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How Granite is Made & How to Care for It

Apr. 29, 2024

How Granite is Made & How to Care for It

Granite countertops bring the beauty of natural stone into your home. Granite may look like an everyday rock in its natural state, but once it’s been crafted into slabs and tiles, it’s a stunning addition to a variety of surfaces. The stone is processed in a unique fashion that focuses on highlighting the complexities of the material while preserving its unique qualities

From Chunks to Slabs

The process of making a granite countertop starts with large chunks of stone. Once these large chunks are mined, they are cut into blocks.

The blocks are then sliced into slabs using specialized saws. Each slab is numbered to ensure that their natural sequence can be maintained. One side of the slab is polished with diamonds to reveal a unique and colorful surface.

Large saws outfitted with diamond-coated blades are used to cut granite slabs into custom sizes. The edges of cut granite are smooth but unpolished. These edges are polished using CNC machines — huge stone routers that are computerized — or small hand-held stone routers. These routers are also used to cut the granite into edge shapes such as waterfall, ogee, bullnose and others.

Caring for Your Granite Countertop

Granite is a strong and durable material that provides great beauty in your kitchen. In order to enjoy many years of use, however, it’s vital to know the proper way to care for it. If you own a home with granite, below are a few tips to follow to prolong its life and beauty.

It’s wised to apply a high-quality sealer designed specifically for granite after purchasing a home with granite. Once the sealer is completely dry, buff it with a rough cloth to bring out the shine.
Be vigilant about cleaning up spills as soon as they occur on granite countertops. While the sealer will help reduce the likelihood of staining, granite is still a porous material and deep colors could penetrate it.
Never use chemical cleaning products on your granite countertop as they can remove the sealant and leave the stone itself exposed. In most instances, only soap and water are necessary to effectively clean a granite countertop.
Keep acidic foods as well as meats from coming in direct contact with your countertops by using a cutting board when you prepare food.

Granite countertops continue to be a highly-sought-after feature of new homes. Its unique manufacturing process yields a beautiful and durable surface that can provide homeowners with years of enjoyment.

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How Granite Countertops Work

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Whoever coined the phrase "hard as a rock" might very well have been thinking of granite. Formed over millions of years from compressed molten rock under the Earth's surface, granite is extremely hard and durable.

With its heat-resistant qualities, granite doesn't blister; it's also unlikely to scratch or chip. When used for kitchen countertops, it's far superior to marble, synthetic and laminate. It's also better looking and has a luminous, dimensional quality when polished.

Granite is made up of interlocking mineral crystals, the most common being feldspar and quartz. But an array of other minerals can be included, and these make each piece of granite unique. Feldspar will give gray, pink or red highlights; the light gray veins are quartz; and the black is typically mica [source: Geology].

Granite is drilled, chiseled and blasted out of quarries in large blocks, and special milling machines then cut it into workable slabs. Typically, a slab of granite is around 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) wide and between 7 to 9 feet (2.1 to 2.7 meters) long. Other machines polish the material into a uniform thickness, usually about three-quarters of an inch to 1 1/4 inches (2 to 3 centimeters) [source: Walton].

Turning raw granite into countertops requires special tools. Granite can be custom-made and professionally installed, but it's also available in precut and edged countertops. The kitchen's design, the shapes and sizes of the available precut material and the location of the seams will help determine if you can use precut and edged granite or if you need a custom installation.

Are you convinced that granite is the best choice for your kitchen or bathroom remodeling project? Read on to learn how to cut granite countertops.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Classic Countertops Manufacturer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

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