Granite

If sustainability matters to you, you’ll surely enjoy the benefits of granite countertops.

In this article, we’ll first go over the sustainable qualities of granite, then touch briefly on the benefits of this stone in general.

Sustainability of Granite

Here are the top five reasons why granite is a sustainable choice:

1. Granite is a natural material.

There are plenty of countertop materials that don’t qualify as natural, like concrete and laminate, but granite is completely of the earth. There are no other resources needed to create the granite you use for your countertops.

When quarrying granite, no harmful toxins or chemicals are used, and the same can be said for when granite is in its finishing process. Unlike laminate, which goes through a long process that includes toxic manufacturing with resins and formaldehyde, granite’s process is completely safe—it does not produce emissions or any dangerous byproducts.

2. Granite is quarried locally and regionally.

Transportation is a major component to consider when thinking about sustainability because even sustainable materials create greenhouse gasses when they’re transported. But what’s nice about granite is the fact that it can be quarried locally and regionally. In most cases in the United States and Canada, there are natural stone quarry sites within five hundred miles of a building site. The United States is the top producer of granite in the world—our nation has 276 quarries throughout thirty-four states, which means the granite will never have to travel too far.

3. Granite is quarried sustainably.

The natural stone industry uses new technology that focuses on conserving natural resources, avoiding pollution, and minimizing waste when quarrying and fabricating granite. After the stone is removed from the earth, diamond saw wires are used to cut it into blocks. From there, a polisher grinds the rough surface into the smooth surface you know and love by using rotating pads. After that, routers cut edge profiles on the slab by using a spinning blade coated in diamonds.

4. Granite lasts forever.

Okay, granite might not last forever technically, but it does have the potential to last a lifetime if it’s taken care of the right way. By choosing granite, you’re automatically preventing landfill waste simply because granite has lasting power. Even though granite might be more expensive than other options up front, you’ll save money in the long run by never having to replace it.

5. Granite is recyclable.

If you do find yourself needing to replace your granite countertop, the old slab can be easily recycled. There are plenty of ways to salvage stone and recycle it to reduce energy, water, and resources used to create a brand-new product. Old stone materials are often used to create retaining walls, paver stones, and decorative stones for driveways, mosaics, and more.

Benefits of Granite Countertops

So, why choose granite countertops? Beyond their amazing sustainability, there are plenty more good qualities that granite has to offer. Take a look at these benefits of a granite countertop:

1. It stays tough against chips and scratches.

Granite is durable, which means it can hold its own against everyday wear and tear in the kitchen. Behind diamonds, granite is the second-hardest material in the world.

2. It’s affordable.

There are plenty of price options regarding granite, whether you’re on a tight budget or can afford to spend a little more. The price variation depends on slab thickness and installation costs.

3. It’s heat resistant.

Granite is formed under intense pressure and heat within the earth, which means it doesn’t blink an eye at hot pots and pans. While we recommend using trivets or potholders, you can rest easy knowing granite will not scorch under a hot kitchen item.

4. It’s stain resistant.

When granite is properly sealed, it’s highly stain resistant. Remember to clean up spills right away to avoid accidents, but if a spill does dry on granite’s surface, you can always carefully scrape it off with a razor blade or plastic scraper.

Why Choose Granite Countertops?

There’s more than enough to love about granite, its benefits, and its stability. To find out more about this amazing natural stone, come in and see us or contact GranitePro today.

Suppose you want to add a dash of richness, warmth, and sophistication to your kitchen. In that case, you cannot go wrong with granite countertops. Besides their aesthetic value, granite countertops give you a substantial presence with durability and permanence—and they are a breeze to clean and upkeep. However, you want to look at all angles to ensure that granite is the right fit for your room. We spill handy design tips to help you choose the best granite countertop for your kitchen.

17 Design Tips When Reviewing Granite Countertop Options

Use these design tips to find a countertop that ticks all the right “functionality boxes” and acts as a focal design point in your room. Before installing the countertop of choice in your kitchen, consider the following to narrow down your options:

General Aesthetic Tips

Do you want granite that makes a statement with a lot of movement and a heavily patterned stone that will be a showstopper? Or a quieter option that won’t limit your décor too much?

