Everything You Need to Know about Granite Countertops

Granite is one of the most popular materials chosen for kitchen and bathroom remodels—not only because of its beauty and striking looks, but because it’s a timeless centerpiece in whatever room that uses it. It’s also a material that will maintain its beauty for generations because of how durable it is.

If you’re considering using granite for your remodel, this article is a great place to start. Sanford Granite put together basic facts about the natural stone: how it can benefit your home and what you can expect when using it.

Granite—What Is It?

Granite is a type of igneous rock, and it’s composed of feldspar, mica, and quartz. It can be mined in a number of different places all over the world—places including India, China, Italy, and the United States.

When it comes to granite finishes, it has a number of options to choose from: polished, honed, brushed, or sandblasted. The finish that you go with depends on what room your countertop will be in and also, of course, which finish appeals to your taste.

Granite’s Benefits

Granite isn’t just popular because of how visually appealing it is. It also comes with an extensive list of other benefits:

It’s an eco-friendly material.

Granite countertops, because they’re a natural material, are 100 percent recyclable.

It’s resistant to heat.

As an igneous rock, granite is accustomed to extreme temperatures. This makes it a great choice for kitchens and bathrooms, where hot tools are commonly found.

It’s resistant to scratching.

Granite scores a 7 out of 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, which makes it one of the best materials for scratch resistance.

It’s resistant to chemicals.

Granite doesn’t just hold up to heat and scratching; it’s also resistant to chemicals. Granite isn’t too picky when it comes to cleaning products as long as you avoid acidic and citrus cleaners—those will damage the sealant eventually.

Every slab is unique.

Every granite countertop is unique because it’s a natural material—no two slabs are alike. This will bring an air of elegance, beauty, and interest to your kitchen or bathroom.

Granite Myths

As with anything else that’s popular, granite has quite a few myths surrounding it. To follow are a few common misunderstandings about granite, along with the corrected version of the misconception.

Granite is out; quartz is in.

There’s no reason for these two stones to have competition with each other—both have alluring and beneficial qualities. Each has differing advantages and the potential to serve customers in their own unique ways.

Granite is the same as marble.

Although these are two forms of natural stone, they couldn’t be more different. They are made of different materials and have very different reputations. While granite is seen as hardy and tough, marble is seen as more of a vanity stone because while it brings luxury, it’s much softer than granite.

Granite is a bad choice for food prep.

As long as it’s sealed properly, granite is resistant to all types of bacteria and germs. Even without sealant, it’s less porous than other natural stones—though we always recommend keeping up with your sealing routines to get the most life out of your countertop!

Granite’s Maintenance and Upkeep

Compared to other natural stones, granite doesn’t require all that much maintenance. Given that it’s sealed correctly upon fabrication and you keep up a regular routine of sealing (our team can help you understand what granite’s sealing schedule should look like), it’s not hard to keep up the beauty that granite is known for.

Granite Countertops—Worth the Investment?

Natural stones are exactly that—an investment. And the great part is that you’ll most likely get out of them what you put in. Even though you pay a higher price initially, the return can’t be beat. They add resale value to your home, not to mention the timelessness and elegance that natural stone is known for.

Granite’s Longevity

Granite is a stone that is naturally long lasting because of its high place on the hardness scale. Because of this, it has the potential to last one hundred years—maybe even longer. As long as you take good care of your countertop, you can expect it to be in your family for generations.

Making Granite Your Choice

At Sanford Granite, we believe in the long-lasting, beautiful, and durable power of granite—which is why it’s an option that we encourage for our customers who are considering natural stone. If you have questions about this material or want to know more about what it takes to use it for your remodel, contact our team for a consultation.