Granite is a common widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock which is granular and crystalline in texture. This rock consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar. Occasionally some individual crystals (phenocrysts) are larger than the ground mass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic.
The word granite comes from the Latin granum , a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of such a crystalline rock. The crystalline structure of this beautiful rock, when installed as the counter top of your kitchen, provides the kitchen with a more sophisticated and elegant look. The beauty of the stone can give the most conventional kitchen a little je ne sais quoi. If the granite kitchen top is installed and sealed properly, it can last you a lifetime.
There are many choices of granite colors, designs, surface textures, and patterns to choose from. It is a very dense, durable stone that needs very little maintenance. Granite will not chip or crack unless in cases of severe abuse with a hammer or impact tool. It’s one of the most popular choice of kitchen tops in Malaysia as it is more affordable as compared to a Quartz Counter Top. Granite ranges from consistent grain structures and colors, to multicolored stones with veins resulting from the varying distribution of minerals. Each design will be able to portrait your individual characteristics and uniqueness.
Care and Maintenance
Similarly to Quartz Counter Tops, Granite surface can be damaged by sudden and rapid change of temperature. Therefore, it is suggested that hot pad or trivet to be placed on the surfaces under cooking units (e.g. crock pots, roaster ovens) and hot pots and pans.
All stone, is porous to some extent, but granite has very little porosity. The only caveat is that a few colors may absorb some moisture with prolonged contact. For example, a puddle of water left on the counter for 30 minutes for some colors, may show a dark spot when the water is wiped away. Therefore, if you’ve dropped any liquid or sauce that has settled in, all you should do is take a hot wet rag and wipe the kitchen top clean. Make sure you use a low pH cleaning detergent for the counter top.
If you are using a daily granite cleaner, you may find that you don’t have to re-seal the counters as often because granite cleaner contains some sealer and every time the counter tops are cleaned they are also being sealed at the same time. You should avoid using cleaners that have ammonia, lemon or vinegar.