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OK, Don’t laugh me off the board for this!
We have always left our field seams 1″ long(1/2″ on each side) on our Solid Surface. Our installers fit the tops and then trim the seams and pull. We have Laser Temp. and CNC Technology. We Laser Temp. our Quartz and send to the Manufacturer to cut, then we install. Very few problems with fit. We are struggling to get to the point of cutting our Solid surface dead on. I think alot of it is “old dog new tricks” thing that people don’t want to change. We are too comfortable with having the extra at the seam to get a good tight fit. We do approx. 75% Coved splash. However, at this time I’m just wanting to get to cutting our standard(loose) splash tops dead on and not have to trim the field seams. Will address cutting coved dead on at a later time.
1) Any thing that I should be concerned with?
2) Anybody else have problems with this type of transition?
3) Anybody else do it the way WE do it?
4) What kind of fit do you guys go for. What are your “acceptable” gaps? 1/8″ per Manfacturer?
5) How many of you cut coved jobs seams dead on?
Thanks for your help!
Brady
Brady,
To read to the guys here who use a photo or laser templating system, it seems they all pretty much get the tight fit. I’m old school and scribing seems to be what gives me the confidence that the tops will be paper tight to the walls. I’m beginning to change my mind on this.I don’t think the transition to coved splash scribed fits will be too difficult. If you have laid it all out for CNC cutting, you can just work the piece in with the build up nesting. That’s according to theory and testimony, that I have read.
Tom
We use a CNC but not digital templating yet. All and I mean ALL of our tops are pre-cut to fit. We do not cut the countertop unless we make a mistake and have to make an adjustment. We allow a 1/16″ gap on each side on any top that fits tight between two fixed points. If it is open on two sides then we make the opposite ends fit tight.
We have been doing it this way for 20 years and it does work. I understand that you have some apprehension because your current system works.
Why don’t you give it a try on some simple tops and get comfortable with it? Then you can move into the difficult tops later.
Also we fabricate cove tops to fit and have not had a problem with getting the top decks and splash to pull tight at the seam.
You are more than welcome to call me if you would like 714-393-5282
Andy,
quick question. Do you make a scribe strip on your coves and if you do, do you cut the strip on the CNC or just add the strip then place the template on top, trace and scribe?
John
Jcristina wrote
Andy,
quick question. Do you make a scribe strip on your coves and if you do, do you cut the strip on the CNC or just add the strip then place the template on top, trace and scribe?
John
John, we always cut the scribe out on the CNC to fit.If we have multiple pieces and they are hard to keep track of, I cut a small groove in the back side of the splash piece and the scribe stick like .05 deep and they use that to line up if things get confusing with multiple job seams and inside corners etc.
Jut wondering since we do hardly any cove splashes here. I have done maybe three in the last six years and thats alot. Most shops near cant even do them at all.
John
Jcristina wrote
Jut wondering since we do hardly any cove splashes here. I have done maybe three in the last six years and thats alot. Most shops near cant even do them at all.
John
John:
You’re leaving a lot of money on the table by not doing more coves. Solid Surface magazine did an article on this several years ago with the numbers included, I think Mike Duggan wrote it.
We ought to do it just to spite the granite guys even if we broke even. I’ve seen a granite cove and I’m going to write my congressman to outlaw the practice. Not pretty.
Joe
John, I have said the same thing here in Tampa, cove is almost nonexistant. Should we start selling it, good question, I am still trying to talk customers into solid surface instead of granite, easier job when they are about the same price, start adding cove makes the sale more difficult. Just my opinion Joe, don’t slay me.
We cut the cove scribe on the cnc.
- We digitize the temp to match the wall exact.
- Draw a line from corner to corner
- Move the line in so that the thinist part of the scribe is no less than 1/4″
- Glue scribe to splash and sand flat
The smaller the top the easier to keep track of it all. We like to cut the scribe and the splash right next to each other so we know what goes where.
Norm:
You slay me, not vice versa.
How can the ability to offer a benifit the granite guys can’t make selling more difficult?
Cove backsplash and it’s inherent sanitation properties make this a sales niche large enough to drive a delivery truck through. And it pays. Big.
Joe
Joe:
How can the ability to offer a benifit the granite guys can’t make selling more difficult?Dead-on. Norm. I know you must be doing a lot of new construction, and coved is a tough sell in those cases, but if you ever wish to consider pushing a retail market, Joe’s absolutely correct. I’m astounded that we’ve all seemed to have given up pushing sanitary over natural.
Tom
Tom, actually I don’t do any new construction, it is all remodel work.
Joe, I know the economy in Michigan, you are lucky if you can sell a cutting board.
I cut all our fieldseams exact cove or loose and we do alot of cove jobs.We ETemplate and cut on cncI would be happy to talk to you about the process I use to do this.I can be reached at 802 748 3224 ask for Chris.Thanks
Aplologies, Norm, I thought you were mostly new. If you are remodel, and you can sell sanitary to your customers, as Joe mentioned, this should work.I long for the days when a customer wanted what their neighbor had, but wanted to spend just a little more for bragging rights.
*sigh*
Tom
I have never sold a cove yet either, nor has the box stores in my area when i asked them. I know how much $$ I turn from a top from making it with a set-on splash on an average hourly basis. For what I have seen the pricing for cove , I would be getting far less return on my time spent. I know I probably am not as set up as most of you that does it. But figuring in the problems with an install, ect…. I can’t see how it really pays to push that service? Inform me…
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