Granite is an extremely popular natural stone used for kitchen countertops. You may know some common things about it, like it’s a natural stone and it requires sealing, but there may be things you didn’t know about granite countertops. So, below are some interesting ones.
Facts And Things You Didn’t Know About Granite Countertops
Fissures Are Not Cracks
One thing you may notice on granite slabs is narrow, long openings or non-uniformities that look similar to cracks, but they aren’t. They are natural fissures that are part of the surface just like the veining, speckles, and patterns.
Why do you see fissures clearly? They are natural interruptions in the pattern, if you may. There may be a mineral that formed the fissure that’s different from the ones around, leading to the contrast.
Although fissures are natural, the part of the slab where fissures are can be fragile during cutting. So, fabricators avoid it during cutting the slab. They also avoid fissures near the sink cutout or edges.
If you’re concerned a narrow line on your granite countertop is a fissure or a crack, move your fingernail on it at a 90-degree angle. Fissures are smooth. If there feels like a bump or a cut, it’s a crack.
Granite Is Radioactive
Before you get scared, the radioactivity of granite countertops is in trace amounts and is within the safe range. But this fact is interesting. The reason granite is slightly radioactive is that it’s a natural rock and it forms beneath the Earth’s crust, so trace amounts of radioactive materials, like uranium, thorium, and potassium-40, can be a tiny part of it.
These materials decay and produce radon (a radioactive gas). But this amount of radiation from granite is very small. Remember that radon exposure can cause various health problems, but as mentioned, the radon exposure from granite countertops is not concerning.
If you’re still not satisfied, you should also know that common building materials, bricks and concrete, also emit small amounts of radon. In homes, the real concerning radon exposure can be from the soil or bedrock seeping into the house from the foundation or the basement, not your kitchen countertops or your concrete or brick walls.
The Full Slab May Look Different From The Sample
You see samples when choosing granite or any other countertop option. But in the case of natural stones like granite and marble, even the sample for the same slab may not fully reveal its patterns or design. The reason is that the veining and patterns are not uniform, so they may look a lot different on the full slab than the small sample.
So, when buying granite or even marble countertops Raleigh NC, you should shortlist from the samples and then see the full slabs to check out the actual color variation, patterns, and other things to finalize the slab you want.
Diamond-Tipped Cutters And Water Jets
Fabricators use diamond cutters and water jets for cutting and fabricating many stone countertop materials, including granite, quartz, marble, quartzite, porcelain slabs, sintered stone, etc.
Interestingly, diamond cutters are the standard for cutting the above-mentioned stone, while water jets are not as common. When water jets are used, they are for more intricate and precision cuts. Water jets are more common for cutting porcelain slabs and sintered stone than granite, marble, and quartz.
Intricate Edges Cost More
This is for all types of countertop materials where choosing a detailed or intricate edging profile will increase fabrication cost. Common granite edges that are very expensive are:
- Ogee edge
- Dupont edge
- Laminated edge
- Waterfall style edge
- Hand-carved or chiseled edges
If you don’t want expensive edges, you should choose eased, pencil round, or bevel edges.
Granite Is Heat Resistant, But There Is A Catch
Granite is a natural rock, so its heat resistance is great. But when talking about granite countertops, their heat resistance is considered much less because you apply a sealer to the granite surface to protect it from moisture and make it waterproof. This sealer has poor heat resistance.
So, if you place hot items on the granite countertop, it may not damage the granite itself, but it can damage the sealer. Once the sealer is damaged, spills and acids will seep into the surface and cause stains and bacterial growth. So, you must treat granite countertops and various other natural stones as materials that are only fairly heat-resistant.
Cutting On Granite Countertops Can Damage The Sealer And Dull The Blades
Granite countertops are very scratch-resistant. So, you may think you can cut food on granite worktops without a worry, but here’s the issue. Even though granite is scratch-resistant and the stone is harder than knives, made of common materials like stainless steel, the protective layer (sealer) can be damaged over time.
On top of that, when you use knives on granite countertops, this won’t scratch granite (damage the sealer), but the knives may become dull. Therefore, never skip using cutting boards.
Harsh Cleaner And Acidic Spills Can Damage The Sealer As Well
Similarly, harsh cleaners and acidic spills left for very long can also damage the sealer. So, avoid harsh cleaners, clean spills quickly, use a cutting board for chopping, place hot pans on trivets, and regularly test the stone to check if it requires resealing.
A water test can reveal if your granite countertop needs sealing or not. Drop a small amount of water on the surface. It should bead. If it doesn’t, the slab needs to be sealed. Note that some busy areas of a countertop may have damaged sealer, whereas other parts may not. So, perform the water test on the busy parts of the countertop.
Your Cabinet Might Require Reinforcement
Granite countertops are heavy and can create problems if the cabinets are old, damaged, or not strong enough. Although modern cabinets are strong and you can install granite slabs on them, you should ask the fabricator to check the cabinets and the countertop to advise if any reinforcement is required.
Usually, cabinet reinforcement is needed if the countertop has a long overhang, there are unsupported parts of countertops, the granite slab is thicker than standard thicknesses, and others.
Vulnerable To Impact Chipping Or Cracking
Granite is hard and scratch-resistant, but it’s brittle. These countertops are vulnerable to chipping or even cracking if a heavy object falls on the edge. Sometimes, the impact can break the edge.
To avoid brittleness damage, make sure you choose a thicker granite slab (2cm or 3cm at least), hire a skilled fabricator, plan properly for overhangs and large-sized slabs, and avoid moving or throwing heavy objects on the countertop.
Conclusion
Granite countertops offer many options and add value. If you want to know more about granite or want to check out samples, get in touch with a granite countertop installer Durham NC.