Natural Granite Information

In the fabrication industry, there are many materials that are used for a variety of purposes. Among one of the most widely recognized is natural granite. Granite has been used for so long and for so many applications, that it is commonly asked for by home buyers as a countertop material. In this area of the website, we keep informational posts that are related to natural granite. If you want more general information about natural granite, keep reading.

What is Granite?

That is a great question! You will find that the term can mean various things depending on who you talk to. That’s because the definition you will get from a geologist will be more technical than the one you will get from a stone industry professional.

According to geologist Karin Kirk, many materials are referred to as “granite” are technically not granite, but some other rock that is related to granite. In her article entitled: Granite: What’s In a Name? she says the following:

Perhaps the most useful definition for commercial granite is one that includes all igneous rocks, plus gneiss and schist. This grouping makes sense because these stones have similar properties, are generally made of the same minerals, and can all be used in similar ways.

So if you happen to show a “granite” countertop to a geologist (or someone else that is technically informed), you just might get a reply that might surprise you. Because of what Ms. Kirk is quoted as saying above, we will stick with the informal definition for the purpose of this area of our website. So, even though we call it “granite”, just know that it is possibly not geological granite and it could very well be a close relative to it.

Commercial Granite vs Geological Granite

In the article referenced above, Karen included an image showing which other materials are often called “granite”. The translation can be seen in the following table:

As you can see from the table above, there are many “versions” of granite if you follow the commercial naming convention. Enough about what granite is and what it isn’t, let’s move on to the colors.

About Granite Colors

Granite comes in a variety of colors. From light colors labeled with the color “white” right in the name (although they are usually not completely white) to very dark colors including black (although geologically speaking, there is no such thing as black granite). Here are just some of the colors of commercial granite that you will see while browsing granite slabs:

• Alaskan White
• Amazon Gold
• Antique Yellow
• Azul Bahia
• Baltic Red
• Baltic Brown
• Barre
• Black Cambrian
• Black Galaxy
• Black Marinace
• Black Pearl
• Blue Pearl
• Carioca Gold
• Columbia Pink
• Cripple Creek
• Dakota Mahogany
• Delicatus Ice
• Emerald Pearl
• Giallo Napolean
• Golden Lightning
• Graphite
• Harney Peak
• Hollywood
• Iguana Green
• Impala Black
• Indian Absolute Black
• Juperana Colombo
• Kashmir White
• Kinawa
• Laborador Antique
• Luna Pearl
• Marinace Green
• Midnight Sun
• Mountain Green
• Mount Airy
• Nara Brown
• Nordic Sunset
• Orbicular
• Orinoco
• Pegmatitic
• Persia Original
• Pink Westerly
• River Green
• Rockville White
• Rosa Betta
• Salisbury Pink
• Sapphire Brown
• Seaweed Green
• Silver Galaxy
• Silver Plume
• Tan Brown
• Toasted Almond
• Tropical Brown
• Ubatuba
• Venetian Gold
• Verde Bamboo
• Verde Butterfly
• Verde Lavras
• Violetta
• Vizag Blue
• Volga Blue
• White Delicatus

Mineral Content Affects Color

Though that is a decent sized list of colors, there are many, many more granite colors. The color of the stone depends largely in part on the minerals that make up the stone. Each material that makes up granite will contribute its color some of the main ones are:

The mixture of the minerals above in a given stone will affect the color that results. So, if see a slab of Pink Westerly, you have a pretty good idea of what mineral makes up a pretty good portion of the stone.

Uses for Natural Granite

Granite’s history is not a short story. Rather it has been used in many applications for decades and continues to build on its record. But what are some of the applications in which granite is used? Quite a few. Some of the uses for granite include:

• Stairs
• Patios
• Statues
• Facades
• Flooring
• Walkways
• Furniture
• Wall Panels
• Countertops

From the list above, countertops perhaps jumps out as one of the uses that many people think of first. This is because the material makes such great countertop material because of its durable nature. It i a hard material that is scratch and heat resistant. Many homeowners ask for granite specifically to be used as the surface of their countertops.

Working With Granite

Granite’s hardness makes it a great choice for many applications, yet working with it will require specific materials. In order to cut granite you must use tooling that can do the job. Here is a list of the kinds of tools you will need for working with granite:

• Core Bits With Diamonds
• Granite Polishing Pads
• Cupwheels, Edge Profiles and Edge Wheels With Diamonds
• Diamond Bridge Saw and Grinding Blades

Each tool will be made with certain specs and will offer performance that is commensurate with the kind of work. Certain factors will have a bearing on the tools used. Not all blades are designed to perform the same. You can see what kinds of factors play a role by reading up on Diamond Blade Basics.

Care and Maintenance Information

Maintaining and caring for granite is fairly straight forward. A simple routine that consists of two parts is pretty much all that is needed as long as no stains happen.

Periodic Sealer Application

The first part of the maintenance program needed for granite is sealer. Sealing natural stone like granite is vital in order to allow the owner to clean up any spills that might occur. Leaving a spill on the surface of granite allows the liquid to penetrate the pores and stain the material. Applying a penetrating sealer periodically though, keeps the liquids from being absorbed into the stone as quickly.

Proper Cleaner Selection

In addition to periodic sealer application, it is important that the proper cleaner be selected. using the incorrect cleaner will result in the removal of the sealer; which defeats the purpose of sealing the material. So be sure you select a cleaner designed for natural stone like Lustro Italiano Stone Cleaner that is formulated to clean natural stone without harming the sealer in the process.

Natural granite is a topic that has many aspects. We hope you find something in the site that you find helpful, informative, and practical.