Kitchen worktops explained – Granite
Choosing the right worktop for your kitchen is important. Along with the main appliances, the worktop is the one area of your kitchen that will get the most use. Understanding how each worktop material performs, its qualities and properties means you can make an informed decision about which worktop will fit your kitchen and lifestyle. In this blog post we look at granite and everything you need to know before ordering a granite worktop for your kitchen.
Granite kitchen worktops – what do you need to know before buying?
- Pattern – each slab of granite is unique
- Colours – range widely from creamy white to black
- Style – can be used in any style from traditional to contemporary kitchens
- Heat resistance – very good
- Durability – extremely good
- Affordability – granite can vary in cost, but the long lifespan of granite means that even the most expensive has an extremely low lifetime cost
- Sanitisation – due to its porous nature, granite needs to be sealed
In more detail:
Patterns
With granite, much like marble, every slab is unique. As a worktop material, granite is aesthetically very pleasing with natural inclusions, swirls, specks, veins and other interesting natural elements and patterns in each slab.
Colours
Granite comes in a wide mix of colours and predominantly pink, white, grey, black and cream with all the different tones in between. Secondary accent colours such as yellow, green, silver and blue are often seen in the granite. These can vary dramatically and can also add an interesting visual element to tie in with the colour scheme of the kitchen.
Style
Granite looks good in both traditional and contemporary projects. A more ornate profile (ornate or decorative edge to the worktop) will look better with a worktop that is at least 30mm thick. You can order granite worktops in 20mm thickness, but the choices of colour and pattern will be reduced. This is down to the strength of the granite; granite with more veins and natural inclusions will only be suitable for 30mm worktops as these elements mean the granite slab is weaker in a 20mm thickness.
Heat resistance
Granite has exceptionally good heat resistance though like with any worktop, we would still recommend using a trivet or heat pads underneath hot pans to protect the surface, especially if they are going to be left on the worktop.
Durability
Granite is exceptionally durable and hard wearing but like all stone worktops, we do not advise that you chop directly on the worktop as it will quickly dull your knives. A granite surface is however perfect for kneading and rolling out dough and pastry. Despite its toughness, if a heavy object is dropped on an edge, corner or overhanging tabletop, the granite could still crack or chip and we recommend taking care when putting heavy small appliances (such as a kitchen mixer) down on to the surface.
Affordability
A granite countertop will last an exceptionally long time and over the life of the worktop, this makes it very affordable. Granite is timeless and you can change the colour of your kitchen cabinets and interior design scheme without having to replace the worktop. In terms of investment, we believe that granite is worth every penny and we are not the only ones; a commercial manager for a property group that we work with has told us that stone kitchen worktops and stone used in the bathrooms adds four times the cost of the stone to the overall property value.
Sanitisation
The porous nature (absorbency or permeability) of granite requires it to be properly sealed to keep it in the best condition. Sealing granite helps it to resist bacteria, stains and stop the absorption of liquids. Though granite does have a good resistance to liquids, and even some acidic liquids such as prosecco and lemon juice, food (particularly the juices and colourings of food) can stain and mark the surface, and resealing is required every few years. Always check that the sealant used is tested and certified as food safe.
Check out our live slab inventory to see what granite and other stones we have in stock right now. Alternatively, if you are looking for something specific, we have a weekly delivery from the best stone houses in Italy direct to your fabricator. Call us on +44 (0)1753 314444 for details.
