Myths and Facts About Granite: Insights from a Professional Stone Fabrication Company
Select Stone Service sells, fabricates, and installs granite countertops, bathroom vanities, and other beautiful granite surfaces. We're experts on the material and are always happy to share our knowledge with our customers.
In this blog post, we aim to dispense with some of the common myths floating around out on the internet about granite and to share a few fun facts about the material and its uses.
Myth #1 - Granite Is Expensive
While granite was once considered strictly a high-end option, its price has become more competitive in recent years. This makes it possible for you to obtain the stunning looks of a genuine granite countertop or vanity without the price tag of years before.
In addition, while there has been a decrease in the cost of granite overall, there are different grades and colors of granite, and some are more affordable than others.
Myth #2 - Granite Stains Easily
Like many other rocks, granite is naturally porous, but this doesn't need to worry you. Granite countertops and vanities are almost always sealed to prevent water and other liquids from working into the stone and creating stains.
Any granite surface that you own should be sealed periodically. When you keep up on sealing your granite, you shouldn't have to worry about hard water rings or staining.
Myth #3 - Granite Is Hard To Maintain
Granite – like all other surfaces – does require some care, but it's not an overly demanding material.
- The main recommendation for granite is to seal it once a year or every other year to protect it from stains.
- Daily cleaning is as simple as wiping it down with a gentle cleaner and water, and then drying.
- Your granite kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities don't have to be polished with a special formula. However, you should check the sealer you use and make sure that your choice of cleaner doesn't react with it.
Myth #4 - Granite Countertops Are Unsafe For Food Preparation
This myth likely stems from the fact that granite is a natural stone and may contain trace amounts of radon. This is because one of the main minerals of granite – feldspar – contains a higher-than-average amount of the potassium-40 isotope. However, as long as you have standard ventilation in your home, the levels of radon gas that are released are not a health risk. Here's what the EPA has on the subject.
If radon gas and radiation are a big concern for you (or if you're curious), there are many different radon test kits and Geiger counters available for purchase in hardware stores and online. Again, the chances of a granite countertop or vanity causing cancer are incredibly low, but testing this for your peace of mind doesn't hurt.
Myth #5 - Granite Countertops Are Indestructible
While granite is very durable, it's not impervious to damage. It can be scratched by sharp objects and can chip or crack if it's hit hard enough. It's also not recommended to place hot pots and pans directly on the countertop, as this can damage the sealant.
Myth #6 - Granite Is Outdated
Granite countertops had a heyday about twenty years ago in the 2000s and were overtaken in popularity by quartz for a time, but they haven't gone anywhere. Granite is a classic material, it's been used in construction for centuries and it's still a popular choice for countertops. Its timeless look will remain in style for many years to come.
Myth #7 - Granite Is All The Same
While all granite shares some qualities – which is why it's classed as the same rock – each slab is unique.
Granite combines the hardness of quartz, the glitter and the precise shearing of mica, bound together with glassy feldspar in a stunning variety of colors and patterns. You can always find some granite to compliment your personal style.
This sums up many of the myths we've seen about granite online. Now for a couple of fun facts!
Granite Fun Fact #1 - Granite Breaks Off Slabs in Rectangles
Wait, what? It's true, though. Granite rocks – when hit the right way – will break off from their original slab in straight rectangular/ cubic shapes. This is thanks to mural joints. In layman's terms, mural joints are fracture lines that form in the rock as it's being formed itself. Mural joints are perpendicular to each other and when granite is quarried striking the rock along these joints allows pieces of granite to crack off the main body of stone cleanly.
But why do these joints form? That answer is in chemistry! Minerals and rocks (which are formed out of minerals) develop in patterns that match the shape of the molecules they're made out of. Minerals like quartz, mica, and feldspar – which are what granite is made of – are formed in geometric or fractal patterns. When you break rocks and crystals, you'll often see startlingly clean lines, unlike cutting celery or even wood (though to be fair, this also has to do with how sharp your knife is.)
These fractal properties of certain minerals and the stones they form are important for understanding things like paleolithic stone technology, as only certain rock types were useful for making hand axes and arrowheads. Rocks like obsidian are especially good for arrowheads, but those rocks aren't good for making a mortar and pestle (a tool that people still use today for grinding spices.
Fun Fact #2 - Granite is Shiny Because of Minerals
Polishing makes a huge difference, but it's only bringing out the natural shine and glitter of the crystals within the granite rock. Or in other words, granite is shiny because of the properties of the minerals that make it up; in particular, because of quartz and mica minerals.
Select Stone Service is a Boise, ID company serving customers in the Treasure Valley and the surrounding area. Our business fabricates and installs both polished and honed granite surfaces including granite kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities. We also provide our customers with granite composite sinks, and fabricate custom granite stone products. Call us today at (208) 800-4904 or contact us online for a free quote, and get your project underway.