Granite is one of the most commonly used stones in home decoration, construction, jewelry, and other industries. It is a very durable stone that looks extremely luxurious. Which means it needs to be cut very precisely with minimal material waste. That is why water jet cutting granite is the best commercial option.

Water jets allow you to precisely cut granite in an eco-friendly way. Moreover, it can also help businesses save costs. Most traditional cutting methods have limitations that are not a problem with water jet cutters. Here is all you need to know.

Can a Water Jet Cut Granite?

Water jet cutters are the most efficient way of cutting granite. Their high-pressure cutting technique ensures you get clear and precise cuts every time. Moreover, they are versatile too! Therefore, water jet cutters are the preferred method of commercially cutting granite.

Granite is one of the most popular stones for home decor. This is not surprising at all. Granite countertops, for example, look exquisite and can elevate the look and feel of any home. As a result, businesses looking for the most return on commercial cutting methods naturally gravitate towards water jets.

Compared to other methods, cutting granite with water jets gives you versatility. These powerful cutters can also work other stones like marble, which makes the investment you put into one even more worth it. Water jet cutters can also work with material thicknesses of up to 12 inches.

How Does Water Jet Cutting Granite Work?

Water jets use a process we are all familiar with – erosion. It simply accelerates the natural process of erosion through high-pressure water and abrasives. Each core component does different important things during the cutting process.

While a water jet can have many auxiliary components depending on the model and manufacturer, the common core components are the same. First, there is the cutting table.

The cutting table is where the workpiece is placed. Then there is the high-pressure pump. It is essential for the functionality of a water jet. The pressure pump pressurizes the water. Then the water is mixed with an abrasive material to give it extra cutting ability. 

To cut the material, this water shoots from a thin nozzle at a very high PSI. The nozzle must be very high-quality and is often made from ruby or diamond. Then an operator will control and guide the water jet to cut the granite. Of course, they do not always do it manually – the cutter can be configured to cut different shapes.

What Types of Granite Can Be Cut With a Water Jet?

Water jet-cutting granite is very versatile. You can buy one quality water jet, and cut many types of granite. This increases your team’s productivity and gives you a fantastic return on investment. Water jets can cut the following forms of granite:

Greisen

This type of granite rock consists mostly of micas and quartz. It is a very altered form of granite, and that is actually how they are formed. Greisen granites are formed by self-generated alteration of granite rock. 

Aplite

Aplite is a very-grained granite. It is an intrusive igneous rock. Which means they are formed when lava or magma cools and solidifies. The mineral composition of Aplite is identical to granite but with a finer grain. The grains are less than 1mm.

S-type Granite

These granite are oversaturated with aluminum but are still categorized as granite. These granites have special isotopic, geochemical, textural, and mineralogical characteristics.

I-type granite

Unlike S-type granite, I-type granite has more silica content than aluminum. This type of granite is used in construction and is known for its looks and durability.

Granophyre

Granophyre granite is a subvolcanic rock. It is a very fine-grained igneous rock with very specific textures. It has a texture that is made of distinct crystals. Granophyre contains quartz and feldspar, which is a group of rocks containing aluminum tectosilicate minerals. 

Rapakivi

Rapakivi granite is famous for its texture. They are a type of hornblende-biotite granite and have round crystals of orthoclase. Orthoclase is a form of tectosilicate mineral that helps the formation of igneous rocks. Rapakivi is a very rare form of granite. This shows how versatile water jets are at cutting granite rocks.

Applications of Water Jet Cutting Granite

Granite is often used as a luxurious stone in many industries. It is used in construction, household decor, and more. The stylish look and durability make it one of the most popular choices other than marble. There are many applications of water jet cutting granite:

Granite Uses in Kitchens

One of the most common uses of granite we see is in kitchens. It makes for fantastic countertops that are heat-resistant and not susceptible to scratches. With water jet cutters, you can precisely cut granite to manufacture countertops according to customer specifications.

Granite Uses in Jewelry

This rock is also heavily used in jewelry, where precision cuts are vital. Therefore, water jets can also help businesses cut very small pieces of granite with surgical precision.

