Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! We are headquartered in Savannah, Georgia (a global port city) and we ship projects all over the world. Recent projects completed were installed in Canada, Australia and China. We work with our clients to locate the most cost-effective and secure shipping solutions available, while always keeping customs requirements in mind.

To get an estimate, contact us here. Please send us any drawings as well as your metal preference. Your estimate will include an estimate drawing, the metal of your choice, decorative edge profile of your choice, any design elements like drink rails and flip gates, and an estimated shipping cost. If you have not chosen an edge profile, we will automatically include any choice up to 3” tall. For range hoods, your estimate will include the overall size and the specific ventilation liner needed. After the initial estimate, we would love to discuss your vision, so we can get you the appropriate samples. If you are a member of Material Bank, you can also request samples of our most popular finishes here.

Our typical production timeline is 6 to 8 weeks, starting when our shop drawings are approved and signed. Shop drawings approval is often contingent upon where you are in the construction process but can take as little as 2 weeks. Please note that this timeline is contingent upon the complexity of the design itself and is only an estimate.

We offer a one-year limited warranty on all of our projects to ensure the satisfaction of our clients. This is just one of the ways we show our customers that they are important to us and that quality matters. Please note this does not include markings on the top due to the expected part of the aging process. You can download our warranty here.

La Bastille takes great effort to ensure the integrity of your La Bastille project during the shipping process. All shipments are curb-side delivery, and larger crates may require a forklift or loading dock to offload. We custom-build wooden shipping crates with braces so that the edges are protected, ensuring our products reach their final destination safely and securely. Some projects, typically large or unusually sized, can utilize a dedicated truck. This allows your project to be delivered straight from our shop to its new home.

Our products are made from high quality materials that are meant to last. As a result, our products can become quite heavy. For countertops, we average nine pounds per square foot. You can find helpful tips and guidance on moving and handling our tops here.

Absolutely! We provide descriptions of each metal here. Many of our unique metals (including bronze, brass and copper) can be used with or without patina. Examples of our finishes can be found on our finish page.

A patina is a tarnish produced by chemical processes that form on the surface of many types of metals with use and time. A patina showing rich shades of browns and grays can take decades to acquire. Our specialty metals are living alloys and will patina and develop wear patterns. This is precisely why our clients choose our materials. Over time, they will change and develop a history as rich and unique as the space in which it resides. However, just like sterling silver, our products can be polished back to look like new.

At La Bastille, we utilize years of experience to achieve the desired level of patina, treating each project like a piece of fine art. Getting the exact level of a patina can be a difficult and painstaking process, but our methods are refined and exact. We offer a variety of options to compliment any interior space.

Refer to our care & protection information for recommendations on how to care for and maintain your investment. You can find the Care Guide here.

The best way to start brainstorming your design ideas for a new La Bastille project is to contact us at 888-303-ZINC (9462) or use our contact form. If you already have construction drawings in process, please email them to us at info@labastille.com. We’re excited to start working with you!

The use of a Carnauba wax can help slow the patina process, and will act to help protect the surface over time.  If you decide to go this route, we recommend a product like Chemical Guys Extreme Top Coat Sealant with Carnauba, Turtle Wax- Super Hard Shell, or Mother’s California Gold Pure Carnauba Wax. These can be found in most automotive or big box stores. Simply buff the product onto the surface per the manufacturer’s recommendations, then buff off with a microfiber cloth. More frequent applications will slow the change in patina. Some clients choose to never wax their product, the choice is yours!

The patina adds to the beauty and rich character of the piece but the finish can also be easily restored to its original pristine state. How this is accomplished depends on the metal and finish originally selected. Please reach out and we will walk you through the process.

You may begin to see some changes in the color ⏤ some imperfections may appear. Please be patient as this is part of the natural process. This is not a stain, an etching or a defect. This is exactly what these materials do. Over time and with use, these blemishes will eventually fade and become part of your tops’ unique patina. This process will happen even when a protective wax coating is applied, although its application will significantly slow this process.

La Bastille does not provide installation services. We find that our tops can be handled by a qualified contractor. We provide you with an installation guide for projects that will be installed on a die wall and projects that will be installed on cabinetry. We are also available for your questions.

We are often asked if we can come on site to template prior to providing a drawing. We typically do not find this necessary and work from your drawings and measurements. If there is a special circumstance that requires a La Bastille professional to come on-site, we can discuss this on a case-by-case basis. We happily receive templates made by others. If you believe a template might be helpful for your project, please let us know and refer to our template guide.

We offer cutouts for undermount or drop-in sinks, which may be installed in the standard fashion and is caulked into place. We must have the sink in our shop prior to fabrication. You can provide us the sink or we can order it for you. We typically recommend that faucet holes be cut on site, as their final location may need to be adjusted on site. We provide guidance for making this cutout in our installation guide.

It depends on the material used for your project as well as the size of the project and site conditions. Our casting process allows us to craft large surface areas with very few seams. When seams are unavoidable, we place them in a location that makes the most sense in the design. The specific locations will be shown in your detailed design packet. We provide seaming materials and guidance in our installation guides, found here for projects installing on die walls and here for projects installing on cabinetry.

La Bastille does not provide installation services. We find that our range hoods can be handled by a qualified contractor along with your HVAC and electrical specialists. Please be sure to share your signed drawings and our detailed installation guide with your installation team as early as possible during the process so they can prepare.

Yes! While we offer many semi-custom range hood options, we understand that a project may require a unique creation to fit your personal vision. We love working directly with our clients to design custom range hoods from scratch. With a simple price adjustment, we can also start with one of our semi-custom range hoods as inspiration and tweak the design.

Absolutely! Please see our range hood guide for information you will need to determine and consider while planning your range hood. We will also walk you through any questions you may have.