Have you ever wondered how natural stone becomes a kitchen countertop?
In a series of publications, we will explain almost every aspect of how exotic granite and marble – are quarried, cut, fabricated, installed, and maintained. Make sure to bookmark us so that you don’t miss anything that will expand your view of the countertop in your kitchen and make you realize how many people were involved before that beautiful piece of artwork landed in your home.
When man first started building things thousands of years ago, natural stone was of constant use. Cultures from ancient to contemporary have used natural stone to build structures to worship gods, celebrate beliefs, memorialize the dead, entertain people, and house government institutions. Today thanks to new technologies, the use of natural stone has expanded broadly beyond its traditional use in interiors and exteriors of significant buildings.
Nowadays, natural stone has become a staple in homes of every size. People have discovered this unique all-natural material’s beauty, luxury, and sustainability for countertops, floors, and other applications. Customers prefer it because it’s a unique material that cannot be duplicated in a factory or laboratory. It comes from nature in thousands of colors, and no two pieces are identical. Nothing approaches the uniqueness, durability, and serviceability of natural stone countertops in kitchens, bathrooms, and other locations in the home.
There has always been a special allure to natural stone. But what makes it particularly appealing now is the drastic reduction of prices over the last two decades—the result of quantum advances in quarry and fabricating technologies. The journey from the quarry to the kitchen can begin right here in North America or in quarries around the world. There is an enormous supply of natural stone, and more are being discovered daily. This combination of supply and technological advancements makes the natural stone very competitive with manufactured materials. From quarries, giant blocks of natural stone are carved out of the earth with diamond cutting systems, drastically reducing the effort previously required to achieve this task.
The newest technology is the diamond segment multi-wire saw, which can block granite slices into slabs at a rate of 12” to 15” per hour or complete the block in about 6 hours. This compares to the ¾” per hour cuts made by older gang saw technology in which a block is slabbed in 40 to 50 hours. The slabs are then polished on high-speed lines that feature multiple heads. Some of the stone may be cut into tiles or other cut-to-size pieces. Once completed, the stone is then shipped to distributors and fabricators like DTK Stone Works. Many stone contractors and design professionals travel the world to hand select material in block or slab form. The same way you select the stone for your home. Because every block or slab is unique, it can be a very daunting task.
Once you’ve selected the perfect material for your home, DTK Stone Works will do the rest with your input. For more information do not hesitate to contact us and schedule your visit to our showroom.