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WHAT DOES A WOODWORKER NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE DECIDING TO BRING SURFACE FABRICATION IN-HOUSE?

Al Gerhart, owner, The Carpenter Shop:
Material handling, training, safety, dust, heated work space.

Material handling is the first consideration. Solid surface sheets are shipped on 12-ft. long pallets, so you will need a forklift if you do any quantity. Granite is usually delivered on the slab yard trucks, but you will need a 5,000 lift, an extension boom and a slab clamp for safe handling. Quartz is shipped on A-frames via common carrier, and a forklift with lifting equipment is also needed for handling.

Solid surface requires a certified fabricator, so allow time and expense to send an employee to school, or better yet, go yourself and you can train the help.

Granite does not require certification, and once a shop is fabricating granite, the quartz reps will sell quartz to you.

Safety is very important with quartz or granite. Very heavy slabs have killed quite a few workers.

Steel toe boots and hard hats are necessary. Drive it in the employee's brains to run at the first sign of trouble. Working quartz and granite wet is the only safe way; allow time and expense for water lines and some way to drain the floor safely. Don't forget the GFIs, or have a very large compressor for air tools. Rubber aprons, gloves, gauntlets and steel toe rubber boots will be needed for granite and quartz.

All three materials will have some dust generated. Solid surface is just a nuisance dust, while granite and quartz is gritty and dangerous. All three have to be kept away from the finishing operation. Shop humidity will rise to some extent with granite and quartz fabrication.
Heated work space is needed for lamination or rodding cutouts during colder months, as well as keeping the materials warm enough for the glue to cure properly.

Robert R. Oxley, executive director, The International Solid Surface Fabricators Association:
The principal question is: Why bring fabrication in-house?

In most cases, it is best to outsource the work to a veteran and reputable fabricator located in your community. The advantages being: no start-up costs, learning curve, "issues" or mistakes. Most established fabricators are a one-stop shopping source, from first call through installation and 10-year warranty.

If the woodworker is considering adding premium surface fabrication in-house (beyond laminate) as a profit center, then they need to consider the unique nature of the business and the fact that it is completely different from making cabinets or such. The personnel, costs, customer expectations and return-on-initial investment are high, and the margins are "competitive" and somewhat difficult to come by unless you are a seasoned business person.

The learning curve is immediate and steep; new personnel are required and they are different than woodworkers. The machinery and hand tools required are different and much more expensive as they tend to be more specialized and for "one purpose" use only. Solid surface materials are the most woodworker user-friendly and can be fit quite nicely with training before hand; quartz and granite require "wet" space, machinery and tools (yes, in a woodworking shop!), serious shop optimization considerations and special personnel to run them, not to mention the high costs of start-up, which will take many years to recoup.

Personally, this third-generation cabinetmaker would outsource it all to an experienced and reputable fabricator with whom I could establish a close "partnering" long-term relationship, not go into the business myself. Then, the customer satisfaction, selling price, margins, profits and leaving work at 5 p.m. are guaranteed.

Kelsey Crisp, owner, KC's Countertops:
There are so many things to think about; it is like starting a whole new business. From space requirements, material handling, brand selection, worker training — it is not easy. Exploring what brands are available for purchase is another. Some brands are protective of their territory, so don't be surprised if a distributor doesn't sell to you. While many woodworking tools can be used for solid surface fabrication, you will find it a must to add to your collection several of the specialty brand of tools made just for surface fabrication. Training can be expensive, but as with anything else, it pays to buy the best. I was trained at ISSFA, in Henderson, Nev., which got me off to a great start