Granite Color

Stone & Equipment

support — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:17:33 +0000

Our success is based on the fact that we connect you directly with our exclusive factories, while providing your company with assistance, guidance and “know how”. We also offer customized fabrication programming for on-time delivery, pricing against budget and focus on customer service beyond expectations.

Jedok Stonework CV

support — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:28 +0000

Products
:
Stone for : Interior , Exterior , Flooring Mosaic tile , Pebbles, Parquet Tiles & Wall facing

Capacity
:
Interior & Exterior : 1 cont. 20 ft/month

Mosaic Tile : 6 cont. 20 ft/month
Pebbles & Wall facing : 2 cont. 20 ft/month

Stripe : 2 cont. 20 ft/month

Delivery Period
:
2 – 4 week / 20 ft cont.

EXCAVATION OF MARBLE IN CARRARA

support — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:15:30 +0000

The Romans quarried marble by inserting moistened wedges of wood into the natural fissures of the rockface. As the wedges expanded under the effect of the moisture, they forced the marble loose from the rockface. A slightly later technique, and for centuries the successor to the Roman method, was to drill holes into the face of the marble and then sledge-hammer metal wedges into them until the stone split. Depending on the proportions of the stone being removed, this technique was used to obtain formelle (when practised on blocks) and tagliate (when practised on huge stones).
The real breakthrough in marble quarrying came in the 16th century with the advent of explosives. Gunpowder was first used in the quarries of Carrara in 1570 – an event deemed so memorable that Alberico Cybo struck a special coin in its commemoration (a silver doubloon bearing the image of a flaming barrel of gunpowder and the legend – in German – Von Gutten in Pesser).
This so-called varate not only revolutionized the act of quarrying – it also transformed the surrounding landscape. The explosions opened vast gashes in the mountainside, which in turn led to the opening of new quarries: a process which ended up profoundly altering the landscape of the marble fields, which from then on has been constantly mutable.
After the introduction of dynamite in 1895 marble was now extracted using a wire saw. This saw was mounted on rig of pulleys and driven by an electric or petrol engine. With a mixture of water and sand as an abrasive, this saw could cut blocks of marble from the rockface in record time.
There were several advantages with this new technique: it avoided the fracturing of the blocks, reduced waste to a minimum, made later dressing of the blocks easier and, although costly, kept the quarry in workable shape.
One innovation tends to invite another, and just a few years later 1897 came diamond-point cutting and drilling, techniques which were used as follows: “With the diamond crown wheel driven by electricity, a circular cut can be made in the matrix to a depth of up to 20 metres, in this way permitting the removal of a narrow column of marble of equal length. However, this column has all the quality, spots and defects of the matrix it’s taken from.
It so happened, however, that due to the position of the mountainside it was impossible to drill tunnels: so the holes sunk by the diamond crown wheel served as guides for the drill bit, which opens the way for the wire saw.”
A few years later the first pneumatic hammers were being used in the quarries, and these new tools made it possible in one hour to sink a dynamite hole which would previously have required two full days’ work by two quarrymen (one to hold the pistolét, i.e. the long shaft at the end of which was a cutting edge, and the other to swing the sledge-hammer).
1910 marked a watershed dividing the developments recalled so far and those which would come later: for this was the year a huge hydroelectric plant was built in the region, bringing electrical power within reach of heavy industry at least. From this point on, human effort was quickly joined by various types of motors – diesel, electric, petrol.
Today, technology plays so big a part in marble quarrying in Carrara that it has not only joined but supplanted the work of man: with e.g. single-blade gang saws that can cut at rates of 60/90 cm an hour, and mechanical diggers of tremendous power.
There are currently about 270 active Carrara marble quarries, and it’s in these quarries that the world’s most advanced technology is used. Yet although there are hundreds of Carrara quarries, only a few yield the top quality marble so prized for its colour and texture. It’s from these quarries that Amso International mines the marble blocks which are later transformed into slabs, paving and revetment tiles, and made-to-measure pieces. Besides the Carrara quarries, Amso International also sources from many other Italian and foreign quarries to offer its clients a wide range of marbles and stones selected over the course of years of research and investigation.

THE MARBLE QUARRIES OF CARRARA

support — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:14:37 +0000

Not only are the Apuan Alps a region of unique and incomparable beauty – they also contain immense deposits of marble. The most famed and prized of these marbles are to be found in three principal gullies or canali: Torano, Miseglia, and Colonnata.
Experts estimate the total excavable marble field of Carrara to have a surface area of 67 km2 and a volume of 60,000 million cubic metres.
Excavation, transportation, and processing: these are the three key phases in marble production, the techniques of which have undergone a slow yet incessant evolution that reaches back over two thousand years. Few other sectors of industry can boast a similar pedigree, and in few other fields of human activity has progress been purchased at so high a price as in quarrying.
In this section we provide a brief account of the milestones along the two-thousand-year road in the development of the marble quarrying industry.

