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How to Inlay Metal Into Granite

An inlay is a decorative piece placed into a base material so that it is flush with the surface. So it must be smooth and appear as part of the original material. To inlay metal into granite, you first need to prepare the granite for the inlay. This will require creating the pattern and then making a depression for the inlay into the surface of the granite.

Things You'll Need

Inlay pattern
Scissors
Felt-tip marker
Rotary tool
Diamond-tip cutting bit
Face mask
Goggles
Polishing bit
Measuring tape or ruler

Instructions

- 1
  Place your metal inlay on a piece of paper. Trace around the inlay to make a pattern. Cut the pattern from the paper with scissors.
- 2
  Place the template on the granite you want to inlay. Trace around the template using the felt-tip marker.
- 3
  Attach the diamond-tip cutting bit onto your rotary tool. Put on the face mask and the goggles.
- 4
  Press the trigger on the rotary tool and begin cutting on the granite. Cut on the inside of the outline, and work your way out toward the edges. Granite is a hard stone, so this will be a slow process.
- 5
  Cut on the granite to the thickness of your metal inlay. Make sure that you have a uniform thickness for the inlay, by measuring frequently. Sand the edges of the granite by using a polishing bit with the rotary tool.
- 6
  Apply epoxy to the bottom of the cut area of granite. Place the inlay on the granite, and then press down to adhere it to the epoxy. Allow 3 to 4 hours for the epoxy to dry.

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