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Stone of the month: Astoria Granite
Whenever it comes to determining the most visually stunning granites in India, Astoria Granite remains an inherent part of the list. Due to its breathtaking looks and hardness, this bright-colored granite from India is widely exported to other countries like the USA, UK, Europe, China, and others. Astoria Granite comes in multiple finishes like honed, flamed, Lepatora, bush-hammered, brushed, and leather.
For many centuries, natural stones have been a mainstay in the field of architecture and construction. They look beautiful, last longer, and most importantly give an unmatched touch of sophistication to the overall structure. Since they take shape naturally, they tend to create an environment that remains sustainable both for humans and other objects. Be it marble, granite, sandstone, limestone, quart, or any other natural stone, they have been around in one or another form.
Among them, granite appears on the top due to its natural sheen, strength, and ability to counter adverse elements. From countertops to flooring, monuments, granite is known to be a wonderful choice for diverse architectural applications both residential and commercial.
What does Granite mean?
The formation of granite takes place when molten lava (magma) cools down slowly and transforms itself into crystals before reaching the earth’s surface. Granite is a coarse-grained, rock made of crystals. It primarily consists of three minerals – quartz, feldspar, and mica. The proportion in which these minerals are present in a granite stone block determines its color and performance.
It takes millions of years for granite to take shape in its usable form. When a large deposit of granite is found, it is called a quarry. In India, these granite quarries are located both in the Northern and Southern parts of the country.
As far as Astoria Granite is concerned, it is extracted from its quarries located in the Madurai region in the state of Tamil Nadu. From here, this beautiful granite is sourced and forwarded to other parts of the country and the globe.
The natural stone boasts a light yellow background with sporadically dispersed spots of dark grey and brown color. Due to the abundance of Astoria Granite in India, a large number of granite exporters and suppliers in India supply high-quality granite to other countries.
Salient Features of Astoria Granite
- Boasts a visually stunning appeal
- Perfect for both residential and commercial construction projects
- Ability to withstand harsh weather and heavy usage.
- An ideal stone for countertops, window sills, stairs, flooring, and fountain
Mining of Astoria Granite in India
This yellow granite is extracted in the Madurai region in the state of Tamil Nadu. There are various quarries of Astoria granite located in the area from where rough blocks are mined.
Once taken out from the quarry, these granite blocks are then shifted to specialized granite processing units where further processing of the granite is carried out using different types of machines. After the processing is done, the granite is cut into different sizes to produce granite blocks, slabs, and tiles.
Processing Unit
The next stage of the granite stone process is performed by cutting large-size granite blocks into slabs of varying sizes. The popular sizes of granite are gangsaw slabs, cutter slabs, tiles, and others. These slabs are then used in different types of projects with their specific stone requirements. Different types of machinery are used to process the granite at this stage. For example, a modern wire cutting machine is used to process large blocks of granite.
The most commonly done dimensions of Astoria Granite are:
- Countertops and vanity tops – Custom sizes
- Cutter slabs – 180 x 60 cm up in 2 & 3 cm
- Gangsaw slabs – 260 x 160 cm up in 2 & 3 cm
- Tiles – 30×30, 30×60, 60×60 cm
Finished Material
Now when Astoria granite is cut into different sizes, its surface is treated to achieve the desired finish. The purpose of this kind of granite processing is to make its surface visually and functionally strong. For example, a polished granite surface is ideal for granite countertops whereas a honed finish may be suitable for flooring application.
Since there are different types of finishes that can be achieved on a granite surface, the buyers have the option to choose a granite slab with the appropriate finish to serve the underlying purpose. Different methods, materials, and machinery are used to achieve the desired finish.
Here are some of the commonly preferred finishes of Astoria Granite are:
Polished – It is the most commonly applied finish on a granite surface. The polished finish protects the surface from usual scratches and makes the stone simpler to clean.
Honed – When a slip-resistant feature is required on the surface like a floor, a honed finish granite is a great choice.
Flamed – In this type of finish, high-temperature flame is applied to the surface which forms grains and unique colors on the surface. It is a premium finish that is achieved for special applications.
Leathered – This finish is done by scrubbing the stone surface with diamond-studded brushes. It leads to a highly stylish finish with better stain resistance properties.
Bush-hammered – It is another widely chosen textured finish and is used primarily for outdoor projects. A bush hammer tool is used to do this finish.