MARBLE BLOCKS CUTTING

support — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 09:13:47 +0000

A precise description of the oldest cutting technique is contained in a passage by Pliny the Elder (Nat. Hist. I, XXXVI): once the quadratari had squared the blocks, the sectores serrarii shaved slabs from the blocks using an unserrated iron blade which was “mounted on three boards and wedged permanently into the marble. This blade succeeded, with the help of dripping wet sand and who knows how much time, in sawing it.” This technique remained in use until the second half of the 18th century, when water-driven sawmills came into use (in the timber industry these sawmills had been active since the 15th century), the first of which were built by Count Giulio Lazzoni in 1759; by the Counts Del Medico, Monzoni and Lodovici in 1781; and by the Counts Luciani and Fabbricotti in 1783.
“The entire benefits of that new system came down to a slight economy of labour, which was in part replaced by a perfectly simple mechanism whereby, via a wheel turned by a waterfall, a single blade supported by a vertical gangsaw of the old model worked up and down the marble.”
Not until a later period did a Carrara engineer invent a cutting gang saw with several blades working the same way.
With the introduction of the steam engine, production increased rapidly: in 1926 no fewer than 220,000 tonnes of marble were sawn.
Hemp-suspended gantries with 40 blades could cut a thickness of 16-18 cm in 24 hours; the screw-driven kind (suspended from steel rods) 22 cm.; and self-powered gantries 25-30 cm..
This last technique, the self-powered gantry, marked the real starting point for all subsequent advances in marble cutting technology.
Refinements in marble working technology continue to this day. Multiblade gantries with diamond-point cutting edges, vertical cutters, diamond-point cutters, and bridge cutters: these and other machines can now be located directly in the quarry, in many cases revolutionizing the working process.

QUARRIES OF AMERICA

support — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:37:02 +0000

Quarries of America is a unique program designed to bring the best granites that North America has to offer to the Asian market in a coordinated effort to serve the needs of our customers.

To give the QOA program maximum impact, Eurimex of Luxembourg was selected to implement the program throughout Asia. Eurimex has the most extensive and powerful organization for distribution of granite blocks in that part of the world. The representative offices in Asia operate under the name: “ARCELOR”. Eurimex/ARCELOR is a strong and professional partner in the QOA program.

The QOA pallet of colors included:

Mount Airy White, Arizona White, Canadian Caledonia Dark,
Caesar White, Arizona Beige, Canadian Caledonia Medium,
Georgia Gray, BOCA Green, BOCA Blue

These are all proven stones, with long histories. All the quarries are large and can provide adequate quantities for any size project. None of these stones have ever experienced any quality issues with bleeding, or color change. These stones are also very popular monument and memorial stocks for grave marketers, memorials, mausoleums, and civic monuments.
Now, Asian customers have a simplified way to buy North American blocks. In each country, the buyer can contact an ARCELOR office close to them to receive full service, technical support and delivery information. If the buyer wishes to visit the quarry and/or inspect his blocks prior to shipment, ARCELOR will make all the arrangements, including visits to multiple quarries.

Once buyers arrive in North America, their visit is efficient and effective. The entire marketing and buying process is coordinated and simplified. All quarries are open year round, so customers can schedule their visits according to their schedules.

Fletcher Granite

support — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:31:02 +0000

Quarries
Chelmsford Quarry on Route 40, North Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Fletcher Granite’s first quarry, located on approximately 140 acres, has been in full uninterrupted operation since 1881. Today it is recognized across the nation for its achievements in wasteless extraction of dimensional stone.

Chelmsford is a light gray stone of fine to medium grain, highlighted by small black flakes. On a large scale project, this stone exhibits surprising subtle movement. It is a quiet stone of enduring beauty and strength.
Milford Quarry on Cedar Street, Milford, Massachusetts
Located on approximately 64 acres, it has been operated intermittently since 1932.

Milford Pink, from this long established quarry, is considered one of the great granites of this country because of its impressive character, particularly when used in large areas. It has a subtle color, clearly evident in its finished surface. In the rough state, the pink shades to a warm light gray that distinguishes Milford from the more typical gray stock. The stone is flecked with black mica in a wide and irregular pattern.
Mason Quarry on Starch Mill Road, Mason, New Hampshire
Located on approximately 218 acres, it began producing granite in the mid-1880s. It was acquired by Fletcher in 1929 and has been in operation intermittently since then. Mason granite has been chosen for important buildings across the nation, including several on the campus of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Mason is a finely-grained stone of medium buff gray, with black mica sprinkled across its surface in a compact, even pattern. With its small scale and warm tones, Mason may call to mind the texture of a Shetland tweed.
Milford (NH) Quarry on Amory Road, Milford, New Hampshire
Located on approximately 80 acres, it has been an operating quarry since the early 1900′s, and was acquired by Fletcher Granite in 1992.

