Just got back from my brother's beach house in Georgia...he's the king of trash recycling. He had two gorgeous patios done in mosaic from scrap granite. Don't know if this would work in a colder climate. He has a guy who cuts the granite, but if you need smaller pieces, you could try dropping it! He also had two bathroom floors mosaiced with granite scraps and they are spectacular! He has pieces (some look like they may have been sink cutouts) scattered randomly in the gardens. Let us know what you do...how lucky you are!

If you keep the depth fairly small (to avoid too much weight), how about display shelves? So for example, perhaps 16 inches long and 4-6 inches in depth, to display photos etc.
I'm green with envy. Have fun.

hi
did I hear lucky.
would love to see those patios.
I had a thought about stacking small pcs of it up and gluing as you go to form a pedestal that could be a lamp or a stand for ? or keep going and form a taller pillar for just about anywhere would be nice to be able to drill each pc. and stack them on all thread or rebar ,with the different colors this would be a nice pc.
line the bottom of a fish aquarium?
I would love to have it for a island counter top.
and end tables mosaic .
nice find hope you get all of it Rick

sudiepav, I live in Georgia so temp. isn't going to be an issue on friend's patio or anything outdoors here. Would love to see pics of your brother's finished products. We were going to do the mosaic thing about counter top of bar in friends rec room, but think this is too thick, even though working with smaller pieces.
Rick, I had thought of trying a lamp (long drill through center). Even thought of clock's, maybe.

I was at a catered cocktail party. Cheese and fruit platters were pieces of jagged granite that were elevated on glass blocks. I loved the look.

If you used something to seal it, you could make like Welcome signs or do your address or anything else like that on them. That would make a pretty fancy sign!

So glad to have found this thread!! There is a granite/marble place near me that just tosses their scraps into a bin out front of their building. We have been collecting up larger scrap chunks for some time now, but like you are not sure what to do with them! Most have squared, sawed-off cut edges and at least one raw edge. None of the edges are finished or polished - just the top. Would it be totally un-practical or impossible to use it indoors to create some sort of a mosaic flooring?? Maybe in a bathroom?? What about for a bathroom counter mosaic?? Or is the thickness a major issue?? Would you lay it just like tile?? Love the thought of trying to make a display shelf out of it! Maybe we could work a few into use as an unusual fireplace mantel?? Would love to hear more!!

Funny how many times my searches lead back to the Gardenweb!

In any case I too am looking for ideas for uses of scrap granite.

Athough I've not had a chance to create any, some of the ideas I have for the larger pieces are welded rebar frame tables with the granite tops. (end tables for outside)

I also tried chipping the edges with a mason's hammer to give the granite pieces a more natural look. It really improved the look. Even on the straight edges. I first noticed that this had been done on my 55 year old outside window sills. Don't know what they're made from.

TIP: You don't really want to chip off the entire thickness just the upper half thinkness along the top. Strike at a 45 degree angle with the cutting edge of hammer. I think it might help to have the piece supported to minimize the shock on the entire piece.

Anyway back to my search. I'm hoping to find someone that has put mixed pieces together to form something interesting.

Good Luck!

Hello,
My wife runs a laser engraving business and we do a lot of work with granite. We also have access to scrap granite and can help anyone who wants it engraved. Here's a sample of a old English 'E' on a 18" X 18" piece for a customer who made it the centerpiece of his patio.

American Etchworks
919-498-9756

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

We just had our Key Largo house remodeled. With the left over granite from the kitchen, I had them make a cutting board to match. Put four wooden balls on the bottom and painted them to match the color. Really turned out nice. You could make them and sell them for a nice price.

