Anyone cut granite

[dcg9381]

I've got some big slabs of granite left over from a purchase and one major kitchen screw up by a contractor. I've watched people cut this stuff with 4-1/2 angle diamond blades, patience, and then polish the edge out.... Any comments on feasibility in consideration of me not having any specific tooling to do this? Perhaps worth having someone cut it as desired for me versus buying the tools and going through the learning curve?

 

[mike93lx]

what is the goal? for a kitchen, I would hire a pro. work something in the workshop, send it

 

[ooba tooba]

Yeah need more info. If you are using it for the shop it will be cheaper to take it somewhere to be ripped to size no polishing necessary. You can buy a grinder though and do it yourself. If you’re planning on doing your own kitchen, hire it out. You’ll need an adjustable speed grinder, 6” blade (if you’re dropping a sink) a carbide wheel to smooth the edges, and about 7 4” polishing discs (and backer) to polish it. And it won’t look good if you do it. Especially if it’s a darker stone. Takes awhile to get the hang of it. Plus you’ll probably break it trying to install it if it has a sink cutout.

 

[wrenchguy]

With a user name like yours I'd figure you know something about granite.
I've done many custom kitchens with customers using Ubatuba, including myself. Luv it.

 

[shoot summ]

With a user name like yours I'd figure you know something about granite.
I've done many custom kitchens with customers using Ubatuba, including myself. Luv it.

Have it in mine as well.

I've cut a bit of stone.

Dry blade is no fun, short cuts OK, much more than that it's a PITA.

I bought a small circular saw with a water feed on it, works great, easy to use.

Similar to this, a number of manufacturers make them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-1-1...Qrs-Rjn6QRUCSA6bQbRoClm8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[ooba tooba]

With a user name like yours I'd figure you know something about granite.
I've done many custom kitchens with customers using Ubatuba, including myself. Luv it.

I cut, fabricated, polished and installed at 4 or 5 shops for 8 or 10 years, managed one for a few years, and had my own shop for 6 years. Limestone, marble and granite tops, tables, seats, steps, shelves, fireplace surrounds, ledges, and anything else you can think to use stone on.

 

[ooba tooba]

Have it in mine as well.

I've cut a bit of stone.

Dry blade is no fun, short cuts OK, much more than that it's a PITA.

I bought a small circular saw with a water feed on it, works great, easy to use.

Similar to this, a number of manufacturers make them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-1-1...Qrs-Rjn6QRUCSA6bQbRoClm8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I know a few who have used the worm type wet saw, but there was always a scratching the surface issue, so I cut with the bridge saw when I could, or the grinder. The quickest method I had for dropping kitchen sinks was to line up and trace the sink template on the stone with a paint pen and make all my straight cuts with the 6” blade then cut out the corners with a contour or curved blade. Sink part would drop then I’d crawl in and grind out meaty chunks with the blade, then low speed with the carbide drum wheel to shape it smooth to the template line. Wheel the table back in the shop and polish it with a wet air grinder. I could probably do 4 kitchen sinks and half a dozen vanity oval bowls that way on a good day. I can make a bevel edge by hand look like I used a router. I could also polish Ogee with one hand.

/Toot!! Goes my horn

 

[yeldogt]

I cut, fabricated, polished and installed at 4 or 5 shops for 8 or 10 years, managed one for a few years, and had my own shop for 6 years. Limestone, marble and granite tops, tables, seats, steps, shelves, fireplace surrounds, ledges, and anything else you can think to use stone on.

I recently saw some interesting finishes being done to Granite .... people have moved away from it and they are trying to capture some of it back.

It looked like a honed soap stone.


OP -- granite is hard ... really hard. What are you going to use it for ?

