Frequently Asked Granite Questions
Every day we receive many questions about granite. If you're considering granite countertops, or thinking about using the stone in a remodeling project, here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive. If you have other questions, you can email us or reach out on Facebook.
1. Does Granite have to be sealed?
Probably not! That is the short answer. But, this is a complicated question. First, The Marble Institute of America’s position is that most granite does not need sealing. It is of a dense enough material to be frost proof, or have a water absorption rate so low that it will not entertain a damaging amount of water in case of a freezing temperature. Will sealing improve this status? Possibly, but only minimally so. Most granite is very stain resistant so what are we trying to improve?
With that being said, some granite will benefit from sealing. That is why we are here. We take a look at all of the stones and granite we fabricate. If it needs a sealer, we will seal it for you. The general rule we use is “if water darkens the stone”, we believe it needs a sealer. A little bit of common sense goes a long way.
Why not just seal everything? Well, resin coating is a process that slab fabricators have developed over the last 5 to 10 years. This process applies an epoxy coating over the slabs, and fills the voids, veins, and fissures. The process was developed for stone that was normally so unstable it would never reach the marketplace in good enough shape to be of any use. The more unstable stones they sold, the more they use resin. Resin coating has become such a part of slab fabrication that many of the fabricators decided to resin coat all of the colors to keep things simple.
We do not know what kind of resins these fabricators are using. When you mix a sealer with an unknown resin, it may turn the resin “cloudy.” If you turn it “cloudy”, you have ruined the material. That is why this is best left for us to figure out.
2. Does granite harbor bacteria?
Absolutely not! Check out the website www.hitm.com. Dr. O. Peter Snyder of the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, using e-coli bacteria as its contaminating agent, found significant cleanability advantages of natural, unsealed, non-resin coated granite over all other commonly found countertop surfaces. Granite actually ranked #1 in cleanability when washed with a soap and water solution.
3. Will heat damage my granite countertop?
Not unless you subject it to a high heat source for a long period of time. If you take a casserole dish out of the oven, feel free to set it on your granite countertops. It will cool long before it will have any effect. If a frying pan gets too hot, you can set it on your granite tops without fear of damage. To get a little on the technical side, it takes an 80 to 90-degree difference within your granite countertops to cause enough thermal stress to cause a crack. Something like a heat lamp left on may do it. But, it will have to be left on for several hours to cause a problem. If you heat a piece of granite uniformly, it will take many hundreds of degrees before any problems arise. Please note granite tops will draw the heat from food dishes or a delivered pizza very quickly.
4. What colors is granite available in?
There is an easily dispelled myth that granite doesn't offer many color options. Come to our showroom and you'll see this isn't the case. We have 180 color samples on display. We have catalogs and books showing several hundred more. In our conversations with suppliers, who maintain libraries of different colors, they have told us they have 4,000 to 5,000 colors on record.
Every day we receive many questions about granite. If you're considering granite countertops, or thinking about using the stone in a remodeling project, here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive. If you have other questions, you can email us or reach out on Facebook.
1. Does Granite have to be sealed?
Probably not! That is the short answer. But, this is a complicated question. First, The Marble Institute of America’s position is that most granite does not need sealing. It is of a dense enough material to be frost proof, or have a water absorption rate so low that it will not entertain a damaging amount of water in case of a freezing temperature. Will sealing improve this status? Possibly, but only minimally so. Most granite is very stain resistant so what are we trying to improve?
With that being said, some granite will benefit from sealing. That is why we are here. We take a look at all of the stones and granite we fabricate. If it needs a sealer, we will seal it for you. The general rule we use is “if water darkens the stone”, we believe it needs a sealer. A little bit of common sense goes a long way.
Why not just seal everything? Well, resin coating is a process that slab fabricators have developed over the last 5 to 10 years. This process applies an epoxy coating over the slabs, and fills the voids, veins, and fissures. The process was developed for stone that was normally so unstable it would never reach the marketplace in good enough shape to be of any use. The more unstable stones they sold, the more they use resin. Resin coating has become such a part of slab fabrication that many of the fabricators decided to resin coat all of the colors to keep things simple.
We do not know what kind of resins these fabricators are using. When you mix a sealer with an unknown resin, it may turn the resin “cloudy.” If you turn it “cloudy”, you have ruined the material. That is why this is best left for us to figure out.
