Fabrication 101 | From the Ground Up

This week on From the Ground Up, we tackle all things related to FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION! Join Jo on her visit to Caesarstone’s warehouse to hand select her slabs, followed by an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of her chosen fabricator’s factory, Rock and Stone, to tackle some of the most commonly asked questions on how to get your dream countertops.

With some clever design ideas, Jo has chosen to include Caesarstone in many parts of her home and we can’t wait for you to see it come to life in the upcoming episodes. But what does this entail? Firstly, you need to choose the design and colour of your Caesarstone, and because many of our designs have organic patterns and movement it is always recommended to visit the warehouse in person and choose to reserve your favourite slabs.

Walking into Caesarstone’s showroom, Jo couldn’t believe her eyes remarking: “This place is impressive!” Once you’ve narrowed down your options, Jo notes that it’s always best to go and see your selections in person, as each slab is unique. Once you’ve made your specific choice, the sales consultant will record the slab’s serial number and reserve it for your design project. Your slab is then sent to your chosen fabricator. So, what dreamy slabs did Jo choose?

Featuring in various areas of her home, Jo chose two different Caesarstone designs that will work beautifully together: Rugged Concrete and Cloudburst Concrete. From the Metropolitan Collection, both selections have been designed to reflect the authentic patinas of industrial materials. All Metropolitan surfaces have a matt, non-glossy finish to capture the essence of concrete.

Rugged Concrete is a refined, lady-like nod to the industrial look. It gives you the look of concrete without the roughness, and with all the durability of Caesarstone surfaces. Cloudburst Concrete features white on white, with a tonal cloud-like patina to deliver a romantic interpretation of the industrial interior trend. It stimulates the senses with its creamy concrete texture. “Dreamy is the right word to describe this stone. I love it! It’s fresh and lighter than the Rugged Concrete but it’s still got lovely movement. I think it will look beautiful with the colour we have on the walls and the oak floors. I’m feeling all kinds of feels!”

“The one thing I absolutely love about Caesarstone is not just the aesthetics,
and how it looks, but also how it natural it feels, it is just dreamy!”

Once your slabs are selected and your templates have been measured for your design, the slabs are taken to your chosen fabricator to be cut and polished to size. In this case, Jo’s fabricator of choice are the talented craftsmen at Rock and Stone in Cape Town. Many people don’t get to see what happens at this stage of fabrication, so we are thrilled that they invited us in for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.

Guided by the knowledgeable Franco, Jo gets the low down on what happens to her chosen slabs before being installed, and why Caesarstone is the number one surface choice: “The aesthetic and the texture it creates is something that you don’t normally get in other products,” says Franco. When Jo questioned how she would know that the slabs in the factory were in fact the exact ones she picked in Caesarstone’s showroom, Franco assured her by saying: “Each and every slab is tracked with an individual serial number and batch number on the back.” This also lets you know that it’s authentic Caesarstone, and not a fake.

Just as Caesarstone is known for its luxurious finishes and large collection of unique designs, it’s also known for something else: a Lifetime Warranty. Every Caesarstone slab is engineered to retain its functionality and beauty, giving you pleasure for many years to come, which is one of the reasons Jo has chosen Caesarstone for her family home. All you need to do is use the serial number on the back of the chosen slab and register your Caesarstone’s Lifetime Warranty online. It’s as easy as that!

It can seem overwhelming at first when there seems to be so many choices and unknowns.
But thankfully, Jo is here to help with her top design hacks for working with stone:

1. OPTIMISATION: Remember that your fabricator optimises the slabs so that you get the most out of it. Find out what the off-cut sizes are and see where else in your home you can use it.
2. TEXTURES & VEINING: If you have chosen a slab that has an organic texture or veining, make sure you go and go have a look at it in person and tell your fabricator what particular part of the slab you want to use so that you get the look you’re after.
3. ORGANIC & NATURAL: If your kids are anything like Jo’s, and they sometimes end up eating off the kitchen countertops, then she always suggests using a more environmentally-friendly and non-porous stone like Caesarstone. That way you can cut back on the harsh cleaning products and keep a more hygienic home.
4. “ONE SLAB, ONE LIFE”: Jo always says to her clients ‘one slab, one life’ – so basically what that means is choose a stone that has a lifetime warranty. That way you make an initial investment up front and it’s something that will last you a full lifetime

If you are enjoying From the Ground Up so far, then make sure to subscribe to Caesarstone’s YouTube channel and be the first to watch each week’s episode. Next week we’ll be diving right into the kitchen – the heart of the home. You don’t want to miss it!

WATCH THE FABRICATION EPISODE BELOW:

Many thanks to Jo’s choice fabricator’s Rock and Stone for the exclusive factory tour!
Click on their logo to visit their impressive site!