Hearthstone calls that "patina." I think Hearthstones are pretty stoves, and what you have is really not that uncommon. I've replaced Brown Majolica stoves too because a customer did not like "too much of the white majolica underlayer" showing through as it looked like a thinner spot of brown enamel. That is the whole point of the majolica finish.... anyway as webby said, if its a large HS dealer, they will probably eventually help you. Stay persistent now in still the early season- not mean but firm. Good luck.

 

[GreenLiving57]

Once your humidity pot is on top you'll never see it. Then you will notice the outside gutter has a crack in it and water is leaking and you will concentrate on that. This stupid human life.

My house is a passive solar one with several hundred feet of attached Atrium Greenhouse - I have all the humidity I need, and more!

That’s where you will most likely put a trivet with water on top. Hell, even one of those heat powered fans would be distracting enough not to notice it if it was on top. With natural stone, there will be variations. It could be worse, it could have 5 stones that don’t match!

Oh, I totally agree, I could cover it with something. But I just spent $3600 for something that was sold to me as looking like the product I saw on Hearthstones website and glossy sales literature - in which every stove has perfectly matched top stones. If you were TRYING to duplicate a huge scratch, Hearthstone couldn't have done a better job. It stands out, and EVERY person, family and friends, the first thing they say is how did you put that huge scratch on it already - as I have already said, the moment it was unwrapped it stood out like a flashing neon light saying "scratch scratch scratch scratch"........it doesn't match the other stones, it doesn't blend in, it pure lousy craftsmanship.

I was actually HOPING some of my mellow friends might tell me, it's not that bad, but everyone has the same opinion as me - it looks like a scratch.