All You Need To Know About Granite Worktops

Planning on installing a granite countertop in your kitchen? Ensure to read about the material thoroughly, including its pros and cons, before going ahead with your decision.

Granite is among the most sought-after materials for kitchen worktops in both residential and commercial spaces. Considered as the apt match for the term “hard as a rock,” granite countertops are durable and can be streamlined to fit a wide range of kitchen decors.

Granite FYIs

Here are some interesting facts about granite countertops you can take note of before starting your project.

Origin: Formed more than a million years ago, granite has its origin in the compressed molten rock found deep under the earth’s surface and is extremely hard and durable, making it a great choice for London granite worktops.Form: Granite as a material consists of several mineral crystals like quartz and feldspar and other materials, which are interlocked in varying patterns to form the unique patterns you see on the surface of the kitchen worktop. Usually, the black veins found in granite are mica while the white veins are feldspar and the grey veins happen to be quartz.Extraction and Designing: Granite is usually blasted, drilled or chiselled from large quarries. The large blocks of granite then make their way through a milling machine, which cuts them into smaller, workable slabs (usually 5-feet wide and 9-feet long). These slabs are then passed through machines, which polish them to create a uniform thickness of about 3 centimetres.

Following this, the raw granite slabs are transformed in workable granite worktops with the help of special tools. In addition to being available as edged and pre-cut white granite worktops, these worktops can be customized to suit individual preferences, with the kitchen’s existing floor plan, the size and shape of the pre-cut slabs and the seam location determining if edged/pre-cut or custom installation would better suit a kitchen.

Price Range: It is possible to find a wide range of granite worktop prices to suit different budgetary requirements. The typical cost of a granite worktop can range between £35 and £310 per square foot. The cost would vary based on factors like origin, thickness, stone rarity, manufacturing costs, etc. The price mentioned above would only include the cost of the worktop itself and not the other costs that come with it, including installation, edge details, templating, resealing and additional finishes. A kitchen worktop project in this sense can cost you way more than the initial cost.

Pros of Granite Worktops

Granite worktops London come with a slew of pros, which include:

Their value remains the same over many years (provided you maintain them well).They offer unique looks via a surface that comes with a naturally luminous look.Being non-porous, they are resistant to bacteria.They are heat resistant and can handle high temperatures without cracking.They can be cleaned easily with mild detergent and warm water.

Cons of Granite Worktops

Despite their strength and durability, Howdens Granite worktops come with some cons, including:They last forever, meaning if you want to change the colour or design, you need to rip out the existing one and install another worktop from scratch.Compared to other materials, granite worktops are expensive.The heaviness of the material requires it to have additional structural support placed in cantilevers and spans.Although durable, it can crack if a very heavy object falls on it.