Granite

If you’re looking for a material that can withstand exterior use or hard-wearing areas, granite is an excellent option.


As one of the hardest known natural materials, granite is a go-to choice when you require a strong, robust and durable stone. With its distinctive granular appearance, natural variation, and impressive resistance to everyday wear, granite remains one of the most practical and timeless choices for both interior and exterior applications.

An introduction to Granite

Granite is a natural stone formed beneath the ground when magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides cools and solidifies over millennia.


As a siliceous stone, granite is composed mainly of silica or quartz-like particles. This gives it exceptional durability and makes it easier to maintain than softer, more porous stones such as marble, limestone, travertine and onyx.


Visually, granite differs from marble in that it typically has a more flecked or granular appearance rather than flowing veining. This distinctive crystalline structure gives granite its unique character, with each slab offering its own variation in colour, pattern and natural detail.


Granite is particularly well suited to areas where strength, resilience and longevity are key.

Suitable Applications for Granite

Why choose Granite?

Strong, robust and durable
Granite is one of the hardest known natural materials, making it an excellent option for hard-wearing areas.


Ideal for everyday kitchen use
Granite is highly resistant to scratching, cracking and general daily wear, which makes it a natural fit for kitchen worktops.


Suitable for exterior use
Unlike softer stones, granite performs particularly well in exterior settings and more demanding environments.

Naturally distinctive appearance
Granite has a beautiful crystalline structure with a fleck-like, granular appearance that gives each slab its own natural character.


Heat resistant
Granite is highly resistant to heat, making it well suited to kitchen environments and busy everyday use.


Long-lasting natural stone

With the right care and sealing, granite offers a durable and attractive surface that performs reliably for years to come.

Texture and finish

At Marble Interiors, we offer a selection of surface finishes tailored to each material and colour. Every finish is chosen to enhance the natural character of the stone while ensuring durability and ease of maintenance. The result is a surface that performs reliably over time, without the ongoing need for sealants or wax treatments. The vast majority of our granite slabs have a polished finish, with honed being rarer for projects.

Maintainance

Despite being more durable than marble, granite is still a porous material, meaning it is vital to avoid harmful substances including oven cleaners, juices, wine, oils, acids such as vinegar or lemon juice, and paint removers.


These substances can remove the applied sealer and damage the surface of the granite. If any of the above substances are spilt, it is vital that they are wiped clean as quickly as possible.


Granite should be cleaned with a cloth and warm soapy water, drying off the water afterwards. Cleaners specifically formulated to help clean and protect stone surfaces can also be used.

Although granite is highly heat resistant, we would not recommend regularly placing hot pans directly onto the surface. Using trivets and chopping boards is always the best way to protect the stone and preserve its finish.


Granite is also much harder than your knife blades, so while a knife is unlikely to scratch the stone, cutting directly on granite will quickly dull your knives. Always use a wooden or plastic chopping board when preparing food.


We always recommend sealing granite after installation for added protection. Some stones are more porous than others, so a penetrating sealer helps prevent stains from oil, wine and other liquids soaking into the surface.

FAQs

  • How is granite formed?

    Granite is formed underneath the ground when magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides cools and solidifies over millennia.


  • Does granite burn?

    No. Granite cannot be burned in ordinary use and is highly resistant to heat, which makes it very well suited to kitchen environments.




  • Does granite stain?

    Generally, no, although all stone is porous to some extent. Granite has very little porosity compared to stones such as marble, but some colours may absorb moisture more than others if liquids are left on the surface for prolonged periods. Sealing helps provide added protection.



  • How do you take care of granite?

    Warm soapy water is usually sufficient, or you can use cleaners specifically formulated to clean and protect stone surfaces.



  • Can I cut on my granite worktop?

    Only if you want to ruin your knives. Granite is harder than your knife blades and will dull them very quickly, so a chopping board should always be used.


  • Can granite scratch?

    In general, granite is very difficult to scratch and is highly resistant to scratching in ordinary use. It can, however, be scratched by another piece of granite or by specialist tools designed to cut stone.


  • Can granite crack?

    Not with ordinary use. However, like any solid surface, high-impact blows can cause damage, and granite can chip if subjected to sharp, hard objects.


  • Why is granite good for kitchen counters?

    Granite is highly resistant to scratching, cracking and staining, and is very heat resistant, making it an excellent choice for kitchen worktops.


  • Why do some granites have pits or natural markings?

    Because granite is crystalline in structure, it naturally contains tiny pits between mineral crystals. Some granites may also have natural fissures that look like cracks but are not structural defects. These are part of the natural beauty of the stone and do not affect its durability or performance.


  • What is the difference between marble and granite?

    Although both are quarried from the earth, granite and marble are very different materials. Granite is harder, less porous and more durable, while marble is softer, more porous and more vulnerable to scratching and acids. Visually, marble typically has veining, whereas granite has a more flecked or granular appearance.


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