Let’s explore how to measure for a kitchen backsplash, or splashback, with unmatched accuracy and speed.
An accurately measured kitchen backsplash, also commonly known as a splashback, is an integral part of your customer’s kitchen design, bridging the gap between countertops and cabinets, and protecting walls while adding to the overall aesthetic appeal. However, achieving a flawless fit, especially for full-height backsplashes or those with intricate cutouts, can be extremely difficult when using traditional, manual templating methods. Uneven walls, tight corners, and precise outlet placements can very easily lead to frustrating errors, costly remakes, and wasted material.
That is where the Flexijet 3D digital templating system comes in. This revolutionary tool is designed to eliminate these challenges and streamline the kitchen backsplash measurement process. Developed for surveying staircases and buildings and repurposed perfectly for stone countertops, Flexijet isn’t just about speed; it’s about unparalleled precision, which makes it the ideal solution for complex kitchen installations such as backsplashes.
If you want to know how to measure for a kitchen backsplash, then you’re in the right place. The Flexijet 3D system combines laser measuring technology with intuitive software to create highly accurate 2D and 3D measurements in seconds. It’s a portable, one-person operation that integrates seamlessly with your workflow. With features like Touch Mode for Windows tablets and various remote control options, Flexijet brings efficiency and accuracy directly to the job site.
Flexijet also boasts instant automatic levelling using its internal tilt sensor, eliminating tedious manual tripod adjustments for quicker setup without additional equipment. Should the device be accidentally knocked, an integrated shock sensor will immediately warn you on the Flexijet’s touch display and within the software, protecting your measurements and removing the potential for errors.
For comprehensive project records, Flexijet has a built-in digital camera, allowing you to document measurements with photos and voice notes. Crucially, Flexijet can accurately tell you the level of cabinets, walls, and other surfaces right from the laser, enabling you to identify high and low points ahead of time and plan installations with remarkable ease.
Measuring for a kitchen backsplash, particularly a full-height one, becomes a precise and straightforward process with Flexijet Stone software:
Define Your Measurement Plane: For each wall area requiring a backsplash, you begin by creating a dedicated vertical plane folder. This can be done simultaneously with your countertop measurements or as a separate task. Simply select the ‘Backsplash’ button and choose ‘Create a Vertical Layer,’ then define this exact vertical plane by measuring two points on the wall with the Flexijet laser, typically one point on the left and then one on the right of the backsplash area.
Measure Edges with Precision: With the backsplash folder active, you precisely measure to the edges of your backsplash surface. For instance, the top edge can be measured directly to the underside of the cabinets. For verification, you can connect measured corners and use the ‘Show CAD-Point’ feature to visually confirm Flexijet’s aim, or cross-verify dimensions with a tape measure if desired. Remember, each distinct wall section for a full-height backsplash requires its own dedicated vertical folder.
Handle Cutouts with Ease (Outlets, Switches, etc.): This is where Flexijet truly shines, substituting manual guesswork for precise cutouts. You can insert pre-loaded installation symbols for common elements like electrical outlets directly into your digital template. Alternatively, for unique cutouts, you can measure specific points, such as the corners or centre screws of an electrical box, and then accurately draw the exact shape in the software.
Seamless Data Transfer: Flexijet allows for easy transfer of critical reference points between different measurement folders (e.g., pulling cabinet elevation or plug heights from your countertop measurement into your backsplash plane). By activating 2D snap mode, points are accurately transferred to the active plane.
Addressing the Issue of Reflective Surfaces: For challenging reflective surfaces often found in kitchens such as stainless steel or glass splashbacks, Flexijet supports the use of T targets or an optional handheld laser. By aiming Flexijet at these tools, accurate measurements can be obtained without issues.
Unmatched Accuracy: Flexijet’s 3D laser precision significantly reduces human error, leading to perfectly fitted backsplashes and virtually eliminating costly remakes. This is especially important for expensive materials like natural stone.
Speed and Efficiency: What might take hours with traditional methods can be accomplished in minutes with Flexijet, streamlining your templating process and accelerating project timelines.
