What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Granite?

Granite countertops have had a long mainstay in the world of office and home furniture. It has almost become second nature for home and business owners to default to Granite at this point for all their countertop needs. You see it in homes all the time, in hospitals, offices, even on TV cooking shows!

This naturally begs the question, why? You might be thinking to yourself, ‘Well, hold on! I know this granite stuff is popular but come to think of it, I do not know why!’ This use also urges the question, is it as good as everyone says it is? Or are we just operating on pure hearsay?

Building upon all these questions, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to take a deep dive into the many significant advantages. On the other end, the unknown disadvantages of the granite stone we use to make those fantastic-looking countertops.

You might be amazed at what you did not know about this stone!

Advantages of Granite and Granite Countertops

There is a direct correlation between Granite’s high usage worldwide and its many significant advantages.

Uniqueness

Did you know that every piece of Granite is unique from the other? I might buy a couple of slabs of the same color and texture, sure, but the irregular veins that run through this beautiful stone are unmatched from one another. You could spend hours and hours sitting down working (or pretending to anyway!) and follow every unique pattern. Be it white Granite or any other variant, what you get with every piece is different from the other.

Durability

I mean, this is probably the first thing you think of when you think of Granite, right? But did you know the specifics? See, Granite is not unbreakable, of course, but it is pretty scratch resistant. On the Mohs Hardness scale, Granite lands on a strong 7, with Diamond being a 10. So realistically, nothing is ever going to scratch your granite countertop. If you are thinking, “Where can I get some right countertops near me? Well, look no further than SK Stones USA!

Stain and Heat Resistance

Heat resistance and Stainless surface are the number one reason it is used in kitchen countertops worldwide. Granite will do much, much better than most other materials when it is put up against heat. You might go through your entire life using a granite surface with heat and never notice a difference. Stains either never form, or they are easily washable if they do!

Disadvantages of Granite and Granite Countertops

Now let us into the meat and potatoes of the ‘bad’ points of Granite. Are they that bad? I will let you decide!

Granite Cracks

Granite can sometimes crack under pressure, both figuratively and literally! Even though it is easy to fix, getting a chip or crack anywhere on a granite surface is a huge hassle and not something you think about when buying the stone. It can get cracks from heavy objects falling onto it and chips when something collides from odd angles. The repair process can vary from easy to hard.

Granite Can Be Porous

As with anything, maintenance is the key to a long life. With Granite, this usually takes the form of having your countertops resealed on an annual basis. I recommend confirming that the surface has been appropriately sealed upon purchase, so this does not become that considerable problem later. Considering how much granite countertops cost, you should always keep a note of this.

Not Quite Seamless

Since Granite is extracted from the earth as-is, getting it to a custom fit can be pretty tricky at times. Usually, more than one slab is used for something like office countertops. This means that while it will look amazing, you might have seams in the mix, which might not be to your liking.

Those were some of the advantages and disadvantages of Granite! Want to know more? Have an in-depth look at the difference between Granite and Marble!

ADVANTAGES:

• Granite slabs are unique
• Very visually appealing
• They add value
• Very durable
• Heat resistant
• Stains resistant

DISADVANTAGES:

• They can be porous
• They are more easily to crack
• They are cold to lean on

 

Read More: Porcelain vs. Granite Countertops: Which are the best?