Have you ever looked at your shiny countertop and wondered where does granite come from? When it comes to countertops, granite is the undisputed leader. There is hardly any other natural stone that can match its versatility, beauty, and durability. It comes in various colors and patterns, making it a popular choice for anyone looking for style and utility.
Through this article, we’ll give you an overview of granite’s incredible journey from the quarry to your kitchen.
HOW IS GRANITE FORMED?
Granite is an igneous rock composed of quartz, feldspar, and small portions of other minerals. It forms by the slow and gradual crystallization of molten rock or magma below the earth’s surface.
MINING GRANITE FROM QUARRIES
Granite makes up a large portion of the earth’s continental crust. That has ensured that this rock is abundantly available across the globe. Granite is found much closer to the earth’s surface, making the granite quarries shallow in depth.
On locating blocks of granite, quarry workers drill small holes around the block in the desired shape and size. Explosives are then placed in these holes to separate the block of granite from the bedrock. This process requires precision and expertise. The blast should be enough to separate the block from the bedrock but shouldn’t break it.
Quarry workers also have to ensure that the separated block of granite doesn’t split at a bad angle or fall on a hard surface and crack. To prevent cracking, the block is made to land on a bed of sand.
The next time you admire the beauty of your kitchen countertop, do spare a thought for the effort that went into mining it from the earth.
CUTTING THE GRANITE BLOCKS INTO SLABS
The freshly mined blocks of granite look nothing like your countertop. They need to be processed before they reach the finished product stage. These huge blocks of granite are loaded onto heavy-duty trucks and transported to facilities with advanced machinery to be cut into slabs.
Granite is one of the hardest materials on earth. Cutting through these massive blocks of granite requires giant saws that make several slices through the stone at one time. The more advanced saws have diamond wire cutters that make the process faster and more cost effective.
POLISHING THE GRANITE SLABS
Once the block has been cut into slabs of the required size and thickness, it is time to bring out its natural colors and patterns. These slabs are processed by polishing machines that have large diamond polishing pads. They work slowly to bring out the beautiful colors and the natural shine to give the slabs a quality finish.
INSTALLING THE COUNTERTOP
After being processed, the slabs of granite are sold to companies that install granite counters in homes and offices. Once you’ve chosen the color and pattern of your liking, a technician will take precise measurements of your kitchen. The granite slabs are then cut to the right size for each home using advanced technology. Before installation, they are edged, polished, and inspected for quality and imperfections.
From molten lava that cooled and crystallized for thousands of years to the slick countertop in your kitchen, granite’s journey is worth knowing. Now that you know where granite comes from, we are sure you have a newfound admiration for not only this stone but also the hundreds of people that work with utmost precision to bring it to your home.
Contact Bella Casa today for a quote on your granite countertop ideas.