Granite countertops serve as the status symbol of the inmates of the home. So, right choice of it is essential while purchasing the item.

Granite countertops have many purposes. It can be used by the friends and family for parties and dinner. Apart from this, it can also be used by the children for doing their homework. When you go to the stores for granite countertops, you may find certain pieces of granite to be more expensive than other slabs. This price variation might occur even when they are identical in shape, color and size. You may simply wonder why the price varies and not find a clue to it. Well you are not alone in this problem. Determining the price of a granite countertop is a tough task indeed.

Figuring out the price of granite countertops is not very simple while taking note of its shape, color and size. There are many factors which are involved in finding out the final cost of granite countertops. To understand the factors, first let us discuss how the granite countertops are unearthed and processed.

First, the job of miners also known as quarry workers is to dig out the blocks of granite from beneath the earth. Granite is found close to the ranges of mountains throughout the world and some of the popular sources are South American, Chinese, and European ranges of mountains.

These workers place these granite pieces deep in ground. Extracting these granite pieces is quite tedious. Blasting cannot be done because that will result in shattering the granite and therefore they will become useless. The quarry workers thus use special cutters in order to take out large granite blocks at a time. These blocks are quite heavy.

Once the pieces of granite are extracted, they are taken to factories in order to convert the big chunk of granite block to smooth, classy and shiny slabs. This process involves cutting and polishing by use of massive machinery and equipment. It is not at all an easy task. It takes about 7 days to produce a single granite slab with a smooth surface. Expenses incurred during these methods are critical while determining the final cost of granite countertops.

This is the reason why apparently identical slabs of granite have price tags on opposite ends of price range. Granite countertops’ cost also involves transportation cost of granite pieces and the processing expenses.

The patterns in stones also affect the cost of granite countertops. Experts can identify the rarer patters and these patterns naturally cost higher than the other common patterns. This same logic is also applicable as far as the colors of stone are concerned. The unique and rarer hues are heavier on budget.

However, it is important for you to know that no matter what the type of granite it is, their resilience and durability is more or less at same level. So, if you don’t have budget for rarer pieces of granite, go and buy the less expensive ones that suit your budget. Whatever be the price, addition of granite for sure will spark up the ambience of your house.



By: Factory Plaza

About the Author:



Factory Plaza is one of the largest producers of kitchen countertops and vanity tops in the USA.
We are committed to the communities in which we operate making every effort to bring quality
and affordability to each and every household. Here, at Factory Plaza, our customers are our
neighbors, our friends, and our business partners.

We also aim to educate those contemplating granite and marble products through our very
informative articles.



Bookmark/FavoritesGoogle GmailWordPressShare


You may know one or more people in your social circle or family who have granite in their homes. You may have either opted to install granite yourself, or moved into a home where granite countertops or other granite pieces already existed. That may have even been a perk for choosing your home. Have you ever thought why granite is so common? You no doubt have your theories, and they may include the following four reasons.

Granite is popular because…

It’s a classic. Granite countertops, and in fact, granite as a building material, seem to be as old as time. More often than not when you find quality building materials in a home, granite is among them. Especially popular for kitchen countertops and bath vanity tops, granite has proven to be practical and beautiful over years of use. The familiar graining and versatile color palettes seem to make a house a home instantaneously. Really, when you see a granite countertop in all its glory, you don’t doubt why it’s considered a classic material.

It’s practical. It can be rare with more modern man-made materials to find that beauty and function merge. Not so with natural granite. One of the main reasons it works its way into houses, modern and ancient, is because it holds up so well. Considering that granite is cut from the sides of mountains, you would think it would be durable. But even after intense polishing and fabricating to make it countertop-ready, granite still maintains its solidarity underneath. The solid, side-of-a-mountain qualities come in quite handy in a busy kitchen or bathroom. Almost unbreakable, granite is also scratch, stain, and mildew-resistant. The natural coolness also finds function in the kitchen, making it perfect for baking especially. And granite is sanitary, highly resistant to harmful bacteria.

It’s versatile. There are very few materials that go with almost every style of kitchen or bathroom. Granite is one of them. The natural stone look blends with most design tastes but the sheer amount of colors to choose from certainly helps. From low-profile browns and tans to stunning reds and emeralds, granite can work with almost any style of kitchen. Whether your taste is more traditional with crown moulding and white cabinets, or more industrial with flat-paneled cabinets and stainless steel appliances, granite will not only coordinate but enhance the look.

It’s valuable. When renovating, the goal is often twofold: to improve the home’s appearance and to raise its market value. Nothing fulfills both goals like granite countertops. For as long as you live in your home, you’ll adore your granite countertops. But should you ever sell, they will work in your favor to appeal to a wide network of buyers. A finished kitchen is a prize for homebuyers and the better quality materials, the higher bids you’ll receive. So granite can be a perk today but also in the future should you choose to sell your home.

These are just a few basic reasons granite is such a popular choice for kitchen and bathroom design. There are few materials, natural or synthetic, that combine beauty and function so flawlessly to create a classic, practical, versatile, and valuable product. If it isn’t already, granite is sure to be a classic and a standard in your home very soon.



By: Factory Plaza

About the Author:



Factory Plaza is one of the largest producers of kitchen countertops and vanity tops in the USA.
We are committed to the communities in which we operate making every effort to bring quality
and affordability to each and every household. Here, at Factory Plaza, our customers are our
neighbors, our friends, and our business partners.

