(The kitchen installation used 2cm Alaskan White granite.)
What is granite?
Granite is a light-colored igneous rock with grains large enough to be visible with the unaided eye. It forms from the slow crystallization of magma below Earth’s surface. Granite is composed mainly of quartz and feldspar with minor amounts of mica, amphiboles, and other minerals. This mineral composition usually gives granite a red, pink, gray, or white color with dark mineral grains visible throughout the rock.
Granite selection should not be complicated
Selecting granite to be used in your home can seem overwhelming, confusing and stressful to a first time shopper but it does not have to be. Here are a few tips to guide you on your way:
LESS IS MORE
There are over 200 color of granite to choose from! When looking for granite colors it is best to make an appointment with our local slab yards and have a sales representative assist you. (CONTACT US for more information.)
Bring a color sample of your wall paint, cabinet door and any accessories you wish to use in your area. The sales representative will be able to help you color match and narrow down your selections.
Some granite slabs have an amazing design and flow to them that they look like art! Keep in mind that the granite slab will be cut down and you will not see much of that veining and flow in your final product. Staying simple will help you stay on track and will provide a beautiful final look to your project.
(This kitchen installation used 2cm Solarius granite.)
GRANITE PRICE GROUPS
Granite groups are an interesting aspect of pricing that started with the large box home improvement companies. They needed a way to simplify and streamline their process in order to help their customers and employees understand the granite possibilities in all of their stores across the nation. What they don’t tell you is that there is no such thing as granite group prices, it is something that is made up by the company that purchases the material. In order to meet their margins, a significant markup will need to be added in order to cover any of their losses when selling granite under a blanket price.
The pricing of granite in slab yards is based on the color, thickness, the square footage of each slab, how available that color is and how strong the granite is. The simpler colors tend to be stronger and more readily available because they do not get damaged easily while trying to extract them from the mountain. You will notice that slabs that have a lot of movement and uniqueness to them will be priced higher because the consumer will spend more money to have a unique piece in their home and they tend to be more fragile to work with.
(This kitchen installation used 3cm Magma Gold.)
NATURAL SPARKLE, GLITTER AND GLITZ
Some granite slabs are extremely beautiful with all the natural sparkle they have. This sparkle is called “mica” and often they look like flakes in the stone:
If you’ve ever looked at a piece of mica up close, you can tell that it wants to separate into thin flakes. That’s because of the mineral’s internal structure – the atoms are arranged in thin, sheet-like layers. The family of flaky minerals includes muscovite (transparent or silver), biotite (black or brown), chlorite (dark green), talc (white, grey, green), graphite (metallic grey), and others. The flat shape of these minerals reflects light like a mirror, which causes the trademark sparkle. ~ usenaturalstone.org
Although these mica flakes are beautiful they are extremely brittle and will break with your hand. These type of stones will not hold up to daily use in the home and are definitely not recommended for kitchen and bathroom countertops!
(This kitchen installation used 3cm Bianco Antico granite.)
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