Hey, citizens of Wylie, TX and Frisco, TX, did you ever wonder where that beautiful granite countertop actually originated from? Or, do you want to know how it got to look as pristine and polished as it does? In this post, you will learn how a large, rough rock found in the ground is processed to become your kitchen’s newest addition.
Here is a step-by-step account of how a granite countertop is made:
1. Harvesting the Rock from the Quarry
Granite is an interesting rock in that it is close enough to the Earth’s surface that it can be cut from quarries that are not that deep underground. Holes are drilled in the shape of the size block desired to cut the granite into transportable pieces. These pieces are separated from the bedrock with minor explosives that are placed in each hole. The dynamite is low-powered so it won’t break the actual blocks.
Engineers manning the controls are mindful to direct the falling blocks of granite onto a pile of soft sand to prevent cracking or splitting at an undesirable angle. The raw blocks are then removed with earth-moving equipment and loaded into heavy-duty vehicles that haul them to factories where they will be fabricated into workable slabs.
2. Turning Raw Blocks into Slabs
Stone-cutting facilities cut raw blocks into even 2 or 3 centimeter-thick slabs. This is achieved by running blocks through huge saws that slice the stone repeatedly all at once. Either diamond wire blades or large round blades side-by-side cut that through the tough rock like butter. However, due to the toughness of the material, the process can take up to an hour to cut through one foot of granite. At that speed, an entire 10 x 5 x 10 foot block can take nearly an entire day to process.
Thankfully, the Breton diamond wire cutting saw, among other advancements in rock-cutting technology, has made the slab-creation process more accurate and much quicker. Granite used to be super-expensive because it took so long to become a workable medium. But, now, granite is more plentiful, and therefore granite countertops cost much less. Many middle-class families could not afford the material, and, as such, it is mostly absent from older homes.
3. Polishing each Slab until they Shine
After the blocks are cut into slabs, the surfaces will be polished up so their natural patterns and colors will pop and they will be smooth to touch. The slabs are run horizontally through large polishing machines to accomplish this task. With each layer of polishing, the diamond pads contained in the machine bring out more and more shine and natural beauty. Each pad is finer than the one used before it because, like wood, progressively finer pads produce a glossier finish. Each slab will still contain rough edges because the machine only polishes the slab’s top surface, which is what will be visible when it is installed.
4. Shipping the Slabs to the United States
To maintain consistent coloring and patterns, the polished slabs are bundled in the order that they were cut from the original block, usually in sets of 6 or 7. They are then placed, via forklifts and other lifting equipment, into a container, ready to ship.
Many of these slabs come from abroad, and in order to import the materials from countries like major granite exporters Brazil, China, India, and Italy, the slabs must travel by boat. Each of these countries has state-of-the-art facilities to cut raw granite into appropriate slabs for transporting, usually using a Breton diamond wire saw, among other equipment. As a matter of fact, the majority of granite used in the United States for countertops is quarried in India and Brazil. And, while there are granite quarries in Virginia and Vermont, the stone there is very plain in color, and is mostly used in building materials and not for its aesthetic.
5. Transporting the Slabs to the Wholesalers
Once the bundles arrive at various ports around the United States, they are off-loaded and processed for shipping around the country, via freight trains and tractor-trailers, to granite wholesalers. These companies exclusively sell the slabs to smaller fabricator companies that polish, cut, and install countertops in homes and businesses. Just note, importing stone is costly and there are only a few major companies in the United States that are in the business.
6. Being Bought by Local Fabricators
Fabricators then visit the supply companies to choose which slabs they wish to bring back to their warehouses and showrooms to sell to their customers. Usually only the most visually-appealing patterns and colors are chosen due to the expense of the material. Later, the fabricator will present different options to prospective customers of which he or she can choose the one that best fits his or her plans.
7. Being Customized for the Consumer
Once a pattern is chosen, a trained technician sent by the fabricator will arrive at the home of the customer to measure each cabinet with precision. This is usually done with digital instruments in this day and age. The slabs are then cut expertly into the perfect sizes and shapes that best meet the home’s unique needs. Many times, computer-aided design is implemented by the fabricator to make the best use of a particular slab’s size and pattern before cutting. The homeowner will get to review each suggested cut and its proposed placement in his or her kitchen before the actual cutting takes place.
Once the plans are approved, water jet technology, along with diamond blades, are used to make intricate cuts in an efficient and affordable manner. The collaboration between the two distinct technologies has created a machine that has revolutionized granite countertop fabrication as a whole. Custom shapes and special designs are easily made and done in a proficient manner. This means that homeowners are starting to see the price of granite countertops falling even further than before.
After the slabs are cut into the right sized and shaped pieces, the computer numeric control, or CNC for short, a stone routing machine, polishes the custom-cut edges. They also remove pieces from the slabs to accommodate stove-tops and sinks, among other items. The finished pieces are then removed from the CNC machine and inspected by qualified personnel. These technicians finalize the intricate details of each slab, often hand-polishing each piece and performing specific tasks that the machine is not equipped to do.
8. Installing the Countertop in the Home
Next, the fabricators load each of the finished pieces onto their trucks and deliver them to the customer’s home to be mounted above his or her cabinets. Each piece is carefully carried inside, installed, and adjustments are made, like the attachment of the sink, including the drilling of faucet holes. The stove-top is also inspected to ensure that it fits perfectly within the area that was cut out for it. The homeowner is then free to enjoy his or her new countertop.
In conclusion, granite goes through a long and complicated process to make it to your kitchen countertop. However, it is worth the wait because it is durable, attractive, and long-lasting.
If you are considering having a granite countertop installed in your home, call us today. Our friendly staff will pass your information on to a qualified technician that will discuss with you your kitchen counter needs. Residents of Plano, TX, Parker, TX, and McKinney, TX know that Granite Artists is the top installer of granite and quartz countertops in the area. So, let us install one of our gorgeous kitchen countertops or lovely bathroom countertops at a low cost to you.