 

[ooba tooba]

@yeldogt
A few shops were getting in slabs that were honed (basically polished only up to 4 or 600 grit as opposed to the standard 3000 grit) and some textured type finishes. Those seemed to work best with stones that were lighter with black veins or accents. The would run a rough diamond bristled wheel over the surface and the lighter parts of the stone would wear down quicker than the more dense darker parts resulting in an uneven random texture on the surface. Sometimes they would pour a sealer over it to attain more of a shine so it didn’t just look grey (most stone looks grey after starting the polishing process with 50, 100, and 200 grits. Gets honed around 4-600 depending on material, and the color of the stone really starts coming out at 800-1500 grit. Then 3000 and a 10,000 buff For full polish. There are flame finishes as well and I still laugh when I think of one old owner trying to replicate it by holding an acetylene torch to the stone. It was the only time I saw granite melt.

 

[ooba tooba]

Quick Google grab

 

[dcg9381]

I bought a small circular saw with a water feed on it, works great, easy to use.

Similar to this, a number of manufacturers make them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-1-1...Qrs-Rjn6QRUCSA6bQbRoClm8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks for that...

 

[dcg9381]

If you’re planning on doing your own kitchen, hire it out. You’ll need an adjustable speed grinder, 6” blade (if you’re dropping a sink) a carbide wheel to smooth the edges, and about 7 4” polishing discs (and backer) to polish it. And it won’t look good if you do it.

Kitchen is done. That's where most of these bits come from. I wouldn't try to do the kitchen slabs myself. The "professionals" screwed it up more than twice...

These might be inlays for outside tables.. Or inlays for tables that are beyond my wood skill - definitely not residential finish grade or anything I'd be upset about screwing up.

 

[ooba tooba]

Kitchen is done. That's where most of these bits come from. I wouldn't try to do the kitchen slabs myself. The "professionals" screwed it up more than twice...

These might be inlays for outside tables.. Or inlays for tables that are beyond my wood skill - definitely not residential finish grade or anything I'd be upset about screwing up.

That’s cool. I’ve been on plenty of “can you fix their mistake?” calls... always hate those because you never know what you’re going to see. I’ve seen where they didn’t drill T slots into the stone and use hardware (along with silicone) to hold the sink up. Get to the job and the sink fell to the bottom of the cabinet with gobs of dried (and probably poorly mixed) epoxy all over..., faucets that wouldn’t fit in the vanity holes because the bowl was set too far back (or the holes were just drilled too close) so you’d have to crawl in that uncomfortable mofo and cut the back of that glass sink... uggh. Nightmare stuff. Popped seams or giant gaps in the wall from poor templating. I’ve seen some terrible installs.
One thing I’ve done for outside tables and bar shelves is a rock face edge. Not easy to do with granite because it can be unpredictable if you just whack it with a hammer. I’ve tried to take off an inch on the edge and ended up taking an 8” triangle off instead! But if you flip the piece over and score the bottom, and chisel that I’ve had good results. Good luck and post a thread with pics!
And feel free to ask any advice. You can get blades at Home Depot if you cut it yourself. If you wanted something polished there are plenty of granite guys that do a little side work after their shift or during lunch. If you really wanted to try polishing there are shops that will give you mostly worn out polishing pads for you to do your job.

 

[dkroth]

And feel free to ask any advice. You can get blades at Home Depot if you cut it yourself. If you wanted something polished there are plenty of granite guys that do a little side work after their shift or during lunch. If you really wanted to try polishing there are shops that will give you mostly worn out polishing pads for you to do your job.

I'm not OP, but I'm asking anyway....

I have dark granite that's about 6 years old. There are some very minor scratches that show in the right light. In some places the countertop has just lost its luster.

Any product suggestions to bring back the shine? If it was a car we'd be talking about a mild/mid paint correction.









.

 

[ooba tooba]

@dkroth
I answered but it said my reply was too short for some reason. I screen shot my reply so I wouldn’t have to retype it, so here are pics of my reply haha

 

[csi123]

Just stating the obvious, no matter what you choose you do, do not cut it inside your house. It will get into *everything* and you will be spending the rest of your life cleaning them.

 

[Prospecter]

I have dry cut remnants and leftovers to use as pavers, and as inserts for outdoor tables. Used an old, cheap Skilsaw. The dust will kill the bearings in the saw. Do it outdoors and use Eye, ear, and respiratory PPE. It is noisy, and dusty. I used a straight edge with clamps. Worked out fine. The trick is to take multiple, shallow cuts. Rather than finish the edges, I just trimmed 'em in wood.

