Stone Dimensions - Fall/Winter 2007 - (Page 22)

a loaf of bread. (Unlike a loaf of bread, it takes about 24 hours to cut through a block.) Each slice is then polished by machine. The slabs are then bundled sequentially in groups of 10. Buying in sequence gives the greatest movement and color consistency in that particular bundle.” (If you’re wondering about how stone can have “movement,” Snyder explains that movement is the unique pattern of colors and crystals that “moves” through a piece of granite. What is considered beautiful movement is a matter of personal taste and a client’s creative vision.) Because of increasing customer demand, companies that supply granite are constantly searching for and making huge investments in finding new quarries, Perinelli explains. “They are constantly looking for new colors, and the search for new colors is consumer-driven,” he says. The challenge to quarriers these days, Perinelli says, is not the finding of new quarries or determining how deep the granite runs, but rather figuring out if opening a new quarry is worth the investment. There is currently no way to determine what colors a quarry will yield; and there can be variations in color within the same quarry. “If the color changes, sometimes they just rename the material,” he says. Bringing it on home Experts say the use of natural stone, including granite, marble, slate, limestone and travertine is on the upswing as homeowners are rediscovering its beauty and appreciating its durability. “Whether polished, honed, tumbled or custommounted, you are sure to add beauty to Rock of Ages Quarry, Barre, VT Not all granites are created equal, explains Francois Hope, owner of GMG Stone in El Cajon. “The strength of the granite is determined by its density,” he says. The hardness of granite is determined by its feldspar and quartz content. In general, granite with more quartz is more porous and lower in strength than darker varieties. As opposed to crushed stones, granite is known as a dimension stone, which means it is a natural building stone that has been cut and finished to certain specifications. Dig it Because granite forms a major part of the Earth’s crust, it is plentiful. It is extracted from the earth in blocks weighing anywhere from 8 to 23 tons, from quarries—described by Perinelli as “big bowls of rock.” Granite is fairly common throughout the world, but the areas with the most commercial granite quarries are Scandinavia 22 StoneDimensions (mainly Finland and Norway), Spain (mainly Asturias and Galicia), Brazil (which accounts for about 80 percent of the granite used), India, and several African countries, including Angola, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Some also comes from China, Italy Madagascar, North America and Russia. The quarrying process used to involve drilling, pounding, blasting and sawing. But that has been simplified and modernized with the advent of the diamond wire saw—a collection of wires covered in diamond segments that allow pulling entire blocks of granite from the earth in a faster, less destructive way. “Granite is cut from the mountains in huge blocks (about 7 by 10 by 20 feet), then transported by truck to a mill,” explains Snyder. “The blocks are then put under a gang saw—a wet sawing machine of 70 blades across—and sliced into slabs 2- to 3-centimeters thick like Photo: Antolini Luigi Breathtaking Black Beauty granite from Norway www.stonedimensionsmagazine.com http://www.stonedimensionsmagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Stone Dimensions - Fall/Winter 2007

Contents Featured Designer: Heather E. Adams: Creating Authentic Style with Stone Pricey, But Worth It: Kitchen & Bath Design News Masters of Design Awards Success the Second Time Around: Remodeling a Master Bath Gallery of Ideas Hard Rock...Easy Choice: Granite is Truly a Stone for the Ages White Marble: Gaining Popularity in Kitchens Travertine Index of Photographs

Stone Dimensions - Fall/Winter 2007

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