When it comes to granite countertops, Concord residents surely know that they are a popular choice for kitchens. Granite is a great material for engraving and it makes a great option when you are doing things like wanting to create custom designs in your countertops. However, the hardness of granite can make engraving a bit more challenging, especially if you are new to engraving and not quite sure about how to tackle granite. In the end, granite can actually be a great material for amateur engravers because the hardness can work to your advantage.
Overall Benefits of Granite
Before you learn more about engraving and using this as a method to customize the granite in your space, you want to know why you should choose granite for your countertops in the first place. The following are commonly stated benefits of this material:
- Able to handle hot temperatures
- Color will not fade
- Stain resistant once it is sealed
- Nonporous, so it is sanitary
- Adds value to your home
Reduce Your Engraver Power
This is especially true if you are using a laser engraver to work with granite. You want to look at the power you are using and reduce it by up to 50 percent. Unless you are using a laser engraver on plastic or metal, there is no need to use the full power. If you are using a laser engraver at full power when engraving granite, the end result can lack range or contrast of color and it can look really flat.
When Cutting the Masking, Use a Vinyl Cutter
Use a vinyl cutting machine if you plan to sandblast letters onto your piece of granite. This will ensure that the result is both distinct and crisp. This allows you to use digital images and you will know that the exact image you use will be what is blasted onto your granite. When you use a hand razor blade instead, the results can be inconsistent and there is a risk of imprecision and over-cutting.
Have the Right Bits
If you are using an electric hand engraver, know what the different bits are, and which are going to work best when you are engraving granite. You want to use diamond-tipped bits and have several different ones so that you can vary what you need to do per the look that you are going for.
You can certainly see why granite countertops in Concord are a popular choice. Use this information to make sure that the engraving process goes as smoothly as possible. If you are uncomfortable doing it on your own, you should talk to an engraving professional to get the job done.