Granite is basically an elegant and beautiful piece used in the kitchen. It is also a durable and hard material, which is valued because of its beautiful and natural stone patterns as well as designs. Granite can as well be a great addition to your bathroom and kitchen, especially when it comes to your countertops.
But granite slabs are somehow pricey, ranging from $80 to $140 per square foot. Although they are expensive, granite slabs in SLC are unique and will make your home look expensive.
Granite Explained
Formed over thousands of years from the molten rock under the surface of the earth, granite is durable and hard. Since it is resistant to heat, granite as a material doesn’t blister. Plus, it is unlikely to chip or scratch.
If you use it for your kitchen countertops, it is far much better than laminate, synthetic, and marble. When polished, it looks better with a dimensional and luminous quality.
Granite consists of interlocking mineral crystals, quartz and feldspar being the most common ones. However, other materials might be included to make granite pieces unique.
Forms of Granite – Use and Definition
Granite industry or companies use granite stones to create objects, such as paving stones, building veneer, curbing, stair treads, floor tiles, walls, and countertops.
When companies quarry granite material from the earth’s surface, they slice it into blocks or slabs. These granite blocks and slabs have a specific:
- Length
- Thickness
- Width
When it comes to granite definition, you can term it as a light-colored igneous rock. It has visible grains and is harder when compared to marbles.
People in the granite industry fabricate, buy, and sell cut granite slabs for use. These people also call stones, such as gneiss, pegmatite, diorite, granodiorite, schist, syenite, and gabbro, simply granite.
Choosing and Installing Granite
Basically, natural granite comes in many patterns and colors. So the hardest part can be which type of slab to choose. But when choosing, be sure to inspect for cracks and scratches, and remember to look at its quality.
Slabs are normally cut into ¾ or 1 ¼ inch thick. Experts say a thick slab offers more edge options and doesn’t need a sub-top. Thinner ones must be installed over the ¾ thick plywood. In case your design needs an overhang of around 9 inches, you will require corbels for support.
Making Granite Slabs
Granite doesn’t just come from the earth in the form of slabs. In quarries, granite material gets extracted and separated into big blocks. Those blocks are cut into thinner sheets referred to as slabs.
After cutting the stone into thinner sheets, they are polished and get shipped to a fabricator. Many similar slabs are grouped together since most of the work will need more than a single slab.
Bottom Line!
For beauty, it is hard to beat countertops made of granite slabs. But for style and affordability options, countertops consisting of granite tiles are worth a look. If you can afford granite slabs, go for it as it is durable, beautiful, unique, and hard to break compared to other materials.
