By Jodi Paper

Choosing the proper material for a countertop is a big decision and requires that many considerations be taken into account. Appearance, strength, durability, sustainability and, of course, price are key factors in making a choice that will leave the consumer satisfied and, ultimately, proud. Some common options on the market today are plastic laminates, ceramic tile, stainless steel, concrete, natural stones (marble, granite, slate, soapstone) and wood. Each material has its advantages; however, granite seems to have more advantages that make it adaptable to the kitchen.

Granite is an igneous, magma-formed rock that is generally made up of quartz, feldspar and mica. These minerals combine in varying percentages that account for the color, veining and crystallization patterns that make each granite deposit — and therefore customized countertop — unique. Other minerals, such as magnetite, pyrite, garnet and hematite can occur in much smaller amounts, and as such, it is these different combinations that create the wide range of granite varieties that are available throughout the world.

Cold Spring Granite's Kasota Valley limestone quarry in Mankato, Minn.
Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Granite

Technology Drives Innovation
Over the years, granite has developed from a largely structural material affordable only to the wealthy, to a stone that has numerous applications — countertops quickly becoming one of the most popular — and greater availability and mass appeal. One of the reasons for this increase in accessibility is the advance of technology used to quarry the stone.

"New technology minimizes the costs and brings granite into the home," explained Jim Janochoski, national sales manager at Cold Spring Granite in Cold Spring, Minn., which owns more than 30 quarries, fabricates granite slabs, and is one of the largest suppliers in the country for granite.

	Granite slabs from a gang shot saw. Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Granite

Whereas in the past, excavating granite from a deposit required an elaborate process of drilling, pounding, sawing and blasting, now — with the use of diamond wire saws, which look like wires, but are covered in diamond segments — quarriers are able to saw whole blocks of granite in a faster and more streamlined manner.

"Diamond wire saws are a less intrusive, less abusive way to pull stone out of the ground," Janochoski said. "And the reduction in cost brings granite from a more commercial [venue] to a more residential one."

Once you have decided to install granite countertops in your home or business, you need to find the right people to help you through the process from start to finish.

From top to Bottom: Mesabi Black Antique slab; Carnelian Antique slab; Applying thermal finish to slab.
Photo courtesy of Cold Spring Granite

"You need to have a professional who knows what is required for installation, is familiar with granite and how it works, and knows how to gather the information and measurements to fabricate the piece correctly," said Chuck Monson, the CEO and COB of Dakota Granite, a Milbank, S.D., quarrier of granite for countertops, as well as granite monuments, memorials, pavers and tile, among other things. The company owns and operates five quarries, four of which are located in South Dakota, and the fifth in Minnesota. "Our expertise is in providing raw material to processors who cut the slabs and supply them to fabricators."

Kip Cameron is president of Granite Tops Inc., a natural stone fabricator also located in Cold Spring, Minn. "We put the customer in contact with production coordinators and then send an expert out [to the person's home] to do a field measurement, walking the customer through the kitchen." The next step is the creation of a template, which is brought back to the company's headquarters for fabrication. "From field measure to installation, the entire process takes two weeks, maybe less."

Photo courtesy of Granite Tops Inc.

Granite is more than just a pretty face. The stone is second only to diamonds in hardness, which accounts for the effectiveness of diamonds in facilitating the quarrying of the natural stone. It is granite's toughness and durability that make it such a desirable countertop material. It won't break or crack, and it is virtually scratch and stain resistant.

A polished finish is generally the most popular, allowing for simple "wipe and go" cleaning. According to Janochoski, about 80 percent of his customers prefer the polished look. However, more non-reflective, toned-down finishes, like "honed" — a smooth, soft and slightly matted look — and Cold Spring Granite's own "antique" — also smooth and soft, but with a more leather-like appearance — are growing in favor. And with such a vast range of colors available and the uniqueness of each one, it is no wonder that more and more people are welcoming granite into their homes.

Before and after.
Photo courtesy of GranitClad

"Granite requires minimal maintenance, it's all-natural, durable, and there are so many colors — black, blues, greens, yellows, reds, browns and golds," Janochoski said. "Granite is a proven product of choice."

Thin Stone — for Countertops
Another development that has helped make granite more accessible for the home is the newer thin stone countertops, which are applied directly over the existing countertops. These offer a lot of the benefits of granite, but are less expensive, and easier and faster to install.

	A worker mans a kip machine. Photo courtesy of Granite Tops Inc.

"Thin stone countertops are a new and innovative product," said Troy Zwick, national sales manager for Marshall Innovative Technologies, a distributor of thin stone based in Southfield, Mich. Whereas traditional granite countertops generally use a 1-1/4-inch (3 cm) slab, these thin stone slabs are 100 percent natural granite, at a third the thickness.

"Our product is a one-centimeter (3/8-inch) slab reinforced with fiberglass mesh," Zwick continued. "Our thin stone is manufactured in Italy, and then shipped to the United States."

Photo courtesy of Granite Tops Inc.

Marshall Innovative Technologies is the exclusive distributing arm in North America for this particular thin stone, and sells the product through certified GranitClad fabricators. "GranitClad is a patent-pending process that has perfected a niche in the market for the remodeling industry," Zwick said. He went on to say that the process is "less invasive to the lifestyle [of the customer]. We can actually resurface the client's existing countertops within a few hours ... because no tear-out is required."

"Instead of the customer having to rip everything out," he continued, "we simply lay the stone over the [existing] countertop."

Granite has functioned as a building material as far back as ancient Egypt, where it was used in a number of pyramids. Clearly the stone stands the test of time. Though initially used in these greater-scale structures, granite has proven to be a product of great versatility. As granite's usability grows, so does it's demand. "Granite has evolved from an exclusive to a must-have," Cameron said. Whether in it's tried and true traditional form, or the newer thin-stone fabrications, as far as countertops are concerned, granite is a stone to be reckoned with.

Photo courtesy of Granite Tops Inc.

References
Cold Spring Granite
Cold Spring, Minn.
(320) 685-3621
www.coldspringgranite.com

Dakota Granite Company
Milbank, S.D.
(800) 843-3333
www.dakgran.com

GranitClad
Southfield, Mich.
(800) 338-7900
www.granitclad.com

Granite Tops Inc.
Cold Spring, Minn.
(320) 685-3005
www.granite-tops.com

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