Today it is impossible to imagine your life without furniture. It serves as an indispensable element of comfort. That is why the business associated with the production of furniture will always be in demand, and in the future will bring impressive revenue.
It is worth saying that today countertops are very popular. Demand for them is higher than supply. That is why, having mastered this business, it will be possible to get good dividends over time, in addition, to occupy its niche in a market poorly saturated with competitors.
Types of countertops
The assortment list of these products is very wide. However, the best-selling because of their low price are tabletops made of chipboard, as well as artificial stone. The material for the first type of product is pressed sawdust. In this regard, the service life of such countertops is quite short. More common products made of artificial stone. Often they are called acrylic. They are strong, durable and reliable.
Business prospects
Artificial stone is a very popular material. It is used not only for the manufacture of countertops. Acrylic material is perfect for sinks, bar counters and window sills. Worktops made of artificial stone are offered by almost every company that produces kitchen furniture.
However, most often the production of countertops made of artificial stone is a field of activity of medium and small entrepreneurs.
It is more profitable for large enterprises to order this product than to engage in the equipment of their own workshop. In addition, the production of countertops made of artificial stone in its specificity will not be in demand for large-scale production every day.
All these factors make it possible to judge the prospects of a small business for the manufacture of acrylic products.
How to make artificial stone
Acrylic material in the construction market appeared relatively recently. It is actively used for interior and exterior decoration of houses, when laying paths and sidewalks. Demand for artificial stone is constantly growing, which allows entrepreneurs to establish their own promising business.
The technology itself, which allows to obtain artificial stone, is not so complicated, and the right equipment is the key to success. All kinds of devices facilitate the production process and provide high quality finished material.
Mandatory and optional equipment
The technology for the production of artificial stone for countertops and other products will require the availability of certain equipment. First of all, you need a vibrating table. It is necessary for the production of countertops, tiles, decorative fences, etc. Only this unit can provide high quality finished products. The vibrating table is a fixed frame and a platform with mechanical vibrators fixed to it.
Equipment for the production of artificial stone for countertops should include faucets. These units will allow you to prepare mortar with the highest quality. When used in a mixture, even the smallest unmixed particles are absent. The workshop for the production of artificial stone should be equipped with a vibrating screen and molds for casting products.
In addition, the room is equipped with a cement hopper, a packaging machine and a small mixer designed for double tinting. These are additional devices.
Worktop Equipment
To open such a business, you will need to rent a room, the area of which will be at least fifty square meters, and hire personnel for cutting sheets, fitting joints, gluing parts, grinding surfaces, etc. The production of countertops made of artificial stone will require the purchase of special tools, the list of which should include the following:
- milling cutter for aligning slices and forming round corners;
- eccentric grinding unit for polishing the surfaces of finished products;
- electric jigsaw for cutting worktops.
Additionally, the purchase of assembly tables, a mounting gun, grinding sandpaper, hot-melt adhesive and other auxiliary equipment and supplies is made.
Business specifics
The production of countertops made of artificial stone does not require communication with customers. Direct buyers will be the companies involved in the manufacture of kitchen furniture.
Artificial stone countertops should be made in accordance with the provided sketch. At the same time, the responsibility for existing errors in measuring wall irregularities and the required dimensions will not fall on your company. In case of problems, the furniture manufacturer will pay extra for each additional processing and alteration.
The manufacture of countertops made of artificial stone may be limited by certain time frames. Furniture companies often require strict adherence to specified deadlines. That is why there is a need to create a certain stock of materials for the production of products.
An established and well-thought-out business goes into the category of the most profitable and quickly pays for itself, because the cost of an acrylic sheet with a length of 3.5 and a width of 1 m is currently 13,000 rubles. A running meter of a finished product is sold at a price ranging from thirteen to twenty-eight thousand rubles.
Production technology
The manufacture of countertops made of artificial stone begins with cutting sheets. To obtain blanks use a vertically milling machine. At the same time, such indicators of temperature and humidity should be maintained in the room that would correspond to the operating conditions of future products.
This will allow to produce better products. After processing the grooves and cuts, a quarter is milled. It serves to dock the working top surface of the countertop with the edge. After carrying out these steps, the basis of the future product is made. For it, plywood, MDF or particleboard is taken.
Artificial stone is a material with thermoplastic characteristics. If it is heated in a special furnace to a certain temperature, then bent elements can be made. The next stage in the production of countertops is fixing the edges, after which the base and surface of the product are glued with sealant. To give the countertop the final look, rough processing is carried out with a manual milling cutter, as well as grinding and polishing the edges.
At subsequent stages, the frame is assembled. The countertop is finally polished, sanded and packaged. In addition, wall panels are made that match the color of the product base.
Do-it-yourself production
You can make countertops made of artificial stone with your own hands. This will be within the power of those who are first-hand familiar with the joinery. First of all, you need to equip a small workshop. For the manufacture of do-it-yourself artificial stone worktops, you will need certain materials and tools.
The list of necessary equipment includes a grinder, a jigsaw, a face and circular saw, a vacuum cleaner and a drill, a mill and a glue gun, as well as a number of other tools. It will take a sheet of artificial stone. A plywood substrate as well as two-component adhesive will be required.
Making a countertop made of artificial stone with your own hands begins with measuring the place where it will be installed. After that, a drawing or a cutting chart is made. In necessary sizes, the artificial stone is cut into the necessary elements. With the help of a milling cutter the edges of the workpieces At the next stage, the edge is machined, and then the plywood for the frame is cut.
Installing countertops made of artificial stone is a time-consuming process. And the matter is not only in the large weight of the product. Incorrect installation can cause microcracks. If you decide to install a countertop made of artificial stone yourself, it is best to invite assistants, and first study all the nuances of this matter.