Loved the idea of the chippy edges!! Busted up to be used like flag stone. Also the footed cutting board, oh so chic! A bench seat is also something I've considered for a piece that I have. I'll have to make my own concrete pedestils though. Will use oatmeal boxes if possible to make bench legs then grout on stones and mortor to bottom of granite bench seat. Loved the Initial etching too. You are Way lucky. I would have a complete lawn of granite flagstone patio. good luck and blessings, Susie

Any chance of reviving this thread? I've come across a place throwing out their scraps also. I got some large chunks for making an outdoor bar/counter at my grilling area. However, I have some other ideas. Walkway, if i can rough it up. Possibly a bench or planter of I can figure that out. A msaic bathroom counter might be cool also if I can figure out how.

The big idea is a granite covered outdoor fireplace. Build on a concrete pad, and build it up out of cement blocks and then mortor and attach pieces all over the outside. I wanna build it down at the end of my deck.

Anyone else out there??????

Yeah, but I'm another person with some granite scraps and not sure what to do with them. They are strips cut off foot square granite tiles.
kathy

Here's an interesting idea I came across:
http://www.melinathinks.com/2008/09/landscaping-on-dime-with-scrap-granite.html

The only thing is, I would think it would be a pretty slippery surface, especially when it rains.

http://www.melinathinks.com/2008/12/paving-greenhouse-with-post-industrial.html

http://creativerusticdesigns.com/furniture.htm

Also, I found this gw post with a bench idea:

Here is a link that might be useful: Granite bench idea

My pieces are flamed so they are not slippery. But they are only 1/2 inch thick so I'll probably use them for mosaic and to imbed in concrete stepping stones. I like Susie's idea of a seat with a larger thicker piece. I wonder if a sturdy weather resistant ceramic pot turned upsidedown would be strong enough for a base.
kathy

Smaller pieces also make great trivets for hot pots in the kitchen. They help protect your countertop! You are so lucky to have the granite pieces!

Just came across this thread.

If anyone is in the DC/Annapolis, MD/Upper Marlboro, MD area, I have some scrap granite that could be yours for the price of picking it up.

Most of the pieces are backsplash pieces, so they're 4" tall, and long.

Anyone interested, LMK. I am cleaning out my barn.

Christine

I picked up a beautiful piece of black granite at a rummage sale. I think they had pieces left from when they had granite countertops installed in their home.

I bought this piece of granite not knowing at the time what I would do with it. It was something I thought I could not live without at the time. Yet, I wasn't quite sure what I would do with it when I brought it home!

I used 6 concrete blocks as a base and put the granite over the blocks. I want to use it to put hot items on etc. when we entertain in the back yard by the patio. It is about the size of an endtable and I think it will be very user friendly. It certainly will not blow away. It is heavy as all get out!

Here's what I've done with scrap granite. I will admit I bought a used professional wetsaw with a 10 inch blade. I cut the granite into 2.5 inch strips then ripped the thickness in half. I'm using them for tile in my bathroom, it's a similar look to wood flooring planks. I just gathered enough of the same material over time so that it matched. The unused half I break up with a hammer and use it as landscaping rocks. I'm now working on making a vessel trough sink from leftover granite slabs. I'll post pics if it works. I'm using a knife grade epoxy to bind the pieces together. The saw cost me $300 used but its more than paid for itself considering what I'd pay for tile and sink. If anyone has made a sink from granite I'd love to hear their experiences.

I called several granite places and they will all gladly give their scraps away! One place donates their scraps to a "restore".

So far my DH put in a granite mantle above our fireplace. A silestone counter top in the powder room...

I'd like windowsills next....

A mosiac table top done with marble scraps:

This one we used flagstone, but a granite slab would work:

{{!gwi}}

This post was edited by nicole__ on Sun, Jun 8, 14 at 11:42

My husband and I have been using remnant granite pieces for years and for many projects. We have covered a large patio brick fireplace, a wood roast pizza oven and covered the entire lakefront wall of our cabin. Using the pieces and simple smashing them with a hammer and using like a mosaic. Really very beautiful.

Here is a photo of our cabin wall of granite pieces

Update: we put silestone windowsills in the rental house...white colored...