It's amazing to think that your new granite countertops went into production over 350 million years ago. Over thousands of millennia molten rock deep beneath the surface of the earth was subjected to tremendous geologic pressure and repeated cycles of heating and cooling eventually emerging as granite, the primary ingredient of the earth's crust.
Granite quarries all around the world harvest huge blocks of stone weighing between 35 and 45 thousand pounds. The blocks are shipped to stone processing factories where they are sliced into either 3 cm slabs (approx. 1 1/4" thick) or 2 cm slabs (approx. 3/4" thick).
Depending on the type of granite quarried a block may be processed using either vein cutting which exposes the flow and pattern of the rock or cross cutting which creates slabs with a more uniform appearance. It takes between 24 and 48 hours to cut a block of stone into slabs. One block can yield as many as 50 slabs. Once cut each slab is marked with a serialized number.
Some types of granite are treated with resin and then baked in huge ovens for up to 48 hours to harden the resin and strengthen the stone. Resin is also used to enhance the color and fill the surface imperfections of certain stone varieties. Some slabs are reinforced with fiberglass matting which is epoxied to the unpolished side to stabilize slabs for transport and fabrication.
Once polished the stone is shipped to wholesale slab yards where retailers and fabricators can purchase the stone that is used to create your dream kitchen.
In 1993 Solid Surface Designs, Inc., began business as a factory certified fabricator-installer for DuPont Corian. Since then we have grown to become the region's largest fabricator and installer of Granite, Quartz and Solid Surface countertops.
If you need help with an estimate, give us a call at (417) 258-2787 and ask for Doug, Holly, Mitchell or Sarah.