When choosing the right stone or countertop fabricator, you get what you give. It pays to do the right research to find fabricators that fulfill your specific needs while also understanding the nuances of the industry. We’ve compiled the insights gained from our experience working with various stone fabricators over the last 20 years to help you prevent any costly mistakes.
Portfolio and Reputation
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a stone fabricator is their experience and reputation. Ask to view their past portfolios, especially for specific projects that match yours. We recommend choosing someone in business for several years with a good track record of completing projects on time and on budget. You can read reviews online or ask us for countertop recommendations based on your renovation goals, deadline, and price point.
Measurement Process
We’ve discovered that for most homeowners, this factor is tremendously overlooked and undervalued until it’s too late. Each of your walls may have slight imperfections invisible to the eye. It’s important that your fabricator carefully template the countertop for your project. The process they use could mean the difference between having a perfect fit and they’re being large gaps between your wall in your countertop.
Looking for the gaps between the wall and the countertop to ensure it fits perfectly is one of the marks of a good countertop installation. Additionally, the seams where the different parts meet should have a minimal gap, and if there is a vain or pattern it should flow without disrupting the vain.
There are two processes we’ve seen that work really well: the first is a cardboard templating. set of templates that day, late and cut after the base cabinets have been installed.
The second is laser scanners that can be used to measure the exact angles and slopes of your wall to then get loaded into the CNC to cut your particular granite or quartz countertop
Both processes work, however, we have a slight affinity for the laser scan as it’s possible to get a more accurate fit consistently.
Cutting & Fabrication Process
Most established fabricators use a CNC to cut and polish the particular stonework; however, working with different materials is tricky. CNC is a machine that automatically cuts granite or any other material for perfect accuracy.
For example, marble is relatively soft compared to hard quartz, and even more so against the hardest material, quartzite. Each has its own nuances to work with based on what you’re looking to achieve.
Quick sidebar: Granite and quartz with veins and non-repeating patterns are harder to fabricate as it requires foresight on how all the pieces will fit together. Repeating and homogenous patterns are easier to handle from a fabrication perspective as pattern matching is not a requirement. This is especially important when having a granite or quartz waterfall as it is a focal point, and it is easy to see any mismatched veins.
Granite with large veins and irregularities is difficult to fabricate because the vein patterns must match across the different pieces of the countertop. This requires careful preplanning and execution, any mistakes here can ruin the slab and cheapen the look.
Granite or quartz (countertops) with high feldspar content is more likely to chip or scratch during the fabrication process as feldspar is a mineral that is softer than quartz (the mineral).
The low porosity is a characteristic we like in a countertop however, during the fabrication process, it is more likely to crack depending on how it is being machined.
There are three standard fabrication processes, each with their nuances
- CNC machining: CNC machining is a computer-controlled process that uses a CNC machine to cut and shape the stone. CNC machining is an exact process, and it is the preferred method for cutting and shaping granite and quartz countertops.
- Waterjet cutting: Waterjet cutting is a process that uses a high-pressure stream of water to cut through the stone. Waterjet cutting is a very versatile process, and it can be used to cut any stone, regardless of its hardness or porosity.
- Hand fabrication: Hand fabrication is a process that uses hand tools to cut and shape the stone. Hand fabrication is a more time-consuming process than CNC machining or waterjet cutting, but it can be used to create unique and intricate designs.
Countertop fabricators who specialize in these details can make your kitchen look high quality even if your budget isn’t.
Edge Profiles
There are a variety of different edge options, from intricate multi-stack designs to more simple squared-off edges. Having a fabricator who can navigate the various nuances of a multitude of materials and the agent that you’re looking to achieve can be of top priority. Fortunately, the majority of the countertops that we do are squared. Now there are two ways of getting a square edge. The first is stocking, and the second is miter cut edges; miter cuts are significantly more difficult to fabricate however, they give you more of a “seamless profile”.
Showroom
It’s always a big plus to go and see a fabricator’s showroom to not only see their operation, but to also get a real-life consultation, view specific stones and materials, and get a deeper understanding of their capabilities, how they operate, and what their design philosophies are. Fostering a relationship with contractors also allows for more personal requests, long-term goal management, and a more granular approach to your countertop project.
Warranty & Customer Service
The warranty of many different quartz manufacturers can only be passed through via authorized fabricators, so ensuring that the fabricator is an authorized dealer for the particular manufacturer of quartz you’re looking for is our best piece of advice. Granite, on the other hand, has no inherent warranty, so it’s important to see if the fabricator has their own warranty plan on the product.