• Granite fabrication is the process of molding and creating granite countertops to fit a customer's specifications. Specialty tools are used to accomplish this, with unique tools used to shape the granite and create exquisitely carved edges.
  
  

Cutting

• To cut granite, fabricators often use core drill machines, diamond core bits, stone saws, etching tools and bits, diamond blades and diamond wire saws. There are numerous types of saws to fit each project, as well as each fabricator's preferences. To cut perfect holes through granite, a fabricator might choose to use a core drill with diamond bits. Diamond bits are necessary because they are one of the few things strong enough to cut through granite. A fabricator may use a stone saw to cut large slabs of granite into smaller pieces.
  
  

Edging

• To edge a piece of granite, a granite fabricator uses a router or a specialized edge shaping machine. Specific bits and accessories can be attached to the router to achieve the desired effect. Edging machines can be purchased to create a given set of edges. A tile bullnose kit, for example, is designed specifically for creating a bullnose edge.
  
  

Grinding

• To grind granite, a granite fabricator may use grinding and shaping wheels, silicone carbide, specialized etching tools and bits, diamond files, grinders and sanders. A grinding wheel can be utilized to grind down the edges of a granite slab without chipping it. Angle grinders are used to smooth hard-to-reach edges.
  
  

Polishing

• In order to create the much-desired high-gloss look, granite fabricators use specialized tools to polish their finished piece. Diamond polishing pads, buffing wheels and cones, drum wheels, machine polishing pads and hand polishing pads are a few tools used to achieve this effect.