Northbrook, IL: 847-831-3444
Kenosha, WI: 262-859-2612

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FABRICATION

Stone fabrication process

The evolution of the natural stone quarry to home process has not changed much since the time of ancient Greeks and Romans. In its most simplistic form the process looks as follows: large blocks of stone are extracted from a mountainside quarry and from there, thin, sequential panels are cut and finished becoming slabs. Slabs are further arranged into 6-8 slab bundles that are crated and containerized for shipping. They begin a 30 day ocean voyage to the east coast of the US, followed by rail transport to Chicago, and finally trucked to Kenosha and unloaded at our WI branch. Ultimately becoming the slabs of stone you know and recognize on Hwy 142. This is where the fun begins for our clients.


1. Measurement 

A project manager will visit your home and digitize the space, producing a digital drawing which will be used for layout and manufacturing. We use several Digital Laser Templating systems to produce a digital template of the exact field conditions and base cabinet measurements. The digital templating method ensures every dimension is as close to 100% accurate as possible.


2. Layout

A special digital camera as part of the Slabsmith software package produces an image of the natural stone slab for inventory and layout purposes. After the digital template is produced the project manager can import both the drawing and images to allow for the pattern and vein match to minimize the color variations at the seams. For added security we do offer our clients an opportunity to see a dimensioned shop drawing of their countertops after the templating process and can suggest changes at that time.


3. Cutting the stone

The initial cutting of the stone is completed with our Fusion SawJet. This is a specialized machine that cuts with both waterjet technology as well as a traditional saw blade. The digital template and layout we produced is exported to the Fusion saw to cut the stone to size. Due to this advanced technology the template and drawing phase is just as important as the cutting phase. The drawing will provide the machine operator with tool paths to tell the Fusion whether to use the Saw or Water to cut the material. In general straight cuts are made with the saw and radius cuts with the waterjet component.


4. Finish CNC Fabrication & hand polishing

The cut pieces are then placed on our CNC router, where the pieces are fabricated to the final dimensions. The router mills the pieces to size and finishes the edges including the sink cutouts. Faucet holes, brackets, rodding and fasteners are also done with the router. After this phase of fabrication is completed, the counter tops are placed on custom made tables designed for handling granite. Each piece is finished by an experienced fabricator, checked by quality control, cleaned and then sealed with a high quality sealant.


5. Installation

Our experienced installation team will use specially made products to install your stone tops and make adjustments to ensure complete satisfaction.

 

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