Kitledge Gray is a fine grained salt and pepper colored stone. Its uniform graining and excellent workability make it a popular stone for most any application.
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Kitledge Tapestry is a highly variegated granite containing gray, pink, purple and black colors in swirling irregular patterns. It is a unique stone that has to be seen to be explained. Tapestry is not easy to sample due to its infinite variations. The tapestry “show” in the Kitledge Quarry is not consistent, therefore the material is not always available.
Madison Quarry on Route 16, Madison, New Hampshire
Located on approximately 150 acres, this site, just southwest of Conway N.H., was first quarried in 1888. It was acquired in 1948, and has been in intermittent operation since that time.

The granite quarried in Madison is one of lively contrasts. A muted coral stands out against fields of medium to dark grays that occurs in broad, sharp-edged groupings. Occasional flecks of jet black mica add a dramatic accent. Its distinctive coloring, grain and pattern make it an elegant and striking stone.
Jonesboro Quarry (Red) on Roques’ Bluff Road, Jonesboro, Maine
Located on approximately 175 acres, this quarry near the easternmost tip of the United States, has been producing granite for more than a century. It was acquired in 1969, and has been in intermittent operation since then.

Jonesboro is a “red” granite, with areas of dark pink or muted red predominant among smatterings of light pink and cream. Smoky quartz is generously distributed throughout the stone as well. It smooth even grain gives Jonesboro a polished, nearly flawless appearance.
Deer Isle® Quarry on Sunset Avenue, Stonington, Maine
Located on approximately 10 acres, this site was acquired in 1980. A hundred years ago, schooners carried granite from the quarries of this area of Maine across the Penobscot Bay and down the coast. Stone cut from this part of Maine during the mid-late 1800s can still be seen throughout Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Deer Isle® is a buff-colored stone, with tones ranging from pale to deep. Large spots of widely spaced gray and cream, highlight its medium grain. Small flecks of black mica appear throughout the stone. With its subtle color and pattern, yet pronounced grain, Deer Isle® has a quiet presence.
Hopkinton Quarry on Lumber Street, Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Located on approximately 14 acres, this site has been in operation since 1984 and was acquired by Fletcher Granite in 1994.

Milford Pink has a subtle color, clearly evident in its finished surface. In the rough state, the pink shades to a warm light gray that distinguishes Milford from the more typical gray stock. The stone is flecked with black mica in a wide and irregular pattern. (Same as from Milford Quarry, Milford, Massachusetts)
Jonesboro Quarry (Gray) on Station Road, Jonesboro, Maine
Located on approximately 100 acres, this site was acquired in 1987. It is not open at this time.

For additional information, e-mail: info@fletchergranite.com

The Rock of Ages Legacy

support — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:29:03 +0000

Granite is among the oldest rock on earth. Hidden deep beneath the ground’s surface, granite reveals itself only after the softer, upper layers of dirt and rock have worn away, allowing its strength and power to be unveiled.

Granite is a rock of the ages – a rock that has withstood the test of time.

Founded in 1885 in Vermont, Rock of Ages owns and manages quarries in several states and countries. These quarries produce the highest combined volume of dimensional granite in North America.

Rock of Ages has set the standard in stone worldwide. No matter the project, we offer legendary quality, block size and fast delivery right from our own quarries.

No one is more experienced at providing the highest quality granites and versatile service than Rock of Ages. And, no one stands behind its products and materials like Rock of Ages.

The granite industry

support — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:27:12 +0000

Granite is one of the oldest, most durable and most respected of building materials. Traditionally, it is the material chosen by both architects and engineers when permanence, enduring color and texture, and complete freedom from deterioration and maintenance are prime requirements.

And granite is ageless–always contemporary. Today’s leading architects, knowing its unique qualities, are using it more extensively than ever before. Many of our most impressive buildings, commercial as well as institutional and monumental, are being faced with granite, and it’s still unequaled as a material for steps, terraces, and the pavings of plazas and public spaces.

The granite industry is keeping pace with architectural progress and changing demands. Technological developments have revolutionized quarrying and fabrication methods, reducing costs and leading to new applications. Attractive new finishes, new construction techniques and new jointing methods have been introduced. For example, granite is being employed on steel frames to provide preformed wall units which require no additional masonry back-up.

Reflecting these changes, the recommended specifications which follow have been completely revised and updated. Inquiries regarding any proposed use of granite, whether conventional or innovative, are invited by membership companies of the association.

It is common practice in the industry to classify architectural granite as either of two types:

Building Granite: Granite used either structurally or as a veneer for exterior or interior wall facings, steps, paving, copings or other building features.
Masonry Granite: Granite used in larger blocks for retaining walls, bridge piers, abutments, arch stones and similar purposes.

The National Building Granite Quarries Association has served the architectural profession for more than 80 years, and it’s member companies are acknowledged worldwide as the leaders in the industry. Collectively these companies currently provide a major portion of the architectural granite produced in the United States.

Robot milling a kitchen sink

support — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:56:47 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.