We also aim to educate those contemplating granite and marble products through our very
informative articles.



Bookmark/FavoritesGoogle GmailWordPressShare


Both granite and marble are used because they are known as durable and look good as surface tops or counter tops. However a few years down the lane, there is a chance that your favorite table with the marble top or the granite counter top will start looking dull and lifeless. This will definitely happen if you do not take proper care. The best solution that you have is to ask for good cleaners from the suppliers who will guide you about the essential details.

Tip 1: You should never polish the granite top or the marble with ordinary household cleaners. If you want to maintain the sleek, smooth look, you should always use the cleaners prescribed by the suppliers. The ordinary cleaners have bleaches which can damage the surface of the stone. You should always remember that these cleaners generally hamper the beauty of the stone.

Tip 2: When you clean a granite counter top, you can use the sealer. This sealer is especially made for granite tops. They help to protect the stone from stains by blocking the cracks and pores in the stone. The sealers help to create a barrier by keeping the liquid and the dirt on the surface. In other words, the sealer will not allow the dirt to penetrate into the stone and acts a protective shield. Ordinary household cleaners contain rough chemicals like ammonia which breaks the sealers and the stone becomes less resistant.

Tip 3: In order to maintain the luster and beauty of the stone, and make it more durable, you should avoid using things like toothpaste, perfume or any daily toiletries which will damage the protective sealer of the stones. In order to retain the shine, you can use the granite polish. This polish should be used on the surface of the stone intermittently so that the stone is protected from outside threats.

Tip 4: Granite polish is an effective cleaner of granite. Once the polish is applied on the surface, it should be applied in circular motion to fill the dry spots. You can polish the surface and wipe the excess with a clean cloth. While wiping the rest of the polish from the surface, the surface should be cleaned in straight lines.

Tip 5: After the granite surface is cleaned, the surface should be left to dry. Then you can rub the surface in steaks or lines which gives the floor a glorious shine. This is almost like polishing the shoes or the boots. The more you rub, the shinier it becomes. A few small measures will help your granite to be durable and shine for years. Instead of using harmful cleaners which will reduce the longevity of stones, you can use the Granite polish which will make the stone just as new even after years.

Remember that granite is one of the best natural stones that you can use. So make sure that you take proper care of this resource as it can go a long way to ensure a great looking kitchen for you.



By: Factory Plaza

About the Author:



Factory Plaza is one of the largest producers of kitchen countertops and vanity tops in the USA.
We are committed to the communities in which we operate making every effort to bring quality
and affordability to each and every household. Here, at Factory Plaza, our customers are our
neighbors, our friends, and our business partners.

We also aim to educate those contemplating granite and marble products through our very
informative articles.



Bookmark/FavoritesGoogle GmailWordPressShare


Granite is an igneous rock having a massive structure and is hence popularly used as a construction stone. It is often found as a huge monolith and needs to be processed systematically before it can be used in construction. Granite stone, when polished, turns into an elegant piece of lustrous stone which can be used for making slabs and tiles for kitchens and bathrooms. However, granite doesn’t exist in the lustrous form naturally and has to undergo various processes after which it can be finally used. This is known as granite fabrication.

Granite fabrication involves three basic processes: sawing, polishing and routing. Sawing deals with cutting the monolith into smaller slabs for polishing. There are specialized machines constructed separately for each process. Initially the granite is in the form of a monolith brought directly from the quarry to the processing plant. It has to be cut down into smaller slabs so that it can be polished and processed further. A block saw is used to cut the huge boulder into smaller slabs. Of late, the block saw has been replaced by the diamond wire saw because of the latter’s faster cutting rate. The diamond saw contains diamonds studded on a metal wire to cut faster and more easily. The bridge saw then cuts the slabs further into a designated shape. Water is used as the coolant during the cutting process.

The next stage is polishing the cut granite slab.  A polisher is used to grind the stone, polishing it to the required level desired by the user. Since granite is a very hard stone, the degree to which it can be polished is very high. We can obtain an almost mirror like finish by polishing it to a high degree. A polisher contains rotating plates fitted with abrasive materials on its surface. The quality of finish can be controlled by changing the coarseness of the abrasive substance. Once the granite slab is through with polishing, it needs to undergo the routing process. A router basically gives shape to the edge of the granite piece. It is also used to cut designs on larger granite pieces. There are standard edge designs in which the granite slab edges can be shaped. The router has a diamond studded spinning blade which travels from edge to edge, shaping it. Water is used as the coolant in this process too.

Now-a-days, all the three processes are controlled by the CNC (Computer Numeric Control) technology. It uses digital techniques to control all the three processes and the machines associated with them. This technology is very fast and accurate compared to the previous semi-automated functions used to control the machines and is hence fast replacing the old technology. This technology has reduced the time of the fabrication process from about 2-3 weeks to a single day. Once the desired final product is designed on the CAD (Computer Aided Design) program, it is fed to the CNC system which then finishes the job easily and efficiently. The final product is thus obtained.



By: Factory Plaza

About the Author:



Factory Plaza is one of the largest producers of kitchen countertops and vanity tops in the USA.
We are committed to the communities in which we operate making every effort to bring quality
and affordability to each and every household. Here, at Factory Plaza, our customers are our
neighbors, our friends, and our business partners.

We also aim to educate those contemplating granite and marble products through our very
informative articles.

Bookmark/FavoritesGoogle GmailWordPressShare
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