Granite Uses in Sanitary-ware

Luxury sanitary ware like wash basins and other wares inside a bathroom can be made by cutting granite with water jets. Since the quality of the granite cuts needs to be perfect, a precision cutting process like a water jet is crucial for luxury sanitary ware.

Granite Uses in Tiles

Flooring tiles made with granite can look luxurious. They are also very durable. However, these high-quality tiles also need to be cut to fit various use cases. And water jets are the perfect tool for that.

Granite Uses in Fireplaces

One of granite’s most important properties is its incredible heat resistance. Therefore, it is widely used in fireplaces. Water jets can be used to cut granite into different shapes and sizes to use in fireplaces.

Advantages of Water Jet Cutting Granite

Advantages of using water jets for cutting granite range from increased productivity to precise cuts. In general, water jets have a lot of advantages when used for cutting granite commercially

No Heat Generation

One of the biggest benefits of water jet cutting is it does not generate heat. Excessive heat generation during the cutting process can distort and deform your workpiece. In this case, granite.

Depending on how tight the manufacturing tolerances are, it could render the piece unusable. Water jet cutters do not suffer from this problem since it uses high-pressure water and an abrasive to cut through. This process is called cold cutting. As a result, the workpiece is not distorted, and you get precise cuts.

Precise Cuts

Speaking of precision, another substantial benefit of using water jets over other cutting methods is cutting accuracy. Granite is used in all sorts of applications. It is used in home decor, construction, jewelry, and more.

And in most cases, manufacturers want to create pieces made with granite with intricate designs. Water jets are the perfect tool for this. The high accuracy of the water stream and abrasives gives you very fine control over the cut.

You can cut very intricate shapes and designs without much wastage. Plus, the process is relatively easier to do as well. Therefore, the high precision makes it the perfect choice for commercial use.

Reduces Cracks

Water jet cutting also produces very little stress on the cutting material. As a result, your risk of cracking the workpiece is very low. Therefore, you will not waste materials, which will reduce costs. Stone materials like granite (and marble) are especially susceptible to cracking.

The brute force method of other cutting techniques can cause the stone to crack. And that will render the workpiece unusable. Water jets have no such issues. Moreover, excessive amounts of heat can also crack granite.

Since water jet cutters use a cold-cutting process, there is no chance of cracking the granite workpiece. It is one of the safest ways to cut granite efficiently.

No Tooling Costs

Businesses can also save costs on tooling. Traditional cutting methods require all sorts of specialized tooling. And they are not cheap. With traditional cutting methods, you might need separate blades or tooling to work with different material thicknesses.

However, a single water jet cutter can work with granite of all sizes. Also, there is no need to change the blade; it does not have any. The high-pressure water it uses can cut through all kinds of granite without any hassle. And you can save a lot on tooling costs in the long run.

Versatile

Versatility is another strength of water jets. As mentioned, you can cut different kinds of granite with a single high-quality water jet cutter. Not only that, water jets can cut all kinds of different materials.

They can cut glass, metals, stone, and other exotic materials. Just ensure that you get the right water jet cutters for the job. You can ask for specifications and learn what kind of water jet cutters your supplier sells.

Dust Free

Water jets also keep your workshop or factory floor clean. They do not produce dust or debris since all the cutting is done with a streamlined and high-pressure water stream. They also do not use blades that generate a lot of dust.

Traditional cutters can create dust that can be very harmful if inhaled. Moreover, you will also need to wash and clean your workshop. Water jet cutting produces very little dust to begin with. Also, you can wash away the little dust with the water itself during the cutting process. It is a much cleaner cutting process.

No Need for Additional Polishing

You only need to cut once when cutting stones like granite (and any other materials). There is no need for additional polishing to get the finish quality you want. As a result, you will save time, and your operations will be much more efficient.

This will additionally also save your business time and money. Also, not needing additional polishing after the cut is a testament to how precise water jet cutters are.

Environment Friendly

Lastly, water jet cutters are one of the most eco-friendly ways of cutting materials like granite. There is very little waste, and many things can be recycled. For starters, you can recycle the water.

Also, since the cutting is so efficient, you do not waste too much material. In other words, there are very few kerfs. Kerfs is the amount of material taken away during the cutting process. However, since the high-pressure water is very narrow, the kerfs are extremely low. You waste a lot less material that way.

