What is Granite?
Millions of years ago, molten rock cooled deep inside the earth creating great rafts of real granite that was then pushed to the surface. Obviously, a product that has been created by the power of Mother Nature has many variations that depend on the pressure, heat and quantities of minerals involved in the formation process. This is what gives each slab of granite its uniqueness.
When your granite worktop is installed in your Kitchen or bathroom, you can be sure that it is one of a kind. There will never be another granite worktop exactly like yours in the world.
Did you know that granite is not found on the sea bed? Granite is only found on land and it is not present anywhere else in the solar system. It is individual to planet Earth.
Did you know that the determining factor in how strong granite is comes from the cooling down process? Granite that has cooled very slowly is likely to be more brittle than stone that has been cooled more quickly.
Is Limestone Similar to Granite?
All natural stone is not the same. Limestone, for instance, is made from the fossils of sea creatures, formed over millions of years, compacted together to make something solid and usable. There’s a sort of granite that occurs in layers called gneiss and marble is a more porous kind of natural stone that is also useful in building materials.
Granite is Made up of Minerals
All granite, wherever it comes from, is made up of minerals, pressed together under great heat. The major ones are quartz and feldspar, which are two of the most abundant minerals on the planet.
Because it is stone, granite may have natural weaknesses which means that it might chip or crack along natural boundaries.
Depending on the mineral content of the stone, it may also be susceptible to acidic liquids like orange juice or fizzy drinks.
Did you know that the glossy shine on a slab of granite is natural? Many people think it is some sort of coating put on the stone when it is processed. In fact, the sheen of granite is just its natural, polished state.
Waxes and polishes can be added to granite to increase the shine and weaker stones are often treated with a resin coat to reduce the porousness and fill in some of the natural pits.
How Your Granite Worktops Are Made
Your granite worktops can be sourced from quarries all around the world, including India and China, even Brazil. Different types of granite come from different locations and the value is often determined by whether they are difficult to source and more sought after than other types of stone.
At the quarry, quartz blocks are often cut into large slabs before being polished and then transported to fabricators such as Henderstone. A stone mason uses state-of-the-art cutting equipment to produce the worktops that are then installed in your kitchen or bathroom.
See our granite worktops in London here
