When you choose granite for your kitchen or bathroom countertops, the granite installers and granite countertop companies will inform you about the numerous benefits that granite has to offer.

Granite countertop facts

Everyone knows that granite countertops are the most durable and sustainable along with being scratch resistant, heat resistance, stain resistance, and very low maintenance. Granite is also very expensive and looks luxurious and is the number one choice of homeowners for their high-end kitchen countertops. But there are certain things that you do not know about granite countertop.

Granite is one of the hardest materials on Earth

You surely knew that granite is hard and solid, but did you know that it is one of the hardest materials on earth? It is so hard that is second to diamond, which is the hardest material on earth. Granite cannot be chipped or cracked with any substance, but you will have to be careful if you are wearing a diamond ring near your granite countertop, as a diamond can surely chip it. It is the hardest and toughest material for your countertop. The granite installers will recommend you to make a hard and heavy cabinet base to withstand the pressure and weight of the granite countertop.

Granite dates back to ancient history

Granite is one of the oldest structures found in the earth and is available in the whole of the Earth and even in water beds. Egyptians have also used granite in their constructions. Also, the pedestal of the famous statue of Liberty is made of Granite, so you can imagine the strength.

It is composed of many substances

Granite is an igneous rock which is formed from molten or lava and takes millions of years and intense pressure to become what you see now. The mineral components of Granite mainly include Feldspar, Mica, and Quartz and these bring out the qualities in a granite countertop.

No two countertops are alike

The granite countertop companies will usually tell you to get completely satisfied with the choice of your granite as there many differences in the granite slabs. The difference is due to the different composition of the minerals found in granite. More Feldspar will give a different texture, design, and color while more Quartz will be completely different. The age of the granite, the type of the molten lava, the soil composition and formation of different types of minerals in different parts of the Earth also make up the granite countertops. This also means that you will have a unique countertop for yourself and no other countertop in the whole world will be similar to yours.

The cost is also dependent on the color

The color of the granite countertop is also dependent on the mineral composition of the granite slab. The most common colors of a granite countertop are sand, beige, brown and the rarest of the colors are blue, red, maroon and dark brown. More mineral content of Feldspar makes red color while more quantity of mica gives black and dark brown color. Red and blue colors are very rare so come at a very high price. Also increased crystal content in granite countertop is more expensive. The most common granite countertop is sand colored with low crystal content.

It is a little porous

Although it is said by the granite installers that granite is nonporous but this is not true. It is still a bit porous and solvents can slightly penetrate inside. For this, it is preferable to get it sealed after installation and once in 2 to 3 years. If you drop water and it forms droplets then the seal is intact but if the water flows then it is time reseal.

Granite is slightly radioactive

This fact might surprise you a little, but yes granite does emit a little bit of radon. However, there is nothing to worry about as the amount of radon it emits is even less than the soil in your garden. It is perfectly safe to install granite countertops in your homes, kitchens, and bathrooms and it is not even slightly dangerous. However, granite countertop companies durham nc will not inform you about this fact.