• Don’t just pick the first one you like in terms of appearance. Before you go to the showroom to see it, review your home and kitchen’s existing design qualities. Keep a list of key features in mind. Look at your room’s layout, spaciousness, flooring and décor, ambiance, and existing design. You either want something that perfectly complements this or one that provides a quirky contrast. Consult your contractor before finalizing your countertop, as professional input can help here.
• See the stone in person rather than from an online image or a picture that will not do it justice. When it comes to granite countertops, the texture and how it feels are as crucial as how it looks.
• Be mindful of your home lighting. Before picking your countertop, remember that what looks good under the specially curated store lights might look very different at home.
• Also, consider how your current paint job measures against various countertop options. Or, even if you’re open to changing the room color, ensure the new one works well with your countertop.
• You can pick between solid, speckled, and marbled options as far as design goes. Granite is a natural stone, and all granite slabs have variations that lend a unique character. Opt for stones from the same quarry to increase your chances of achieving a consistent look, but expect that there will still be variations between the slabs. Solid granite options are the most consistent and have fewer variations than speckled or marbled options. Solid granite is perfect for smaller kitchens, where the busier the surface, the smaller the room can look.
• Are you looking for a conversation starter? Add drama to your kitchen by selecting marbled granite, which comes in exotic colors with veins and swirls that make a style statement.
• If you want granite that perfectly sets off your solid cabinetry and one that has texture and color options, look for speckled granite countertops.
• If you want to reduce the sparkle and keep things classy but subdued, look at honed granite countertops with a matte finish.
• A glossy finish is the most popular granite countertop because it is one of the most affordable and low maintenance requiring very little upkeep over the years. The other advantage is that it can lend your kitchen a sense of spaciousness and airiness as its glossy surface reflects light beautifully.

Light Countertops

• Light-colored granite can make a space look larger and is especially good in rooms where there isn’t too much natural light.
• It’s hard to go wrong with just about any shade of white granite. Look for options with depth to avoid giving your kitchen a one-dimensional, lifeless feel, which can happen when white isn’t well thought out.

Dark Countertops

• If you’re opting for bold, vibrant hues, tone the rest of the look down with neutral cabinetry and floors.
• Be careful with dark shades in smaller rooms. For example, you might love the elegance a black granite countertop gives your kitchen, but if it’s a small room, it will serve to make it look even smaller. But there are ways to make it work; you can pair black granite with an all-white room to give it a classic sophistication.
• Ask yourself how much you will use your countertop. If you select a dark shade like black, thinking it will be perfect for hiding spills, marks, and stains, you may be surprised to learn that black shows as much damage and mess as a lighter color.

Countertop Details

• Slabs are perfect if you want to avoid prominent grout lines or seams, but you can also swap them for tiles, which can work beautifully.
• Pay attention to your edges and pick the one that offers the feel you want your kitchen to reflect. Do you want a classic beveled edge or an intricate triple waterfall? There are multiple options, so consider what works best for your room.

Contact Us Today

Picking the best granite countertops is almost like picking a classic pair of jeans, albeit it’s a far more extravagant investment. But just like jeans, you need to find one that’s the perfect fit for you and your home. It doesn’t matter if it appeals to others or how that countertop would look in another house. And just like your fave pair of jeans, it’s something that will last, and the older it gets, the more beautifully it ages and becomes an integral part of your kitchen. But picking out the right design is not an easy task, as you’ve seen. So put yourself in the best position you can be in by getting the right expertise on your side. GranitePro is here to help you take on this project from start to finish to give your kitchen that luxe and long-tasting touch the right countertop can provide. Contact us today to see how we can install a dependable, permanent, and stunning granite countertop.

We know that you cannot go wrong with stunning granite countertops when it comes to adding a dash of glam to your home. Apart from looking spectacular, granite comes in a range of colors, each with depth, flecks, and swirls that give it a unique character and make it the focal point of any room. In addition, this natural stone is quarried straight from the earth, is highly durable, long-lasting, and resistant to stains, scratches, and moisture, making it a homeowner’s dream material. But with all these fantastic advantages the stone has, one thing you do need to remember is that not all granite slabs are created equal. And to get all the benefits this stone offers, you need to pay close attention to the quality of the stone you pick.

