Countertop installation is a whole lot easier when digital templating is employed to lay things out first. As you might imagine, we stone countertop fabricators absolutely love it. Manual templating just cannot compete.
Wood and laminate countertops are fairly forgiving. Stone is not. So when you are working with marble, granite, quartzite, etc., exact measurement is critical. Even a minor error of a quarter inch can cascade into a chaos of misalignment and gap issues.
Digital templating guarantees that measurements are spot-on. As long as templating is done correctly and fabricators measure accurately, new stone countertops should fit like a glove.
It Doesn’t Take Much to Throw Off Alignment
The manual templating of the past was adequate in the absence of digital tools. But one thing every new designer learned very quickly is that it doesn’t take much to throw off a countertop’s alignment. A single incorrect measurement in length or angles can result in new countertops that do not sit properly.
Improperly seated countertops create overhang mismatches. They lead to tight spots that put too much stress on scenes. They can throw off cutout alignment, leading to trapped moisture, leaks, and future mold.
Homes Aren’t Always Square
The necessity for accurate measurements becomes even clearer when you understand that homes aren’t always square. In fact, the older a home is, the less likely it is to be perfectly square. Walls can drift an inch or two here or there. They can also warp, and even develop waves.
Think of it this way: a measurement that is one-quarter inch short in a corner can result in a gap of several inches eight feet down the wall. That is why our industry has used templates for so long. Templates are not just mere measurements; they are models of the countertop’s ultimate layout.
Waste, Cracks, and Costly Reworks
From the fabricator’s perspective, digital templating is the best way to avoid three of the things that make this business so challenging:
- Waste – Imprecise measurements generate waste. Waste is never good, but it is especially problematic in the stone countertop space because slabs are so expensive. We simply cannot afford to generate waste unnecessarily.
- Cracks – Imprecise measurements can lead to insufficient support or seams that are too tight. Cracks can result in both scenarios. If a crack forms during installation, we need to put time and effort into remediation.
- Reworks – Starting from scratch or replacing slam sections qualifies as rework. In our industry, reworks are bad news. They are costly and time-consuming.
We want to get it right the first time, every time. Doing so is good for both us and our customers. To ensure that happens, we go out of our way to get the most accurate measurements possible. That is where digital templating comes in.
Combining Technology and Traditional Skills
Digital templating combines the latest technology with traditional templating skills. Designers possess the skill and knowledge to measure the right angles, lengths, and widths. They do so using remarkably accurate digital tools. All the data recorded during a templating session is then fed into sophisticated software that creates the final layout.
In the hands of a skilled technician, digital templating produces extremely accurate drawings. Those drawings are then used to fabricate the countertops and facilitate proper installation.
As a stone countertop fabricator, we have a real appreciation for digital templating. We are not afraid to say that we rely on it to give our customers the finished product and craftsmanship they deserve. Installing stone countertops just wouldn’t be the same if we had to go back to manual templating.
