From Quarry to Kitchen: The Journey of Stone Countertops

Natural stone countertops are an American kitchen staple. Their appeal is as enduring as their construction. Learn the history behind the popularity of this class of kitchen countertop materials in the United States, how they take shape and their most popular varieties.

History of Stone Countertops

American homes have had kitchen countertops made of organic materials since the Industrial Revolution. Suddenly, it was easier to harvest large chunks of natural stone from the ground and transport them to faraway places.

The elite incorporated marble and granite into their estates to impress guests. The upper middle class followed suit but did not have parlors, so they used the stones in the kitchen instead.

Among natural stones, marble was the early preeminent kitchen countertop material for winning the hearts of chefs who loved its cold surface and how it lent itself to docking — a process of perforating the dough involving rolling out the mixture.

Although granite kitchen countertops became readily available in the 1970s, they couldn’t eclipse marble ones because of their steep price tags. Things would change in the mid-1990s to the 2000s for granite. Its price dipped when Brazil and many other countries began to extract and process the stone, allowing U.S. countertop fabricators to import large quantities at prices domestic suppliers could match.

At the dawn of the 21st century, granite’s popularity exploded, coinciding with the rise of home improvement shows on American TV. The material became the darling of builders, elevating its status as the standard kitchen countertop. Owners of older houses took notice of the trend and embraced granite when renovating and remodeling. Many crowned this natural stone as the premier countertop material when the housing bubble was in full swing.

The housing crisis saw granite lose some of its allure. Eventually, its demand rebounded and reestablished itself as a luxury the middle class could afford.

The Making of Stone Countertops in 6 Steps

Regardless of type, natural stone looks impressive. However, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for this class of countertop materials when you learn what’s going on behind the scenes of its six-step production.

1. Extraction

Every stone countertop comes from dirt. Quarry workers remove the resources from their bedrocks on land, while miners unearth the materials buried more deeply underground. Either way, the raw blocks of stone get drilled and blasted with explosives, rendering them more transportable.

Earthmovers load the smaller raw blocks into heavy-duty vehicles, which take them to facilities designed to turn them into thin, uniform slabs.

2. Cutting

At the stone-cutting factory, workers precisely slice the blocks using massive saws with diamond-tipped or giant round blades. The process’s speed depends on the material type since some stones are tougher than others. For example, making workable slabs from an average raw granite block with these powerful machines can take almost a day.

3. Polishing

The top surface of each slab undergoes a series of horizontal polishing sessions to enhance its natural veining pattern and color, revealing its personality. After every session, the slab meets a machine with finer diamond pads to become glossier. The rest of the slab stays unpolished.

Honed granite slabs go through less grinding and buffing to achieve a matte appearance. These pieces have a more subdued and relaxed look — a refreshing sight to someone used to the traditional features of polished granite.

4. Shipping

Cranes and forklifts load the polished stone slabs into containers. Freight vehicles bring them to domestic and foreign wholesalers, so they may travel by sea or cross borders by land only.

Some longtimers in the natural stone industry source slabs from more exclusive quarries that yield rarer and finer stones. Although no two slabs are identical — they’re completely unique — some boast scarcer qualities due to their provenance.

5. Fabrication

Local retailers take them off the hands of wholesalers. These companies store the materials in their warehouses and display the prettiest in showrooms. These fabricators customize the slabs to their customers’ liking, producing kitchen countertops that perfectly suit their forever homes.

6. Installation

Countertop fabricators also handle the installation. They deliver the finished pieces to customers’ houses, carefully bring them inside, install them and make the necessary adjustments to ensure the nearby kitchen features, like the sink or stove, work properly.

Most Popular Stone Kitchen Countertop Materials

Although natural stone kitchen countertops may be synonymous with granite and marble, this material category is more diverse. The most sought-after options include:

• Granite: Forged in fire for millions of years, this igneous rock can outlast most countertop materials used today.
• Marble: This metamorphic rock is a thing of beauty with its signature veins. Marble kitchen countertops inject richness into the spaces they occupy and can take a beating when cooking and baking.
• Quartzite: Not to be confused with kitchen quartz countertops, quartzite ones look like marble and are as durable as granite. They resist fading, making them perfect in airy spaces.
• Limestone: Timeless is an apt description of this sedimentary rock. The gorgeousness of limestone countertops always goes in fashion. This is the same material that has cased the Great Pyramid of Giza for more than 4,500 years, so it can definitely grow old with you.
• Soapstone: This metamorphic rock isn’t as hard as granite but isn’t as porous as marble. It has a modest, rustic appeal with incredible stain resistance.
• Slate: Due to this metamorphic rock’s nonporousness, ease of maintenance sets this kitchen countertop material apart. Slate’s generally dark complexion introduces more character to the room. It’s also relatively affordable.

Install the Stone Countertop Your Kitchen Deserves

Despite the emergence of synthetic and more sustainable kitchen countertop options, natural stone remains a highly sought-after material. While it can be a significant expense, its excellent blend of charm and toughness justifies its price.