Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Where Does My Granite Come From?

Clients in our showroom at Natural Stone Source often want to know: Where does my granite slab com from? Since granite is formed all over the world, quarries can be found just about anywhere.

In Brazil, granite mining is widespread. As a result, many of our popular slabs come from Brazil. Granite such as Uba Tuba, Crema Bordeaux, Giallo Ornamental, Typhoon Bordeaux and Seafoam Green all originate from various locations there. 


Typhoon Bordeaux


In Italy, granite such as New Venetian Gold and Baltic Brown can be found, along with many popular marbles and travertine stones. Black Galaxy is sourced from Cheemakurthy, India, and Blue Pearl is from India as well


New Venetian Gold


The United States contains many granite quarries as well, ranging from Barre, Vermont to Riverside, California. 


To see what slabs Natural Stone Source is currently carrying, please visit us at www.nssgranite.com or come see us in person at 425 N. Frontage Rd. in Nipomo California, 93444.





Sources:
Stone Contact
Graniteland
Stone World
StoneBTB.com
Rashi Granite Exports India Pvt Ltd.

Things To Consider When Choosing Granite

At Natural Stone Source, we always have a wide selection of granite in our showroom, ranging in a wide variety of colors and movement. Once you have settled on the perfect slab, however, it is important to look very carefully at the stone which will permanently form your countertops.

Get to Know Your Granite

The best way to get to know your granite is to run your hands over it's surface. Even though it looks smooth and shiny, there are usually natural imperfections in the stone, such as fissures and small ridges. These details will be a part of your kitchen and bathroom, so it is nice to know they exist ahead of time.

Granite Fill Spots

Another way to ensure that the granite will be a perfect fit into your home is to inspect it very closely. Not all stone can be sliced out of the ground without losing small crystals here and there. When those crystals fall out, a small hole is left in the stone slab. The mining company fills the hole with a matching epoxy to both strengthen the slab and to complete a continuous polished surface. These fill spots may not have the same shine as the body of the slab does, so it is nice to notice them ahead of time.

Natural Lighting on Granite

Our showroom at Natural Stone Source provides plenty of natural lighting for viewing slabs. However, upon request, the showroom staff may be able to pull your slab outdoors into the sunlight for even better visual inspection. This is helpful if your kitchen or bathroom receives direct sunlight, and especially helpful if your granite will be located outside on a barbecue or an outdoor kitchen.

Once you are nice and familiar with your choice of stone, fabrication can begin. When your kitchen or bathroom countertop are installed, there will be no surprises over the nature of the stone.

To see what slabs Natural Stone Source is currently carrying, please visit us at www.nssgranite.com or come see us in person at 425 N. Frontage Rd. in Nipomo California, 93444.