Tips and Precautions for Water Jet Cutting Granite

If you have never worked with a water jet cutter, these tips will help you get the most out of your machine.

Secure Your Cutting Material

This is one of the most important tips if you have not used a water jet cutter for cutting granite. Always double-check, triple-check whether you have secured your workpiece to the cutting bed.

If the workpiece comes loose, it can be damaged. Moreover, you also run the risk of damaging your cutter. Securing your workpiece also helps you to cut the granite more precisely.

Abrasive Quality Matters

Most of the benefits we mentioned of water jet cutters, like precise cuts and low kerfs, will mean nothing if you do not use the right abrasive. High-quality abrasives will make a world of difference to your cut quality.

Granite is a very hard and durable material. If your abrasive is not good, you will get uneven cuts. In the worst-case scenario, the workpiece might even crack. This will cost you more if you just used higher quality abrasives. Look for abrasives with fairly uniform garnet sizes.

Use the Right Tools for the Job

Since water jets are so versatile, it might be easy to forget that some components are specifically built for different materials. For example, you should use the right nozzle if you are cutting granite.

The appropriate nozzle will be able to produce the correct water pressure to give you the best cut. So, always ensure your waterjet is set up properly for the material you are cutting. This will give you the cleanest cut and also save you time.

Use Mesh To Recycle Water

The Water jet cutters are eco-friendly because you can recycle much of the material. You can also recycle some of the high-pressure water. You will often have a mesh filter which the manufacturer provides.

The mesh can filter granite particles from the water during the cutting process. Afterward, you can recycle some water for the next cutting cycle. You will use less water this way, which means you will also save on costs.

Ensure Correct Water Pressure

Water pressure is crucial for cutting granite efficiently. Your workpiece might crack if you do not have the optimal water pressure. Or the cut might not come as precise. That is why you should always double-check the optimal pressure for your machine before cutting.

Your machine manufacturer will be able to give you solid figures about the pressure you should be using. With a good abrasive, water pressure of 50,000 PSI is the minimum. 

This will give you good clean cuts. Moreover, water pressure will also depend on the thickness of the material you are working with. Naturally, if you have a very thick piece of granite, you must use appropriately high water pressure to cut through it.

Stack Pieces to Increase Efficiency

It is no mystery by now that water jets are extremely powerful. And you need to be careful about that – more on that later. However, since they are so powerful, you can stack workpieces on top of each other to cut multiple pieces simultaneously.

This is one of the biggest productivity boosters for any commercial operation. For example, other traditional cutting methods, like plasma cutting, cannot work with multiple pieces at once. Therefore, water jet granite cutting can save a ton of time.

Make Sure You Follow All Safety Protocols

While with proper training, using water jets for cutting granite is very safe, you should always use proper safety precautions. These powerful machines can easily cut through a finger or even a whole hand.

Therefore, you must ensure you or your employees use proper safety gear. Glasses, ear protection, and gloves are all non-negotiable. Additionally, always keep the workshop well ventilated.

This will give the workshop enough airflow and promote a healthy work environment. You should always read your machine’s manual and discuss what safety precautions you need to take for your specific water jet cutter.

Conclusion

Waterjets are perfect for cutting granite due to their precision and high-quality cut. Moreover, these machines can save you a lot of inherent trouble with other cutting methods. 

You can cut complex and intricate shapes without wasting too much material. As a result, water jets are perfect for commercial granite processing. So, if you’re interested, click here to checkout our state-of-the-art water jet granite cutters. 

FAQ for Water Jet Cutting Granite

Can water jets cut granite of any thickness?

Water jets can cut granite up to 12 inches thick. However, you can cut thicker pieces by increasing the pressure and reducing the cutting speed.

Can you use synthetic abrasives for water jets?

Yes, you can use synthetic abrasives to cut granite with water jets. But make sure to use high-quality abrasives since they can directly impact the cut quality.

What kinds of pressure do you need for water jet cutting granite?

To cut granite with a water jet, you need at least 50,000. But if the workpiece is thick, you might need to increase the water pressure.