Kitchen coutertop templating

[gilliannicole]

I am putting granite in my kitchen and the company I am going through is requiring that I bring them over an actual template instead of just a drawing and measurements. Is there anybody who can give me some good, detailed (and easy to understand) instructions on how to make a template? Thanks much!

[Bismarck Jack]

ouch. are you talking about cutting out for a kitchen sink? you didn't mention that. If so, I cut my countertop out by the measurements I took. On the corners, i rounded which allowed me to adjust that cut if i needed to. If i remember correctly, my sink came with a predrawn template. I just dont think I used it for some reason. measurements seemed quicker. I am guessing you picked out your sink already. Check the box for instructions and a template.

arent these people professionals? a template is drawing and measurements. Maybe you should get clarification from them as to what it is that they really need. I would think that professionals could handle measurements. Besides, I am guessing they dont guarantee their cuts against your drawings anyway, so you are assuming the risk.

[Mr T]

The template is a exact layout of the cabinet area, how it relates to the walls (your walls are NOT square to each other, perfectly straight or parallel) and the exact location of the sink. Ive heard of them made of wood and cardboard before. I'd contact your manufacturer and ask them what they prefer.

The important thing is to take the time and do this right. The coutertops you receive will match your template. If the template is wrong, your countertops will be wrong and there will not be many people at the manufacturer who will want to talk to you at that point.

Doing a search for "kitchen counter template" yielded this site
http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60360

It also coughed up a 'this old house' segment with a video at
http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/Bob_Vila/Video-0109-02-1.html
I'm not a huge bobvila fan but i remember the episode where this came from.

good luck.. ask questions before you turn in the template... it could save you lots of money.

bismark jack> They will lay your template over the stock and layout / cut from there.. With stone or solid surface countertops, you cant just run it through a saw or use a sabre saw. Templates are common among stuff like this. It also removes most of their liability from a miscut and wasted piece of stock....which saves the consumers money in the long run.

[Bismarck Jack]

makes sense to me. maybe someday i can afford some nice granite counter tops too. this info will help me then.

good luck on your templating efforts gilliannicole::smokin:

[Baxter]

I had this done in another house and was there when the professionals came to make a template. (Avanza countertop - similar to silestone)

They used corrugated plastic (looked just like cardboard) to make the template. In the corners or angles they layed each piece over the other and used a stright edge and razor blad to cutthe angle/corner to make sure there were not any gaps as well as scribing a line along the outside edge of the counter top.

They sent the pieces via the mail (lightweight material) to the manufacturer with the area and dimenstions for the sink and we had the countertop installed within a week. You had to look hard to find the resing between two adjoining pieces.

They did not make diagram of the island, jsut used measurements and that top became our table top as the measurements that were taken were 3 inches to small. So we eneded up with a nice table top to go along with the counters, and island.

[petes334]

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