If you are in the market for new
granite countertops, you have probably already looked at many photos online. You may have already visited a few showrooms. We have had many customers ask us; where does granite come from and how do they make it look so pretty?
Here we will explain how the rock is removed from the Earth and turned into beautiful stone countertops.
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Where Does Granite Come From?
The formation of granite occurs when magma crystallizes slowly below the Earth&#;s surface. Granite is composed of mainly natural quartz and feldspar with traces of amphiboles, mica, and other organic minerals. At their earliest stages, your granite countertops were just molten magma. The color and patterns of each type of granite are a result of the distinct mineral composition. These color variants are a red, pink, grey, or white color with dark grains in the pattern. Some of the most extraordinary granites will include colors like blue, green, black, and gold.
Brazil supplies the majority of the world&#;s granite for countertops, followed by Italy, India, and China. Because of the process in which granite forms, it will have a different color at every mine.
Granite is located close to the Earth&#;s surface, allowing mining to take place in shallow quarries. The granite formation is typically varied large, and the rock will need to be cut into transportable pieces to be processed. The sectioning of granite happens by drilling small holes in the size that will be transportable &#; by precisely measured explosives, placed into the holes. When detonated, the block will separate from the bedrock without cracking.
The blast is designed to direct the block onto a bed of sand to minimize any unintentional damage. Large equipment is used to lift the large chunks of granite and load them into heavy-duty trucks. Once loaded, they will be transported for further processing.
Brazil supplies the majority of the world&#;s granite for countertops, followed by Italy, India, and China. Because of the process in which granite forms, it will have a different color at every mine.
From Stone Blocks to Granite Slabs
Once at a stone cutting facility, large blocks of granite will be cut into slabs, split into 2 or 3cm pieces. The machine does not cut one slice at a time but multiple slabs at once. The machine can have numerous circular blades or diamond wire blades that will cut through the block of granite like an egg slicer. It can be a long process, taking up to an hour for these blades to go through one foot of stone. Imagine how long it takes to cut through an entire 10&#; x 5&#; x 10&#; block of granite.&#;
Recent innovations like the use of diamond wire cutting saws and other technological advances have increased the speed and accuracy of this process. Thus, leading to faster production and lower cost to produce granite, resulting in better consumer prices.
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Today we see much more granite used in middle-class homes. In years past granite counters were not affordable to be used in the same houses.
Polishing to Reveal the Natural Beauty
Polishing the granite&#;s surface will bring out the natural colors and patterns. Also, the surface will become smooth to the touch. The machines that polish the slabs have large, diamond polishing pads. There are several steps in the polishing process, and each one will use a lower grit diamond abrasive. Each of these steps slowly brings out the shine in the granite. Only the one side of the slab is polished, while the edges and sides are left unpolished.&#;
Transporting the Granite Slabs
Once the slabs are polished and bundled into bundles of 6-7 slabs. Typically they are bundled in the order they were cut from the block. This is an important step to ensure the bundled slabs will have consistent veining and color. The bundles are then packaged onto a shipping container and transported to the US on a Freighter. These freighters arrive in US ports and large cranes are used to transfer the slabs to semi-truck beds. The stone slabs are now in route to the region of the country in which they well be delivered for future fabrication.
Granite Slabs
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When you are ready to choose the stone for your countertops, you will be able to view the stone slab that will be fabricated and installed in your home. You may have looked at samples and displays in showrooms, but you will want to look at the actual full-size slab before you decide on a type of granite. You may initially see a small sample in the beginning of your stone countertop exploration. Granite is a natural stone, so no two pieces are exactly alike. Seeing the full slab is the only way to get a good visual of the movement and color of the slab that will be fabricated and installed in your home.
We Fabricate and Install Your Granite Countertops
CSW is all about fabricating and installing granite, quartz and other natural and engineered stone for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, home bars and more. Our countertop experts can help you select the perfect stone for your kitchen, bath, home bar and more. We serve home builders, remodelers, contractors, commercial builders and residential home owners.
Many people tend to look for granite countertops for their kitchens due to their easy maintenance, thickness, color variety, and resistance to heat, scratching, and harsh chemicals. While you can find granite in many parts of the world, some may have better quality than others. If you want to pick the best granite for your kitchen, consider its production origins.
Here are some of the top places that produce the best granite for countertops. By comparing each country&#;s granite quality, you should be able to decide which one will suit you best in the long run.
Brazil has several granite quarries to accommodate the production and export of granite for most of the world. Granite&#;s appearance depends on how much feldspar, mica, quartz, and other minerals it contains, which results in numerous colors and patterns.
Brazil incorporated granite into its economy during the 18th century to counteract economic hardships. Eventually, they upgraded their technology to match the capabilities of their granite producing practices.
Some of Brazil&#;s most prominent color variants for granite include shades of blue, green, red, and yellow. Their best granite falls under the middle- and high-grade categories; they typically have excellent hardness and durability and are sold as thicker slabs. Due to these qualities, they tend to be more expensive than local producers.
India is another contender for producing the best granite on the market. Several granite quarries exist throughout northern and southern India. India&#;s granite tends to have excellent polish and hardness compared to others. Many revere Indian granite for its wide variety of color options.
Some qualities associated with India&#;s granite include weather, acid, and erosion resistance, excellent hardness and durability, and decorative design quality. However, it also has low-fire resistance due to its crystalline transition properties.
Some prominent colors and shades are exclusive to India, such as Imperial Gold, New Kashmir White, and Absolute Black. India also categorizes their granite by location or region, such as Rajasthan, Bangalore, and Chenna. Like with other countries&#; granite, its colors and patterns are determined by its mineral compositions.
Spain
Spain is another one of the countries known for producing the best granite for several years. One of the most notable quarries in Spain&#;s granite industry is Azul Aran. Their granite has superb resistance to abrasions and compression. As with other granite producers, Spain&#;s granite comes in several colors, including silver and blue.
Levantina is another company in Spain that embraces the hues and patterns of their granite. Levantina also offers several surface finishes for their granite, such as polished, honed, shot-blasted, aged, satin-finished, and flamed. If you want a more diverse look for your countertop, this might be something you can consider.
Although Italy is known for its marble production, it&#;s no stranger to being one of the top locations for making the best granite. Most Italian granite tends to have high toughness and thickness. Using this kind of granite for your home might be best suited for people who prefer granite that won&#;t break easily.
Most masters of this craft balance these properties to give consumers durable granite for any environment. By doing this, you&#;re left with granite that&#;s bound to last.
Italian granite has many ornate designs and color variations to match your needs. These colors include gold, brown, white, and black. Most of these fit into the middle- and high-grade categories, quality-wise. You may want to see which options are available for you to give your home the ideal look you want.
The best granite from across the globe isn&#;t made in the same way. Due to each quarry&#;s conditions and environments, some granite may have different sturdiness, hardness, and color properties. China may manufacture granite at a high rate, but it may not be the best option if you&#;re looking for granite that&#;s radiation-free, durable, and thick.
The top granite-making countries follow guidelines to ensure that buyers get granite with enhanced durability, hardness, and damage resistance. If you want the best granite that reflects your home, inspect it as much as possible to see if it&#;s the right one for you.
Our team at CCT Natural Stone Designs specializes in providing you with top-quality granite for your home and knowing how to keep it in top condition. If you have any questions about the types of granite you&#;re interested in, give us a call or request a quote