From Mountains to Kitchens: How Stone Countertops Are Produced

Like the production of custom kitchen cabinets in West Bloomfield, MI, stone countertops must go through several stages before the final product is ready. From mountains to kitchens, here is how stone countertops are made.Ancient OriginIt’s hard to believe it when looking at the pieces, but every slab of natural stone countertop is actually millions of years old. Mountains take millions of years to form, after all, and these countertops are sliced directly from mountains. Mined All Over the WorldA large proportion of granite slabs come from Brazil, while Italy is responsible for supplying most of the world’s marble. However, natural stone is mined from mountains all over the world, in countries like China, India, Canada, and the United States of America.ExtractionThere are several extraction methods when it comes to acquiring the natural stone slabs from the mountain, and each extraction company has their own process. The most common tactic centers around the use of explosives strategically placed over the mountains surface. If successful, the placement of these explosives will allow for a workable square of granite to be extracted from the mountain. These squares are enormous, and can weigh dozens of tons - after all, a single 1¼” slab of granite can weigh upwards of 2 ⅕ tons!The Initial SlicingThose huge chunks of raw stone are transported to the manufacturing facilities in order to initiate the production process. This starts with slicing the initial slab of stone into workable, usually rectangular slices. The thicknesses vary, but stone slabs meant for use as a countertop are typically sliced into thicknesses of ¾” or 1¼”.Surface FinishingThe slabs are taken to the next step of production: surface finishing. There are several different polishing types that a countertop can have, from high-polish to grainy. Typically, the slabs (which tend to measure around 12 x 8 feet) are placed flat over a polishing table while an automated polisher works the surface through several phases using various polishing pads.Cutting to SizeNow it’s time to cut the kitchen to size. The countertop installer will work with the stone cutter to map out the kitchen’s shape over the slab. The customer can also participate in this stage if he or she has a certain preference over which parts of the slab are used. The cutter then uses the measurement to cut the countertop shapes out of the slab, then setting the pieces aside for the final production stage.Edging and Sink/Appliance Hole FinishingThe sink or appliance holes as well as the countertops edge are the final stages of production. Stone professionals work the material with a succession of polishing pads in order to produce the specified finishing. The pieces are given a final wipe and are set aside, ready for installation.