The Custom Laminated Edge

   I know that lamination is an everyday job in many parts of the country, but I’m referring here to the 5 percent to 10 percent of the custom stonework in today’s market.
   More and more, I’m seeing customers who want that tricked- out edge – a 6cm stepped ogee over bullnose, or even 6cm ogee over ogee. And, yes, that’s at 6cm. It’s becoming the new elite edge that discerning homeowners want in their kitchens. 
   The first thing for a fabrication shop to consider is pricing. What’s it going to cost you to fabricate this type of edge detail?
   In my shop, we consider the 6cm laminated edge the “show stopper.” This is for two reasons; it stops the production capabilities of the average shop, and it attracts a lot of attention from the high-end home buyer.
   Fancy custom edges take several man-hours to complete; meanwhile, shop production on everyday jobs can hit a bottleneck. You’ll need to charge accordingly, and remember that this kind of work demands a premium price.
   What you’ll charge will likely push the average consumer out of the idea of custom edges.  For that reason, you can bet that I only do a few of these jobs a year.
   Another thing to consider is technique. It takes some real skill and patience to pull off the perfect lamination. Experienced fabricators will tell you it’s an art, and they’re right.
   You need to take the proper steps to get the final wow factor. So, let’s take a look at producing that perfect laminated edge.
   A good-looking edge starts with layout and pattern matching. Pay attention to details such as veining, coloration and flow. Book matching is a common way to make an edge look professional.
   In the first steps of a matched edge, the sawyer should mark each part and lamination with corresponding symbols. These markings will aid in alignment and prevent mismatched edges.
   It is also important to get a very tight – really invisible – glue joint. To do this, you’ll need a bunch of clamps, and surface preparation is a must. I grind the back of the stone to smooth out the adhesion area.
   In most cases, I also laminate face to back. The face of the stone is already pretty flat and requires less labor to get a tight glue joint. I also recommend that you use epoxy to glue the laminations together; epoxies hold very well, and are less likely to separate in the future.
   Fabricators should also color-match the adhesive to the stone. This is an art form in itself; it takes someone with a keen eye to match colors well. Any glue left visible to the naked eye will tend to blend in with the stone, making the glue joint less noticeable.
   In stepped laminations, I like to dry-fit the parts first. This helps to locate temporary glue blocks that prevent the lamination piece from moving while clamping.
   You can use scrap backsplashes or other chunks of stone as guide blocks. You’ll find this idea to be very worthwhile in laminating stepped-edge profiles.
   Another time saving trick I like is … tape. Use masking tape on the finished edge of the top piece; it prevents glue from sticking, and ends a lot of the time wasted cleaning it from the edge later.
   I also recommend that you build up the entire piece. Glue some strips of equal thickness to the back of the piece to help in installation later. These will also aide in strengthening fragile stones.
   I generally find some old extra splashes and stick them to the back, so the counters will sit flat when set on the cabinets. It keeps installers from having to add wood strips to the cabinets to level the tops.
   It’s not as important to clamp the build up strips to the surface stone, as there’s no need for a tight joint. It simply won’t be visible to the customer.  
   When adding the build-up strips, it’s a good idea to offset the strip to the inside by about 1/4”. This can save a lot of grinding at the install if the pieces need to be scribed to the walls. It’s much easier to grind 3cm than 6cm.  
   Any shop willing to spend time and effort to put out a high-quality job will set itself apart from the crowd. As the word gets out that you’re the fabricator of higher standards, more and more high-end jobs will come your way. People will pay for quality; set the standard and reap the rewards.
   When you spend enough time on a custom project, you’ll get repeat business and happy customers. Everyone in the stone business can achieve results through quality and service.
   Until next time – Donny Taylor.
   Donny Taylor is a proud member of the Stone Fabricators Alliance. To ask him a question, or find more info, visit www.stoneadvice.com.

This article first appeared in the November 2006 print edition of Stone Business. ©2006 Western Business Media Inc.