The Art of Stone Fabrication and Installation requires patience, skill and unique tools. Fabrication is the process that transforms the stone from its naturally occurring appearance into a customized counter that is cut and polished into unique specification. A stone fabricator can provide advice on the best stone, marble or granite for your residential or commercial project. The first part of the stone fabrication process involves templating or measuring the dimensions of the installation to know exactly how much stone is needed. Once this is completed, the type of stone, veins, shading, and color can be considered amongst the available stone company supplies.
Stone Fabrication involves inspecting the stone for natural flaws, including blemishes, fissures, seams, and scratches. The slab is then laid out to ensure the best appearance of both color and vein texture. Then, the stone is cut to approximately 1/16 of an inch of its final thickness. Edging and any special scribing will further shape the stone. Support rods and drain boards that the slab may require are installed next. A multi-step process that involves a grit polish is used to smooth the stone surface and then the stone is washed, dried, and the sealer base coat is applied.
This is an example of a the Carr Stone & Tile Installation service. A beautiful granite slab is transferred to the home, carefully moved from the vehicle to the staging area, and then cut to fit the counters for a home bar. The sink and outlet cuts were all cut on site to ensure that they were in the correction locations. This truly is a lovely and professional installation.
The installation process begins with a pre check to make sure that the foundation that the stone or tile will be mounted to is level. This may involve shimming underneath the baseboard of cabinets or constructing a strong, level surface for the stone or tile. If the surface is not level, the stone or tile can crack so this is one of the most important prep steps. Next, the slab will be placed on the cabinet or supporting structure and the edges of the slab will be adjusted to create a snug and level fit. The slab will be joined to the cabinet or supporting structure and any seams will be joined with a color matching epoxy. The last step is to apply a final sealer to the entire slab.