2. Does granite harbor bacteria?
Absolutely not! Check out the website www.hitm.com. Dr. O. Peter Snyder of the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, using e-coli bacteria as its contaminating agent, found significant cleanability advantages of natural, unsealed, non-resin coated granite over all other commonly found countertop surfaces. Granite actually ranked #1 in cleanability when washed with a soap and water solution.
3. Will heat damage my granite countertop?
Not unless you subject it to a high heat source for a long period of time. If you take a casserole dish out of the oven, feel free to set it on your granite countertops. It will cool long before it will have any effect. If a frying pan gets too hot, you can set it on your granite tops without fear of damage. To get a little on the technical side, it takes an 80 to 90-degree difference within your granite countertops to cause enough thermal stress to cause a crack. Something like a heat lamp left on may do it. But, it will have to be left on for several hours to cause a problem. If you heat a piece of granite uniformly, it will take many hundreds of degrees before any problems arise. Please note granite tops will draw the heat from food dishes or a delivered pizza very quickly.
4. What colors is granite available in?
There is an easily dispelled myth that granite doesn't offer many color options. Come to our showroom and you'll see this isn't the case. We have 180 color samples on display. We have catalogs and books showing several hundred more. In our conversations with suppliers, who maintain libraries of different colors, they have told us they have 4,000 to 5,000 colors on record.
5. Does granite contain radon gas?
Radon is a naturally occurring gas generated by the decay of trace amounts of uranium found in the Earth’s crust throughout the world. It is an unstable gas that quickly breaks down and dissipates in the air.
Research has proven that a typical granite countertop produces less than one atom of radon in one year. We are exposed to more radon from concrete, cement, sheetrock, and the outdoor air we breathe everyday than from a granite countertop. The scientist, Maurizio Bertoli, who researched and wrote the article “RADON IN GRANITE…What a crock of cheap salesmanship”, suggested that if we wanted to reduce our exposure to radon, we should build an airtight house made from granite!
6. What are the differences between marble, granite, and quartz?
The rock forming the Earth’s crust falls into three generic groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Granite is usually classed as igneous rock derived from molten masses or magmas. Marble is a metamorphic rock resulting from the re-crystallization of limestone. Limestone and travertine are defined as sedimentary. Because the world of rocks and geology are such a vast and complicated field, the above descriptions are very general.
Please keep in mind that the following descriptions are very general and there are exceptions. Granite is a harder material, resistant to heat, chemicals, stains, and scratching. It is available in thousands of colors. General appearances range from fine to coarse graining, little to huge amounts of veining. Of all stones, granite is the most practical.
Marble is softer material with limited applications, unless the consumer is willing to accept the changes associated with use. Marble’s biggest asset is its appearance or look. Because of its mineral composition, nothing has the look of marble. Marble’s biggest drawback is the lack of stain, chemical, and scratch resistance.
Quartz countertops are man-made engineered stone countertops formed by combining 90% ground quartz (a natural hard mineral) with 8-10% resins, polymers, and pigments. This forms a very hard granite-like surface with similar properties of durability and being heat/scratch/stain resistant. Quartz will not be as reflective or shiny as polished granite. The appearance depends on how the quartz is ground: coarsely ground quartz produces a flecked appearance, while finely ground quartz produces a smooth look. With dyes, patterns, and coarseness all being controlled by manufacturers instead of mother nature, you have more control over consistency.
7. How do you clean granite countertops?
To clean granite, the number one rule is to be gentle. Use warm water and a dish soap mixture. Scrub gently with a soft cloth and rinse thoroughly. Dry the countertop with a soft towel or microfiber cloth. Never use windex, ammonia or bleach on granite. Always clean up spills quickly when the occur.
Some commercial cleaners are okay on granite, but they may break down the seal faster. If you're using a commercial cleaner make sure it's safe for granite. No vinegar based products, and no citrus. Avoid any abrasive cleaners.
8. Can you cut directly on granite countertops?
Granite is very hard and not likely to scratch due to using a knife on the surface.
While knives will not scratch the stone, cutting directly on the countertop is generally not recommended for a couple of reasons. First, it will make your knives dull. Second, acidic substances found in many foods can potentially penetrate the stone and cause discoloration.
Also note, any material harder than granite can cause scratches and dings. Diamond jewelry, sapphires, quartz and products that contain silica sand for example can scratch granite.