 

[yeldogt]

@yeldogt
A few shops were getting in slabs that were honed (basically polished only up to 4 or 600 grit as opposed to the standard 3000 grit) and some textured type finishes. Those seemed to work best with stones that were lighter with black veins or accents. The would run a rough diamond bristled wheel over the surface and the lighter parts of the stone would wear down quicker than the more dense darker parts resulting in an uneven random texture on the surface. Sometimes they would pour a sealer over it to attain more of a shine so it didn’t just look grey (most stone looks grey after starting the polishing process with 50, 100, and 200 grits. Gets honed around 4-600 depending on material, and the color of the stone really starts coming out at 800-1500 grit. Then 3000 and a 10,000 buff For full polish. There are flame finishes as well and I still laugh when I think of one old owner trying to replicate it by holding an acetylene torch to the stone. It was the only time I saw granite melt.

Seems that marble began eating into granite starting in the later 00's -- it is pretty and goes with all the white kitchens being built back then. Now everything is quartz .. I'm over the thick counter top look .. but, it's still around especially for islands.

This newer look granite seems to be going back to the blacks and grays that were popular in the 90's .. honed it looks like other stones w/o being busy

 

[PugetDude]

No matter how you cut it, make sure you support both sides of the cut. It's not wood, the waste won't just fall away, it will crack across your cutline. I've cut a bit of travertine, a pallet works great to support the slab while you're cutting.
Good luck.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I used a cheapie wet saw to cut granite and marble for my fireplace. I formed the edges with a angle grinder and a diamond wheel, the polished them a bit with fine carbide paper and water.

 

[Mallen]

What a about a cordless water resistant angle grinder and plenty of water with a diamond blade? I would assume any decent cordless would be water resistant, but I honestly never checked. It turned out to be a nice bonus on mine when I had to use it to wet polish something. (Obviously a corded one would not be appropriate. )

Would it work to cut a groove all around, and then cleave it starting at the groove on the edge.

 

[cannuck]

Yeah, I know...fools rush in and all that stuff.

I am a steel and aluminum kind of guy, but a cheap SOB, so when my buddy got into the granite import game years ago, I built some equipment to unload sheets from sea cans and in exchange got a few sheets. I did a kitchen island with low work and high eating surfaces, fireplace surfaces, some bathrooms, etc. Then several years later did all of the kitchen counter tops (along with whole kitchen).

You need some tooling, equipment, and a LOT of patience, but you should be able to do a decent job. I start out with a very flat trailer deck and lay the sheet down on 1" or 1 1/2" styrene foam sheets. Cutting is done with a water cooled saw (I couldn't find one, so made one up - sacrificial, but ran for the whole of both sessions) and a 4" or 5" length of extruded 6063 1/2" flat bar for a cutting guide. Lay everything out a dozen times on paper, then carefully mark the stone with felt markers. I did the inside corners with diamond drills for 2 x 45s or hole saw for round and did 45 degree trims on outside corners (little kids, need less damaging collisions). Also used saw for 1/2" 45 bevel on top edge. Then, water cooled grinder to clean up and polish everything cut. Also, I HATE holes with sinks in them, took the bathroom ones to water jet for cutting, but chose a top mount very large farm sink with valance on the face to give a clean and simple cut edge to each side. All worked like a darn.

 

[andyvh1959]

Figure out how you want it cut and take it a stone countertop place or a headstone place to have it cut and polished.

 

[engineer2]

A neighbor gave me some absolute black honed finish from a demolition project he was working on. Luckily is was small enough to fit in my car. The local stone place was more than happy to cut it to spec for my basement bar counter.

