Guide to Making a Template
Versital offers the opportunity to order bespoke made to order surfaces. From shower trays to bar tops and vanity tops –we manufacture everything to order offering you an unprecedented opportunity to get exactly what you want.
A template can be supplied for any of the items we manufacture in order for us to replicate the shape and size perfectly. Depending on what is ordered we may request a template to ensure the perfect fit.
When is a template required?
There are a number of occasions that a template will be needed. For items where it is essential to be millimetre perfect, or for odd shapes or curves they are the ideal way to get a perfect fit.
With curves or angles it is not always possible to supply an accurate enough drawing. A template allows precision where it is required.
How to make a template
Since a template is the physical representation of the item being ordered, the shape should be drawn onto the material being used as the template and cut out.
The template should be put in place and tested in situ to make sure it fits perfectly.
What materials are suitable to be used as a template?
It is important that the template supplied to us remains as accurate when it reaches us as when it was made.
Therefore, it is really important to use materials that will travel well and not distort either in transport or when being used as the guide for manufacture.
Ideal materials include:
- Hard board – 4mm is ideal. Light enough to transport but strong enough to retain its shape.
- MDF – strong and durable but heavier than hardboard.
- Corex – not as preferable as the previous 2 materials, but can be used if the others not available or easily transported.
What Information to include on a Template
Make sure the template is marked up with everything we need to know:
- Which side it up
- Mark any edges that have drop details or other information
- Make it clear if the template is representative of the finished overall size, or the subtop/carcass. This is especially important with tops or bar tops where often the template is the carcass and then the drop edge detail is in addition to that.
- With shower trays mark the waste position with an ‘x’ to show the central point.
Things to Avoid – What NOT to do when making a template!
- DO NOT use cardboard or paper that has been folded and distorted.
- DO NOT add additional pieces to the template that may not be 100% accurate and could lead to problems with the final item.
- DO NOT Fix additional piece with Sellotape, staples or other fixatives that could lead to inaccuracies
- Not including important information – which way is up/marking of important edges.
- DO NOT ask for changes to a template after it has been sent to us and to use it. The template is a physical representation – if it is no longer correct then a new one will need to be supplied.
Rejection of a Template
Versital is hand crafted and precision engineered to ensure you have the right product for your job. We can only be as good as the information and templates we are supplied with to start the process.
If a template is deemed not good enough to manufacture from we may reject it and request a new one. This happens very rarely, but if it does it’s for a good reason! We want to make sure you have a excellent quality finished product and won’t ask for a new template lightly.