9. Do granite countertops have seams?
Granite slabs are often about 10 feet long, if your countertop layout calls for continuous sections of stone longer than the slab, then yes, you will have some seams. The visibility of seams depends on how many unique slabs are used on your project, and how each slab is cut. With good planning, the layout of the stone will account for matching the color and pattern of the granite so seams are not noticeable. The placement of the seams within the room are also important. You'll want to place seams in locations where they are naturally hidden, and in a way that the eye is not drawn to them. Granite countertop seams are joined with a strong epoxy that is mixed with a color similar to the stone. After the seam created, the are is smoothened and only a thin line should be seen. It is common to have a one or two of seams in an averaged size kitchen.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas generated by the decay of trace amounts of uranium found in the Earth’s crust throughout the world. It is an unstable gas that quickly breaks down and dissipates in the air.
Research has proven that a typical granite countertop produces less than one atom of radon in one year. We are exposed to more radon from concrete, cement, sheetrock, and the outdoor air we breathe everyday than from a granite countertop. The scientist, Maurizio Bertoli, who researched and wrote the article “RADON IN GRANITE…What a crock of cheap salesmanship”, suggested that if we wanted to reduce our exposure to radon, we should build an airtight house made from granite!
6. What are the differences between marble, granite, and quartz?
The rock forming the Earth’s crust falls into three generic groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Granite is usually classed as igneous rock derived from molten masses or magmas. Marble is a metamorphic rock resulting from the re-crystallization of limestone. Limestone and travertine are defined as sedimentary. Because the world of rocks and geology are such a vast and complicated field, the above descriptions are very general.
Please keep in mind that the following descriptions are very general and there are exceptions. Granite is a harder material, resistant to heat, chemicals, stains, and scratching. It is available in thousands of colors. General appearances range from fine to coarse graining, little to huge amounts of veining. Of all stones, granite is the most practical.
Marble is softer material with limited applications, unless the consumer is willing to accept the changes associated with use. Marble’s biggest asset is its appearance or look. Because of its mineral composition, nothing has the look of marble. Marble’s biggest drawback is the lack of stain, chemical, and scratch resistance.
Quartz countertops are man-made engineered stone countertops formed by combining 90% ground quartz (a natural hard mineral) with 8-10% resins, polymers, and pigments. This forms a very hard granite-like surface with similar properties of durability and being heat/scratch/stain resistant. Quartz will not be as reflective or shiny as polished granite. The appearance depends on how the quartz is ground: coarsely ground quartz produces a flecked appearance, while finely ground quartz produces a smooth look. With dyes, patterns, and coarseness all being controlled by manufacturers instead of mother nature, you have more control over consistency.
7. How do you clean granite countertops?
To clean granite, the number one rule is to be gentle. Use warm water and a dish soap mixture. Scrub gently with a soft cloth and rinse thoroughly. Dry the countertop with a soft towel or microfiber cloth. Never use windex, ammonia or bleach on granite. Always clean up spills quickly when the occur.
Some commercial cleaners are okay on granite, but they may break down the seal faster. If you're using a commercial cleaner make sure it's safe for granite. No vinegar based products, and no citrus. Avoid any abrasive cleaners.
8. Can you cut directly on granite countertops?
Granite is very hard and not likely to scratch due to using a knife on the surface.
While knives will not scratch the stone, cutting directly on the countertop is generally not recommended for a couple of reasons. First, it will make your knives dull. Second, acidic substances found in many foods can potentially penetrate the stone and cause discoloration.
Also note, any material harder than granite can cause scratches and dings. Diamond jewelry, sapphires, quartz and products that contain silica sand for example can scratch granite.
9. Do granite countertops have seams?
Granite slabs are often about 10 feet long, if your countertop layout calls for continuous sections of stone longer than the slab, then yes, you will have some seams. The visibility of seams depends on how many unique slabs are used on your project, and how each slab is cut. With good planning, the layout of the stone will account for matching the color and pattern of the granite so seams are not noticeable. The placement of the seams within the room are also important. You'll want to place seams in locations where they are naturally hidden, and in a way that the eye is not drawn to them. Granite countertop seams are joined with a strong epoxy that is mixed with a color similar to the stone. After the seam created, the are is smoothened and only a thin line should be seen. It is common to have a one or two of seams in an averaged size kitchen.
