Introduction to Granite
Granite is one of the hardest rocks that there is.
There are only a few things that can cut granite, one being another
piece of granite, and the other a diamond-edged saw. A current trend
right now is to have granite countertops. This makes homes look much
more expensive than they are, and granite is also loved because of its
high durability. If you have never investigated granite countertops, it
will interest you to lean how the granite is made into the countertops.
This article explains the process from finding the rock all the way to
installing it in kitchens.
Finding Granite
Geological prospecting is used to find places
where granite exists. There are granite mines all over the world. The
United States has a large number of granite mines, many of which are in
the eastern part of the United States. Granite is one of the hardest
rocks in the world, and because of that it did not come in to
widespread use until power equipment began to be used.
Getting the Granite Out of the Earth
When the granite has been found in the earth, a
quarry is made around it to help extract it from the earth. The main
ways that granite is removed from the earth is through sawing and
drilling. The blocks of granite are tried to be extracted in a uniform
shape so that each block is roughly the same size. This is best for
cutting later on and for transportation.
Moving the Granite
The granite is sorted for color at the quarry
before it is moved to a processing plant. If any rock has large cracks
or impurities, such as a large chuck of a different kind of rock, then
they are set aside and not used. Granite is transported to the
processing site by truck. Some quarries are placed near the processing
plants but not all are.
Cutting the Granite
Since granite is one of the hardest rocks, the
only thing that can cut granite is either a diamond-edged cutter or a
saw made of granite itself. This makes it extremely difficult to form
and shape. This is one of the factors that makes granite counters so
expensive. The granite is cut into slabs, usually somewhere around 54
feet square and about 2 to 3 inches thick. Granite slabs are prone to
breaking at this point, so extra care has to be taken.
Making the Counter Surfaces
When someone wants to put granite countertops in
their home, they need to measure how many feet of granite they will
need. Then the company installing the countertops will give them a list
of colors that they have in that size. The customer picks the color,
and then the company installs it. A sealant is applied to the top of
the counters so that the rock is no longer porous and reflects light
with a high-gloss shine. The counters are cut to fit the specification
of the customer and installed.