Why we stopped using 'Blanks' for Granite Worktops

For many years Shaw Stone used granite blanks. In fact when we first started out it's all we could afford to use as as a new business starting from scratch we couldn't afford a forklift to lift full size slabs or a bridge saw to cut them so we lifted and cut the granite worktops by hand. The quality of the blanks was okay but wasn't as good 1st quality full sized slabs. Don't get me wrong, we did some very good jobs back in those days quite cheap but it was very much you got what you paid for.

Things are very different now, we have one of the most technologically advance factories in the South with huge investment made into state of the art CNC cutting and polishing machinery. Over the years as the demand for blanks imported from China and India grew the quality got worse , slabs were chipped and filled with wax, colours was poor and blanks were bowed so could never achieve a level joint when they were fitted. We tried several different suppliers but they were only interested In selling a container and couldn't really understand the high quality granite kitchen worktops demanded in the UK market.So last year we decided to stop offering blanks as to be frank they were more trouble than they were worth.

We now only offer 1st quality full sized slabs which give us a lot more flexibility with the sizes we cut and a lot higher quality granite worktops. The cost of this Superior material is obviously more expensive but we believe that we still offer the best value for money granite worktops in the South taking into consideration the superior quality material, cutting, polishing, fitting and service that we offer.

Robert Shaw

Launch of granite worktops Newsletter

We are please to announce the launch of our new granite worktops newsletter. The idea behind the newsletter is to keep our regular trade customers up to date with relevant news about us, the stone industry and the kitchen industry as a whole. Although we are not journalist we’ll try our best to make the articles as professional and interesting as possible. The newsletter is free to anyone, simply go to the newsletter page and subscribe. You can unsubscribe anytime you like.

Robert Shaw

What is a CNC machine?

CNC stands for 'computer numerical controlled', which basically means a machine that is run by a computer. We at Shaw Stone have a CNC milling machine for milling and polishing shaped cuts, for example polished bowl cut-outs and shaped worktops. We also have one of the only CNC saws in the country used for cutting granite slabs into granite worktops. For both machines we use a sophisticated CAD program for the design of the pieces to be cut. The big advantage of using CNC machinery for the production of granite worktops and quartz engineered stone worktops is accuracy and quality of finish. These machines work to within point three of a millimetre, something that cannot be matched by cutting by hand or manual machine.

Robert Shaw

What is digital templating?

Well, digital templating is a way of templating without making physical templates. There are a few digital templating machines on the market, some use lasers and others use a wire. The market leader is Proliner as it is the most accurate and user friendly. We at Shaw Stone use the top spec Proliner 8-series. See it in action on our about us page. The biggest advantage to using digital templaters is accuracy when templating granite worktops or quartz engineered worktops (i.e. Silestone). The accuracy of the Proliner is with 0.5mm over 3 metres. By creating such highly accurate digital drawings which can be fed into our state of the art CNC computerised saw the end result is a granite worktop which fits perfectly. However at £15,000 per templating machine and £80,000 for the CNC saw only premium fabricators such as Shaw Stone use this technology!

Robert Shaw

Should you spend more on your worktops and less on units?

Well obviously I would say yes wouldn't I. I had this conversation with a customer last week although it was a bit like preaching to the converted. But when you think about it, it makes sense. If budget is a constraining factor, which to be fair for most of us it is, wouldn't it be better to spend more of the budget on the area of the kitchen that is going to take the most wear and tear and less on the hidden bits that no one ever sees? Also when you walk into a kitchen what is one of the most dominating features? The worktops! By spending at little less on the units in order to afford the granite worktops or quartz engineered stone worktops that you want, you can make a cheaper kitchen look expensive and fabulous like the ones you see in all those glossy magazines.

Robert Shaw.

New Year New granite worktop

Now that you no longer need to dig your car out of snow drifts or icebergs to come and see us why not pay us a visit. We are certainly filling up the calendar ready for Valentines Day. So for all you men out there why not impress the lady in your life with beautiful granite worktops for Mothers Day, and to all you ladies reading this I strongly believe that you deserve to be the proud owner of some bespoke granite worktops or quartz worktops. What better reward for all your hard work and to know how appreciated you are than to have a permanent reminder in your kitchen? So please feel free to contact either myself or Pauline and we will arrange a quote for your. Hope to see you all soon. Claire

We're Still fitting granite worktops in the snow.

Well despite the snow and ice we are still managing to fabricate and fit first quality granite worktops for our customers. The cold weather has brought it's challenges though. As with many companies last week we were short staffed as people couldn't make it into work, in fact on Wednesday after the big snow fall no one managed to get in. Although the cold doesn't affect the granite or quartz stone we have had problems of the slabs being frozen together and the forklift truck getting stuck in the snow. Also as we use a lot of water in the fabrication of granite and quartz worktops we had a few frozen pipes to deal with in the machines. Notwithstanding the problems the Shaw Stone team have pulled together to insure the minimum about of disruption to our valued customers.

Robert Shaw