 

[CSRPenFab]

@yeldogt
A few shops were getting in slabs that were honed (basically polished only up to 4 or 600 grit as opposed to the standard 3000 grit) and some textured type finishes. Those seemed to work best with stones that were lighter with black veins or accents. The would run a rough diamond bristled wheel over the surface and the lighter parts of the stone would wear down quicker than the more dense darker parts resulting in an uneven random texture on the surface. Sometimes they would pour a sealer over it to attain more of a shine so it didn’t just look grey (most stone looks grey after starting the polishing process with 50, 100, and 200 grits. Gets honed around 4-600 depending on material, and the color of the stone really starts coming out at 800-1500 grit. Then 3000 and a 10,000 buff For full polish. There are flame finishes as well and I still laugh when I think of one old owner trying to replicate it by holding an acetylene torch to the stone. It was the only time I saw granite melt.

I think that's what we have in the new house we bought a few months ago in Idaho. We're the second owner's, so I didn't get any details on the finishes. I called it "leathered" granite. It has a great texture and a low sheen that doesn't show every damn water spot like the highly polished granite countertops we had before. In a neighborhood full of shiny "quartz" counters, I do like it! They used it throughout the kitchen, mud room counter, and master bath counters. So was this treatment done with a flame?

 

[jar944]

Honed is usually just a matte (but smooth) finish. Leathered is more texture and varies based on the hardness differential of the stone component. I've had leathered that was so textured a drinking glass would rock, and leathered that was relatively flat.

Leathered (matte and extreme texture)



Leathered (polished with just minimal texture)



As to cutting granite its not that hard, any idiot with a circular saw and a diamond blade can do it.

 

[engineer2]

I've cut granite vanity tops on my table saw with a diamond blade. Works as long as the saw has a sealed motor, it's plugged into a GFCI, and the wife dribbles just enough water from the garden hose to keep the blade wet.

 

[ooba tooba]

There are a variety of dry cutting diamond blades available too. I used to use them when dropping bowls or cutting arcs/radius’. I preferred an adjustable speed Makita 4 1/2 angle grinder with a 6” blade full speed. Remove blade and use carbide wheel low speed for shaping and smoothing your cuts. You can Polish with one as well with dry polishing discs. I only used those in a pinch out in the field. Much preferred a wet air grinder for polishing. Don’t forget your respirator when doing any dry cutting/grinding. Granite dust does not break down inside your lungs. And eye protection is also recommended. Granite chips in your cryball powerful *****.

 

[ddawg16]

I just finished a project similar to what the OP wants to do.

I'm converting the original bathroom in our house from a bath tub to walk in shower.
had some left over granite from the granite vanity....so, I bought a diamond blade and a set of 4" polishing disks ranged 80 grit to 3000.

I used the diamond blade in my circular saw to make the big cuts...had my son aim water (light spray) at the blade while I cut it. Used my sliding tile saw to cut the ends.

The polishing was easier than I thought.

wear a mask and use eye protection.

I'll post pics later of the pony wall caps, curb and seat

 

[ddawg16]

As promised....some pics of my granite project







These are the polishing disks

 

[PugetDude]

Cutting it on the foam board was a good idea, John. I used a pallet, this looks a lot better.

 

[ddawg16]

Cutting it on the foam board was a good idea, John. I used a pallet, this looks a lot better.

that foam board was a left over piece of the slopped shower pan I just did. That stuff is really tough....and light.

 

[ooba tooba]

As promised....some pics of my granite project







These are the polishing disks

Nice work! Count yourself lucky your stone was lighter colored. Polishing darker and black stone takes patience and more time than one expects, especially with the more course discs. Personally, I prefer to round those exposed corners more, but it currently is trendy to leave them more square as you’ve done

 

[ooba tooba]

One of the bigger jobs I had at my shop was a store counter in a new mall. Needed every bit of 3 large slabs of Verde Peacock to make it work. Also built the ledge stone wall facade over a series of angled cabs with a thin wood veneer over the front to create the arc. The store only lasted a year and the restaurant that moved in demo’d my hard work. Only pic I have of me actually working on a stone project (over a dozen years a stonecutter and shop owner for a few of those). A small marble church lectern.
*used metal lathe stapled to the front of the cabinet veneer for a substrate. Also used mortar for the ledge stone. If I had to do it again I probably would use a liquid nails type product. It would have been quicker and less messy.