What is Granite?
Granite has become the leading choice for kitchen and bathroom countertops. But what exactly is granite? If you’re like me, you haven’t had the opportunity to investigate the origin of this rock. When I took the time to research this mystery, I was fascinated!
Granite is a natural stone that took Mother Nature millions of years to create and exists in just about every region of the world. Forces deep within the earth, combined with compression of various minerals under varying conditions create infinite unique patterns. No two patterns of granite are the same. Each is a unique piece of art created by nature. It’s antibacterial and can be highly polished, making it ideal for kitchens, entryways, and bathrooms.
How Is Granite Created?
Granite is a hard igneous stone that is formed over millions of years by volcanic activity. Mag-MA (said in my best Austin Powers voice) flows from volcanic activity and slowly cools over millions of years. During the process, magma combines with various minerals, including hornblende, feldspar, mica, and quartz to create its “crystal appearance”. The elements are compressed by forces deep within the earth’s surface. As softer earthen material surrounding granite deposits erode over time, hard granite became exposed creating quarries of granite.
Once granite is harvested, it is cut and polished to expose its brilliant beauty. Different geographic locations create infinite varieties of colors and combined with its hardness and durability, granite is ideal for home beautification. It’s the ideal stone for kitchen counters, bathroom counters, vanity counters, outdoor countertops, and entryway flooring. There are two primary finishes of granite. It can be highly polished to a brilliant shine or “flamed” to create a finish that is not quite as shiny. Flamed exposes the granite’s surface placing more prominence on the minerals that contribute to its unique texture.
Where Does It Come From?
I learned that 90% of granite material is imported from Brazil. They also import from Italy, Spain, China, and India. Brazil supplies the majority of the granite slabs while the majority of the marble originates out of Italy. Onyx also comes out of Italy. Marble also comes from Spain. China has a unique supply of brown granite popular among homeowners.
It takes a total of about 30 days for the rock to go from where it has been for an eternity to the doorstep of the wholesaler. It takes about 24-48 hours to slice one huge block into individual slabs with gang saws. It then takes about 2 days to apply the resin and cure it in the oven. The remainder of the time is spent getting it to market.
Is your deepest kitchen desire to have beautiful granite countertops? Check out how kitchenCRATE can make your granite dreams come true in 7 days for under $15,000 along with other additional beautiful kitchen upgrades. Just click here to schedule your phone consultation using our online scheduling system. Or feel free to call us direct during business hours at (888) 995-7996!
