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