Granite Kitchen Worktops

Granite is excavated in large blocks from quarries all over the world. There are many colours available and no two pieces are the same. The very random nature of granite is often its most beautiful characteristic. The word granite comes from the Latin granum, a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of such a crystalline rock.   For a more in-depth description of where Granite comes from and how it is formed please click here

Granite Slab Manufacturing Process

Granite is quarried in large rectangular blocks as shown in the picture on the left. These blocks are then sent for processing into slab form where they are cut to the required thickness,polished on one side of each slab and quality checked before shipment to Finch's.The cutting of the granite block is shown on the picture right.

 

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Quartz Kitchen Worktops

	1) Feeding & Mixing Raw materials are inspected, then fed into mixers and blended together.		4) Curing The slabs are moved to the curing kiln and heated to 90ºC for 45 minutes which gives them the ultimate strength and solidity
	2) Molding The mixture is then poured into a mold and formed into slab sizes of 306x144 cm or 3250x 1570(depending on manufacturer limitations)		5) Polishing Slabs are then gauged, calibrated and polished to a perfect finish in a wide range of colors, designs and textures
	3) Pressing The slab is then compacted by a special vacuum and vibration process at a pressure of 100 tons		6)Quality Assurance Finally, the slabs pass through quality checks and each slab is marked and labeled with all relevant information

 

 

Finch's start the fabrication process here. Only the finest, quality checked slabs of granite, quartz, slate and marble will be unloaded from the transport for stock in our yard. Any products deemed unsuitable for domestic use would be rejected. Finch's take delivery of the granite or quartz slabs from the manufacturer at our stockyard, factory and showroom at Skull House Lane, Appley Bridge , Wigan. We have a complete, technologically advanced facility here to manufacture and fabricate, from slab your finished kitchen worktops, bathroom vanity units or fireplaces. The process from slabs to finished product is very similar in either natural Granite or Quartz material such as Silestone, Caesarstone, Techinstone, Querella,Diresco and cimstone products.

Selection Of Slabs

Slabs are hand picked by our saw operators form our stockyard with a premilinary check in accordance to specific customer selections then loaded onto the cutting table of the saw. Before fabrication each slab is extensively checked by hand and confirmed for suitability before being cut to size. Once loaded onto the saws and checked for suitability the granite and quartz worktops are cut to the specific size of the templates or drawings supplied.

 

Cutting Process

Beside the overall size of the piece, all raw unpolished cut outs, notches and unusual cuts are made at this point to ensure a perfect fit to the walls of your kitchen. Cut out for hobs or pipe notches are marked onto the granite or quartz worktop before being finally cut to the specification. Laser guided saws are used in this process to ensure accuracy to the templates or drawings made by our experienced fitters or customers wishing to supply their own specifications.

Edge Polishing Process

Once cut, the newly formed granite or quartz worktops are loaded onto our edge polishing machine. This machine creates a superbly flat and highly polished edge to all our worktops. During this process a 3 to 4 mm bevel is also put on the top and bottom of the finished edge to create a superb modern look.Several options of moulded edges are also available with our CNC workstation detailed below.

All the work involved for polished cut outs in granite & quartz is CAD designed and completed by our state of the art Intermac CNC workstation. This expensive but essential piece of equipment is capable of cutting extremely precise sizes in accordance to your specifications or that of the sink manufacturer. This machine also polishes and moulds edges to the highest standards available and is always used to cut any sink shape in granite, quartz , marble or indeed any stone. Click the play icon on the video to see our CNC in action. Click on the images below to see other operations and services available from Finch's using the latest technology with our Intermac CNC workstation.

Drainer Grooves

Edge Details

Polished cut-outs

Milling & Shaping

Recess Drainer

Drilling

Island Unit and Worktop Shaping

Granite and quartz island units and worktops can be made, bespoke to your requirements. From simple rounded corners to elaborate shaped patterns any design can be accomplished with ease. Once again all this type of work is specified and designed on our CAD system then loaded onto the CNC workstation for the best, accurate results. To the left you can see how our designs are programmed into our cnc machine and on the right is the finished product.(available to view in our granite and quartz showroom in Appley bridge, Wigan.