How are Granite Countertops Made?

You love the look and feel of granite countertops and can't wait to add some to your renovated kitchen. However, you are wondering how a hunk of rock is turned into a stunning surface for your family to enjoy for decades. Every granite countertop is a custom piece of art that begins in distant lands and ends with a qualified installation craftsman from The Countertop Shop in Monclova, OH.

Cutting Down the Granite Mountain

Granite is a naturally occurring igneous rock that is often the foundation of mountains around the world. It comes in a wide range of colors from dark gray to silvery tones and even rosy reds. It gets it speckled appearance from flecks of quartz or mica. The look of your piece of granite depends on the geology on where it originated. Explosives are used to blast giant cubes of granite the size of a large Delivery van from the mountainside. These massive blocks are transported to a nearby cutting shop for the next step in the process.

Slicing the Slabs and Sending them to the Countertop Shop

At the mill, giant saws slice the block down into oversized slabs roughly four feet by ten feet--depending on the size of the original block. One side of the slab is polished. Several slabs are bundled and shipped to a granite countertop manufacturer like the Countertop Shop. We display them in our yard, so you can select which slab you want used for your kitchen or bath remodel. No two slabs are exactly the same, but slabs cut from the same block are recommended when trying to match multiple counters.

Measuring Your Kitchen and Creating a Digital Template

Before your slab is cut down for installation, a template must be created by our installation team. Once your cabinets are in their final position, the template is made by laying strips of flexible material on top of them. The strips are glued together and trimmed to create the precise dimensions needed for your counters. The template is taken back to the shop where it is scanned into our CAD, which then uses a robotic stone saw to precisely mill out your countertops--including the edging of your choice.

Onsite Installation and Finishing Touches

Now your granite countertop is ready for installation! Even though it has been cut down from that enormous block pulled from the mountain, it is still very heavy. It takes several workers to position the countertop in place. Colored resin is used to create a nearly invisible seam, if one exists. Your under mount sink is finally put into place, and holes are drilled on site for your faucets. Blocks are used to secure the counter to the cabinets from underneath. Since no two kitchens ever have the exact same measurement, every granite countertop we install is made specifically for that job.

Now that you know how your granite countertop is made, you will feel even more appreciation for its unique beauty, polished surface, and timeless durability. Visit the Countertop Shop in Monclova, OH today and discover all the different slabs we have on display.