The natural beauty of granite

Granite is an igneous stone formed from magma, or molten lava which has hardened under extreme pressure for centuries. It is composed of quartz, feldspar, and mica, each one exhibiting different properties to give granite that distinctive crystalline look and hardness.

Due to the combined beauty of this natural stone, it is thus used as flooring material, for countertops, worktops, mantels, and even walling. Today, granite is especially popular for use in granite kitchen countertops. After the slabs are quarried from various areas around the world, they are then taken to fabrication plants where they are cut and polished to perfection. Most of these slabs go to Verona, Italy, where many fabrication factories for natural stone are based.

The polishing process

Basically, granite kitchen countertops polishing starts with a cutting process. Large saws are used to cut the raw stone, but these are not your ordinary saws. Diamond-edged saws are used to initially cut the slabs into manageable pieces. Bridge saws are then used to cut them into shapes that are more specific to their purpose - that is, for mantels, flooring, or countertops.

After the stones have been cut, they are now ready to be sanded. Granite kitchen countertops polishing is done by the use of rotating pads used to polish down areas that are raised until the rock gets a mirror finish.

On the other hand, some stones are not extremely polished for a matte finish, which some buyers prefer. Usually the rougher textures are reserved for flooring, because this is where smooth textures can be unsafe. Depending on the factory's clientele, the granite kitchen countertops polishing methods vary.

The modern polishers employed today can create a wide range of polished surfaces, such as soft, smooth, or shiny mirror finishes. There are also other types of specialized finishes, such as hammered or flamed, which are increasing in popularity among more innovative customers.

The last step in the granite kitchen countertops polishing process is the routing step. Routers are tools which are used to create the edging profiles you usually see on countertops, adding to their beauty. They can be as simple as a straight line or a bit more complicated for decorative purposes. The design all depends on what the customers are asking for.

Previously, many of these steps were accomplished by hand and so took several weeks to finish. However, with the use of new technology known as CNC, or computer numeric control, the granite Type Of Kitchen Countertop polishing process is considerably shortened and made easier. No longer does this process have to take weeks. The use of computers also provides for more accurate measurements and therefore higher-quality products.