Depending on the customers’ preferences and needs, wood countertops can be cast at the site of installation or in the manufacturer’ shop, and each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Off-site wood countertop casting
The casting of wood countertops in the manufacturer’s shop is more commonly known as off-site casting because the molding and production of the countertop is not made at the site of installation. The manufacturer’s shop houses all the equipment required for casting wood countertops like the casting table, countertop mix, liquid and powdered pigments, reinforcing materials, decorative add-ins, and more.
Many customers prefer the off-site casting of their wood countertops because of its advantages like:
1. The complete materials and equipment in the shop make the casting easy and systematic.
2. A team of experienced and professional fabricators oversees the casting of wood countertops.
3. The customers’ kitchen or area of installation would not get messy because the casting is not done there.
4. The wood countertops are ready to install when the manufacturers deliver them to the customers’ homes.
However, off-site wood countertop casting also has its disadvantages like:
1. The exact measurement of the kitchen area where the wood countertop is to be installed is not readily accessible.
2. The customers do not have the opportunity to be in the shop to observe the casting procedures and check for any mistakes.
On-site wood countertop casting
The casting of wood countertops on-site refers to forming and molding of the countertop in the exact place where it is going to be installed like in the kitchen area of the house. In this method of casting, the fabricators go to their customers’ house armed with all the materials and equipment they need to cast the wood countertop.
There are other people who prefer on-site over off-site wood countertop casting because of its advantages like:
1. Working in the exact area where the countertop is going to be installed allows the fabricators to check the actual measurements of the kitchen area and the countertop.
2. The wood countertop is guaranteed to be custom-fit.
3. The customers can regularly observe the casting process to make sure the procedures are done accordingly.
Like the off-site method, the casting of wood countertops at the site of installation has its disadvantages like:
1. It can cause a big mess in your kitchen area.
2. With all the noise caused by hammering, screwing, and drilling, the casting and installation can disturb the other household members.
3. The installation process can be delayed if one of the materials or equipment goes missing or is left in the shop. One of the fabricators has to go back to the shop and get it.
4. Not all kitchen areas are spacious enough to accommodate the fabricators and the process of building the wood countertop.