Effortless Handling of Complex Areas: Uneven walls, difficult angles, and numerous cutouts are no longer obstacles. Flexijet captures these complexities with ease, ensuring your template perfectly matches the unique conditions of each kitchen.
Direct CAD Integration: Measurements are captured directly into CAD format, allowing for seamless transfer to CNC machinery for fabrication. This reduces manual data entry errors and speeds up production.
Reduced Material Waste: Precise templating means less scrap material, contributing to significant cost savings and more sustainable practices.
Around-the-Clock Measurement Capability: With an average battery life of eight hours (depending on motor usage), Flexijet 3D can also be used while charging, ensuring uninterrupted measurement even on demanding projects.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Accurate and efficient templating translates to faster project completion and a superior finished product.
Expert Support at Your Fingertips: Flexijet is renowned for its support. With online tools built directly into Flexijet Stone, our trained Flexijet support specialists are always available to assist. We can even offer advanced interactive training and remotely control your Flexijet on-site if immediate assistance is needed.
When it comes to creating perfect stone countertops and backsplashes, accurate templating is imperative for successful installation. Let’s break down the key differences between these two approaches:
Manual templating, typically using fluted plastic sheets, has been the industry standard for a long time. Its primary appeal lies in its simplicity and familiarity; it’s a straightforward, albeit lengthy process, that many fabricators are accustomed to. You get a physical sheet to check measurements directly, and it’s easy to scribble notes or mark areas needing polishing right on the material. These sheets can also be cut and scribed on-site, offering a degree of immediate adaptability.
However, this traditional method comes with notable drawbacks, particularly for backsplashes. The physical sheets themselves are vulnerable; they can warp, bend, or get crushed, leading to inaccurate measurements back at the shop. There’s an ongoing cost associated with purchasing these single-use sheets, a financial burden that has increased with plastic taxes, and they contribute to thousands of tonnes of plastic waste annually. Transporting these sheets back to the factory also adds time and logistical challenges.
Digital templating, utilising advanced tools like the Flexijet 3D system, represents a significant leap forward. Its most compelling advantage is time and cost efficiency. Once you’re fully trained on the Flexijet, measuring is incredibly fast, and there’s no need to transport physical templates, as data is transmitted digitally and instantly. This removes the recurring expense and environmental impact of plastic sheets.
Digital templating, often referred to as laser templating, offers unparalleled accuracy and detail. Systems can instantly auto-level, measure in both 2D and 3D with a single click, and even check the precise level of cabinets and walls before fabrication. Complex angles, intricate backsplashes, and full room layouts are handled with ease, and the system prevents forgotten dimensions by storing all data digitally. Beyond just measurements, digital tools can capture site photos and voice recordings for comprehensive project documentation.
While the technology might initially seem less intuitive for some traditional users, dedicated training helps bridge this gap quickly.
Furthermore, digital templates integrate seamlessly with CNC equipment, allowing for direct data transfer to fabrication machines. This end-to-end digital workflow dramatically reduces manual errors, speeds up production, and ensures that the final product perfectly matches the site conditions. Features like remote control via a phone or tablet, 360-degree measurement capabilities, and long battery life (often 8 hours or usable while charging) enhance the efficiency and flexibility of the digital approach.
While manual templating offers a familiar feel, digital templating clearly outpaces it in accuracy, efficiency, sustainability, and overall cost-effectiveness. For stone fabricators looking to minimise errors, reduce waste, speed up production, and deliver a superior finished product, the shift to digital templating is a strategic investment that pays well.
You can find a more detailed, step-by-step breakdown of how to use the Flexijet digital templating system for measuring kitchen backsplashes here.
The Flexijet 3D system transforms the often-challenging task of measuring for kitchen backsplashes into a highly accurate, efficient, and reliable process. By embracing this advanced digital templating technology, fabricators can ensure a perfect fit every time, minimise waste, and deliver a flawless finish that truly elevates the heart of the home.
When you purchase the Flexijet 3D system from Stonegate, you also receive the peace of mind of working with kitchen fabrication specialists. We understand all of the challenges facing fitters and installers, and how accurate templating is key to the excellent fabrication.
Our Flexijet specialists receive ongoing training from the machine manufacturers to ensure the support you receive is the most up-to-date and will help your business thrive.
