Even though every website and designer is talking about the fantastic decorations using white marble and black marble, still some people might not like it. Every taste is unique in its way and we are happy to help you choose exactly what you are looking for.
If you feel like marble is not your design then do not worry. We are here to inform you about another beautiful natural stone! At the end of this article, you will probably fall in love with the granite countertops!
What is granite stone?
Granite is one of the members of the magmatic stones family and is a well-known material for making granite countertops. The cool thing about this stone is that they are made out of magma and lava, the super-hot melted rock that is under the ground or inside a volcano. All of the granite rocks include at least 20% of quartz. A hard and crystalline mineral will give the stone some white shades and light tones.
The name comes from the Latin “granum” which means “grain”. The reason behind this naming is the structure of granite that looks like grains and crystals.
Researchers have shown that granite is one of the oldest rocks on the earth. They guess that it has been on the earth for over 300 million years!
This stone is not only for making granite countertops. Some types of granite that can be very expensive. For example, Azurite Granite is a beautiful granite with blue stains and can be used in jewelry.
Types of granite countertops
There are lots of different granite rocks. Because granite is made out of different kinds of minerals, it can lead to a great variety of colors. For choosing the best and the most suitable granite countertops, you need to know about every available type.
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Black
In this article, we said that granite stone must have at least 20% quartz. The black granite is not originally a member of the granite rock family. They usually belong to the gabbro range, which is another magmatic rock but with a little difference in the texture and the minerals. You can have a countertop that is made out of gabbro, but it does not count as a member of granite countertops.
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Pink
When there is a huge amount of potassium feldspar in the granite rock, it will turn pink. The color is so luxurious and nice that you cannot resist it. Also, it is quite a rare thing to make use of pink granite countertops in a design.
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White
There is no pure white granite. If you look at white granite countertops, you will notice the small black spots on the surface. If you see any kind of rock that is completely white, there is no way for it to be granite and it is probably a manufactured product.
White granite countertops are made out of feldspar and quartz minerals. Since granite is suitable for cutting, it can be seen in many buildings and structures or sculptures.
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Red
You can use red granite countertops to give your place a new look. This kind of granite will take your breath away. It almost has the same minerals as the pink granites but in these rocks, the feldspars go redder and create this beautiful color. No place can look boring with the red granite countertops.
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Green
One of the most astonishing rocks is green granite. It is a unique style to use the green granite countertops in your decorations and design. Although, many experts claim that this stone is a member of the marble family and cannot be count as granite.
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Blue
Just like the black one, technically, there is no such thing as blue granite. Even though the texture is so close to real granite but it is not granite.
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Black and white
It is one of the most common types to use for granite countertops. It has equal amounts of quartz and other minerals, which gives this stone a beautiful and classic look.
Grades of the granite countertops
Besides color, you can categorize this stone by looking at its grade. Level one or entry-level granite is the first grade. At this level, the stone has the lowest quality. At this level, an entry-level granite is thinner. Most of these stones are imported from China.
The next level is level two or the mid-grade granite. The colors look better than stage one and the patterns look more complicated and unique. Also, it has an average thickness. These rocks are often imported from Brazil or India.
The last grade is level three or the high-grade granite which has the best quality. This grade is the best choice for granite countertops since you need them to last and look good.