3 reasons granite is still the best choice for countertops

Granite has been valued for millennia for its beauty and durability. It was used in ancient Egypt to build pyramids and continues to grace today’s kitchen designs. It is a unique stone in both appearance and structure that continues to meet the demands of discerning homeowners.

#1 Granite is Durable and Nearly Maintenance Free

The stone so many have come to love is an igneous rock with a holocrystalline structure. That means that the crystals that make up the stone grow into each other. This unique interlocking crystal structure makes granite extremely durable and gives it the grainy look for which it was named.

Alt text: Natural granite countertop with color variation.

You’ll ruin your knife before you damage your granite countertop if you decide to do some chopping on its surface. It is scratch resistant and doesn’t show wear and tear as readily as many other stones. Granite lets you enjoy your kitchen or bathroom without the worry of damage.

#2 Granite Gives You Many Design Options

Since it is made up of many different types of crystals, the color of granite varies quite a bit depending on the crystal that makes up a given piece of stone. The most common colors include white, gray, black, pink, and orange. Occasionally greens, browns, and blues make an appearance as well.

Here are the crystals that make up granite and how they produce the unique colors and visual qualities only found in granite.

Quartz

Quartz is the most common crystal in granite. It fills in any gaps around other materials and is responsible for many of granite’s best qualities. It is colorless and appears either clear, smoky, or reflects the colors of the crystals around it. Quartz aids granite in being resilient to impact, heat, and daily wear.

Mica

Mica has a metallic luster that adds to granite’s ability to hold that just-polished look. It brings the sliver, black, brown, violet, and pink shades to granite.

Feldspar

Feldspar is the second most common substance in granite. Feldspar is responsible for most of the colors you see in granite. It creates yellow, orange, pink and blue hues. Darker feldspars make black granite.

Horneblend & Biotite

The famous gray stone sprinkled with black and white that first comes to mind when you think about granite is also the most commonly available. This salt and pepper look comes from hornblende and biotite crystals.

With so many colors to choose from, it is easy to select granite that will fit in with your kitchen or bathroom design and yet remain timeless.

#3 Granite is Affordable

Granite is found on every continent in the world and mined in large amounts. Its availability is largely responsible for its affordability.

As homeowners begin to favor other natural stones like quartzite and marble, granite continues to hold its own as far as cost is concerned.

Uniquely colored granite can often look like some of its more expensive counterparts so you can get a marble look at a granite price. Different finishes on the granite can also help you achieve a look-alike affect.

There are still plenty of reasons to love granite. It’s your best option for affordable, beautiful, and durable countertops.