All you need to know about Granite
Tough, practical, beautiful.. no wonder Granite is the top choice for stone benchtops..
For those who are interested in granite, granite is an igneous rock with between 20% and 60% quartz by volume, and at least 35% of the total feldspar consisting of alkali feldspar, it is a incredible hard-wearing stone (ideal for kitchens) the price ranges from rarity of the stone and where it originates from also the labor involved in manufacturing this to suit any design – makes it more of an investment than a cheap fix.
Granite is produced naturally in a variety of colours this will always depend of the mix of quartz, mica & feldspar. So, a wonderful range to choose from!
To achieve different finishes, the stone’s surface is worked with diamond pads, starting with the roughest and getting finer until the required look is produced. A high-shine, polished finish brings out the brilliant colours and shine which comes from the reflection of the stone’s crystals.
For a contemporary honed finish, polished stone is buffed to create a flat, low-sheen surface. Sandblasted granite gives a raw, textured surface. This is more porous than a polished surface and is not suitable for hardworking areas.
Clean granite with stone soap or a mild dish-washing liquid diluted in warm water. Use a clean, soft cloth, remove the detergent from the surface with a second cloth soaked in cold water, then wipe dry. Blot up any spills before they soak into the surface
Now, you’re probably wondering what the pro’s and con’s are to this magnificent product? well here goes:
PROS:
- Granite benchtops don’t depreciate in value.
- It’s a one-of-a-kind, natural surface that has an almost luminous look.
- Granite adds value to your home.
- It’s sanitary — bacterial contamination is not a problem with granite.
- Formed by heat and pressure, it can take the heat of a pan.
- It’s easy to clean with warm water and a mild detergent.
CONS:
- Granite benchtops last forever. If you get tired of the colour, you’ll either need to learn to live with it or rip out the entire counter, because you can’t change the colour.
- Each slab of granite is different, so it may not be a good choice if you prefer a completely uniform look.
- Granite itself is expensive, and the labor-intensive installation can run three times more than the cost of the material.
- Granite can be permanently stained if you seal it with a pre-existing stain.
- It can crack when hit by a hard, sharp object like a meat cleaver.
- Because it’s so heavy, granite often requires additional structural support, especially in spans and cantilevers.
- Once glued onto the cabinets, granite is quite difficult to remove, and may result in damage to the cabinets.
Here’s a link to our main supplier of granite benchtops – here you can browse through the different colours and find out where they are from, there also some finished projects on there too (don’t be afraid to pop down to their showroom and have a chat! they won’t bite!) https://www.stone.co.nz/
