What is granite slab?
Of all the building material terms and names tossed about by builders and designers, “slab” may be one of the more confusing. While “tile” and “countertop” call to mind a direct image, the term “granite slab” may not. A granite slab is what will become many of the surfaces within your home, office or building. If you use large sections of granite, you will get to view some granite slabs.
Granite Slab Overview
Granite slabs are large, polished sections of granite that are intended for use on countertops, tables, walls and stairs. A granite slab usually measures 105-by-54 inches and may be 1 1/4 or 3/4 inches in thickness.
Granite slabs are usually polished on one side, and left with only a slightly finished edge for viewing. When a slab has been selected, it will be cut, edged and finished for its intended use.
Quarrying Granite Slabs
Granite is quarried in large blocks all over the world. These blocks may measure 105 inches square, and are much too large and heavy to transport. Before shipping to stone yards all over the world, the blocks are cut into rudimentary slabs.
The slabs will measure roughly 105-by-54 inches in size, but will be closer to 2 or even 3 inches thick.
Forming Granite Slabs
The pieces of granite cut from the quarry are transported to stone manufacturing yards where they are formed into the slabs that are viewed by customers. The surface of the stone is ground down, with imperfections, hills and valleys evened out. Edges will be cut into rudimentary lines and a polish will be put on the surface. The slabs are then stored upright in bays until they are selected for viewing or fabrication.
Selecting Granite Slabs
If you are having granite countertops installed in your kitchen, or you wish to make a granite table top, you will need to visit the stone yard and select a granite slab. Granite is a natural stone material, so no two granite slabs ever look exactly alike, even those that were cut from the same block. Most stone yards will allow selection not only of the slab, but the sections of the slab to be purchased and used.
Uses for Granite Slabs
Granite slabs can be used in many applications. A 1 1/4-inch slab is most often used as a kitchen countertop, island countertop or as a table. A 3/4-inch granite slab can be used as a bathroom vanity top, wall for a lobby or as the tops and fronts of stairs in office buildings or apartment complexes. Smaller sections of slabs can be used to form thresholds for rooms, or shower curbs and seats, as well as other small shelves.
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