Granite Uses
Granite for Worktops
In modern times granite has become a popular material used as kitchen worktops partly because of its desirable looks but mainly because of its durability, heat resistant properties and smooth surfaces which make it ideal for cooking on.
Granite Cutting
To keep prices down we have our granite cut and polished to standard sizes at processing factory's near the granite mines, this keeps costs down and means only a small amount of cutting is done at our factory's.
Granite Processing
Learn how granite is transformed into stunning kitchen worktops
Your granite worktops undergo a remarkable transformation from beginning as solid stone 100's of meters underground to highly polished worktops sat on your new kitchen cabinets.
Granite is formed with the cooling of magma at depth in the earths crust and the granite on your kitchen worktops would have formed millions of years ago.
Granite is mined from the earths crust in large blocks which are then transported from the mine to a granite processing facility for cutting.
Mining Granite
Granite mining is a large industrial process which begins with exposing a granite deposit. Once the granite deposit is exposed open cast mining is the usual way to exploit the reserves. Granite is then extracted from the mine which is in itsself a difficult process. Granite is usuallt drilled then hammered to seperate individual blocks which are then lifted to the sufrace of the mine with crains to be transported to a near by processing plant.
Cutting Granite
Cutting granite is done by high powered diamond blade industrial cutting machines. Because of the hardness of granite rock cutting is an incredibly difficult process which produces alot of dust, most granite cutting equipment uses water to cool both the blade and stone but also absorbes the dust and allows it to drain away. The cost of cutting equipment for granite it enourmous and cutting is usually done close to the mine to make transprotation easier.
Transporting Granite
Granite is transported from the mine in large blocks which can weigh upto 10 tonnes, to close by cutting facilities where they are cut and reduced to sizes which can be handled easier. From the processing plant granite is loaded into containers and shipped around the world. When the granite reaches its destination it is loaded onto HGV's or other methods of transoprt and delivered to granite worktop companies such as ourselfs who further cut and polish the granite.
Polishing Granite
Polishing granite is done in multi stages, starting with a very rough course diamond polishing pad the granite begins the first stage of polishing. Once the first stage is complete the process is repeated using a less course diamond polishing pad and repeated a number of times using more fine grade pads. Once individual cutouts are made from your granite worktops the process is followed again but this time by hand to achieve the desired finish. Sets of polishing pads are available to purchase which can be attached to regular hand drills to allow polishing of your own granite.
To find out more information about granite see the wikipedia site.