Granite isn’t a cheap option, so the allure of cutting corners while still showcasing this countertop in your home is tempting, but in the long run, cheap granite countertop slabs will set you back more in terms of cost and function. So, how do you pick a high-quality slab? We tell you how to do just this.

Understanding Different Grades of Granite

Granite comes in multiple grades, which makes it easier to differentiate between the slabs. These range from cheap granite countertops slabs to higher-end options.

When shopping for granite you may find vendors supply different “grades” of granite. It may be levels 1,2,3 or A, B, C. Long story short, these are simply categories that the fabricator creates to simplify pricing. Technically, they should have no indication of the overall quality of the granite.

Factors that typically affect the “grade” of the material are consistency (slab yield), abundance, where it is quarried from, and overall cost of purchase. What you’re looking for as the differentiating factors are veins, the pitting you can see, colors, porosity, thickness, how it appears visually, and other similar markers. For instance, if you talk about thickness, the stones are naturally very thick when quarried from the earth. But manufacturers often cut them to make them easier to handle. However, they can lose much of their durability if cut too thin. You also want to watch out for slabs that are too porous, which means they will absorb more water and stain faster, which means higher upkeep in the long run.

Importing slabs can add to the cost, and it’s important to see where a slab originates. You can look at the different granite stones as though you are looking at wood. Oak is very hard, whereas pine is a little softer. Different granite materials have different strengths and weaknesses. For example, steel gray granite is an incredibly dense and highly durable stone. It does not require any sealer, as the sealer would not absorb, instead sitting on the surface and getting sticky. However, ivory fantasy is a very porous stone that requires extensive sealing and is more prone to staining.

Another example would be fissures, pits, and other natural imperfections. With some materials, fissures should be expected and can be seen and felt, whereas others should be free of any stone fissures. Once installed properly, these natural imperfections should not affect your countertops’ durability or longevity; they should be simply cosmetic details. A good countertop fabricator will review these details to ensure you understand the product you are purchasing. It is important to find a granite countertop fabricator near you that you can trust. A good granite fabricator will advise you on which stone best suits your lifestyle and taste.

What Is a High-Quality Granite Countertop?

High-Quality Resin: Most granite countertops have a resin that brings more consistency to the finish, stain resistance, and overall structural integrity. Often when materials are cheaper, lower quality resins are used, which can deteriorate over time.

Thicker Material: High-quality granite countertops are typically 3 centimeters (1 ¼”) thick. 2-centimeter materials are thinner, thus more prone to breaking as the home settles. All though there are times when a 2-centimeter material can be beneficial for specific custom-built-up designs, this is rare.

Precision Fabrication: The fabrication process is a large part of the overall “quality” of the granite countertop. Fabrication machines, seam locations, slab layout, glues that are used, and setting techniques for sinks and other anchoring systems will all determine the longevity of your countertops. The best results will come from a completely digital facility where lasers do all the templates, which format into a digital file and plug into a CNC machine for precision manufacturing your granite countertops. Another aspect is the installation phase. For example, pure silicone should be used around the perimeter of the countertop, sink connections, and between the countertop and stone backsplash. Often companies use regular caulk to cut costs which will not provide the support or water sealing required for professional results.

High-Quality Sealer: There are many sealers for granite countertops on the market. Water-based, oil-based, silicone-based, and so on. Silicone-based impregnating sealer is typically the best product to be used for granite countertops as it absorbs into the stone as opposed to sitting on the surface.

Contact Us Today

Adding granite countertops to your home is an investment, and like all investments, you need to put a lot of care, thought, and research into the decision. At GranitePro, we know our slabs and how to match the right kind of countertops to the right homes while keeping in mind everything from the use of the countertops to the design and layout of your home. Contact us today to see how we can help you install the highest quality countertops in your home to ensure you get both aesthetics with functionality and, above all, safety.