Granite
Granite is beautiful, durable and the preferred choice of designers, contractors and homeowners. Nothing improves the value and style of a home like granite!
How is it made?
Granite is formed of large grains of feldspar and quartz that fuse under intense heat and pressure in the earth's crust.
Granite materials were once super heated masses of liquid rock that have cooled slowly over thousands of years. Therefore, even hot pans can be set directly on granite with no adverse effects of discoloration, bubbling, peeling, and cracking.
Because of the hardness of the minerals that granite is made of, it is harder than steel and comfortably resists the wear of high traffic indoor use as well as outdoor environments. These characteristics make granite work surfaces much more flexible than any other counter surface material.
Being granite so durable, it stands up to tough abuse for years. Under normal wear Granite will never need replacement. Also, maintenance is very simple and takes very little time to keep your granite looking new.
Why Granite? Because it is ......
* DURABLE: Granite is the perfect surface for kitchen applications because of its natural heat, stain, scratch, mold/mildew resistance and unsurpassed durability. In fact, it is strong, very simple to clean, it does not scratch easily, and it is generally more resistant to harsh environments, which makes it a prime candidate also for many commercial projects.
* UNIQUE: Variations in color and texture are part of the natural beauty of granite, making each slab of granite unique. Each handpicked slab offers a near endless variety of veins, specks and swirls adding a sophisticated look at any kitchen, bathroom, or bar.
* AFFORDABLE: "Granite is frequently less expensive than its manmade quartz counterpart."
* VERSATILE: Granite can have different finishes (polished, honed, flamed, brushed, hammered), and diverse edges (miter, bullnose, half bullnose, eased). In fact, granite alone can offer several looks, each based on a different texture, and each equally attractive. This gives the architect, the designer and the building owner, a much appreciated freedom of creativity.
* STAIN-FREE: Granite is the hardest and densest of all natural stones - the feldspar content keeps it water resistant, and the silicates it contains won't react with acid. These properties help Granite resist staining and retain its fine luster over a longer period of time.
* BEAUTIFUL: Granite can be just as beautiful as marble.
Applications
It is also widely used at dining room tables, bar tops and flooring, to name only a few.
For maintenance-free elegance and durability, granite is unmatched. It’s incredible strength and density makes granite the perfect choice for massive structural work –walls, monuments and supports. Though it is the hardest of structural stones, the amazing variety of mineral-rich colors and natural patterns gives it ornamental value as well.
Granite products are ideal for flooring, countertops, vanities and decorative exterior applications.
Granite is preferred for kitchen/bar countertops. Why? Countertops in kitchen and bar areas are often exposed to acidic substances such as lemon, vinegar, alcohol, and tomato sauce. Knives, dishes, pots and pans, and other implements may cause scratching of lesser materials.
