Each slab of granite is a piece of nature’s art at its finest. How else can you describe the beautiful products we have today? No two pieces are the same, even when mined from the same location. This is one of the many reasons granite is so desirable. To top it off, it’s known for its strength and durability, being one of the strongest stones on earth. So where does granite come from? Granite forms when volcanic activity slowly cools and combines with different minerals. After being compressed under the earth’s surface over time, quarries of granite are created.
How does the granite get from the quarry to your kitchen? Let’s just say that it’s not a quick process. There are many quarries all across the United States and the world; this includes Brazil, Italy, Spain, China, and India. Variations, color, and striations are determined by where the granite was mined. Before the slabs can go to the show room, the beautiful countertops start out as massive chunks of rock underground. Miners outline a section of the rock wall and drill holes in sections. Explosives are then put in these holes and are set off to detach the section outlined. At this point, the section is still very large. Tools are used to create many smaller sections versus one larger piece. Although smaller, these sections weight several tons. Special tools are used to cut the rock, but this process takes time with around one foot per hour. This is about as slow as a snail!
Once the granite is “harvested”, it is shipped to a facility where it is then cut further for more accurate dimensions. After being cut, it is polished to expose and share its beauty with everyone. There are two primary finishes for granite. The first is being highly polished to a brilliant shine that we all love to see on kitchen countertops. The other primary finish is called flamed. When granite is flamed, a rougher finished is created which is mainly used for non-slip flooring.
Now that the granite is finished, it is ready to be cut for your kitchen’s specifications. Installing granite in your home is a great investment that will not only pay off in the end, but will look stunning too!