Worktop Considerations

When planning your new kitchen and choosing your stone there are things that you need to consider. So, please spend a little time thinking about the following points:

Supporting the worktop

It might be necessary to add extra supports. Most kitchen units will take the extra weight of the stone but to be safe it is advised that this is given some thought. A carpenter could advise you or you could discuss it with our templater when he comes to template.

It is advised that undermounted sinks are supported from below - Again, please discuss this with our templater and he will advise you.

The Units

Please also see our section on Templating Conditions

Making sure that the units are level is the most important thing for you to consider. Try to ensure that the units are fixed together wherever possible and that they are secured to the walls. There must be no movement of the units as this could cause the stone to crack or break.

At no time must anyone stand on or sit on the worktops.

Have a good look at your walls. Do you think that they are uneven? Do they need to be skimmed or plastered? Remember that to some extent stone can be shaped to suit the walls and that upstands and/or splashbacks can be used to cover gaps. However, if the walls are badly out then plastering may be the best option. Plastering must be done either before templating or after fitting. If it is done in the period of time between templating and fitting it will alter the measurements for the final fitting. Any alterations to the surface areas must be done before templating, the tiling should be done after fitting.

Thickness of Stone

Our stone comes in thicknesses of 20mm and 30mm. 30mm is the norm for worktops and 20mm for upstands and splashbacks. 40mm and 20mm are possible by special arrangement, please contact our office direct.

Access into the Work Area

Please remember that the stone is heavy, so do think about any difficulties that may arise for the fitters when bringing the stone into your home. For example, will there be enough room to get the lengths through doorways, up any stairs and around corners etc. This again can be discussed with the templater when he comes and he will be happy to advise you.

Children and Pets

Children and pets love to know what's going on and to be involved. Heavy stone, children and pets are not a good combination, so do please make sure they are tucked away safely in another room. Thank you!