When replacing your current kitchen or bathroom countertops, you will need to address several important questions. One of these questions is whether or not your current countertops will need to be removed for templating purposes.
In order to answer this question, it’s essential that you understand what templating is. In simple terms, you will be creating a template of the design you will later have custom made to fit your existing cabinets. Upon removal of the current worktops, a stiff, semi-transparent board is placed on top of the cabinets and measurements are noted on the board.
By creating a template with the worktops removed, the best possible fit will be achieved. Everything will line up exactly as it should from one side to the other and from the back to the front. Fixtures like sinks are taken into account as well as any other features. If you do not remove the current worktops, you won’t have as clear a picture of the cabinets below and it’s difficult to measure everything down to the millimetre.
You can choose to remove your current worktops yourself prior to templating or you can have a professional contractor do the job for you. Professionals are usually more efficient and, if you are hoping to save your worktops for use elsewhere (perhaps you want to trim off the damaged areas and make a table), then a professional can remove them with minimal to no damage.