Granite Tile
photo credit: avidtile
Before you invest in granite tiles, you may want to know a little about where they come from and how to care for them. For this, we have found a very informative article from a gent who is no slouch to diy. His insights into granite will help you to assess whether it is the right precious stone for your kitchen or bathroom, floors or countertops.
Granite Tile: Stone Cold Beauty
By Rob Jones
Granite is a decorative natural stone that is truly eye-catching, delivering a unique, classy look to any interior or exterior. Granite is as durable as it is beautiful, being one of the hardest substances on earth. Also, to the question of usage and longevity, with proper care, your granite tile project can last a lifetime, transforming a foyer, a kitchen, or even in an outdoor installation (provided you’ve chosen a non-slip, unpolished finish) into a key feature of a property. Granite tile flooring is, in many cases, the obvious choice for those interested in any kind of natural stone tile flooring or countertops material.
The origins of granite
Granite tile is often a feature in a residence or a commercial building, not only because it is visually impressive, but because of the auspiciousness of having a flooring material which literally took ages to create! Formed deep in the earth, granite is the end result of tremendous heat and pressure applied over thousands of years. Granite is an igneous rock that is described as “intrusive”. That is, granite is formed when liquid magma is forced between other layers of rock, where it eventually cools and forms a layer of its own. Here, it is fused with elements such as quartz, feldspar and mica among other trace elements. The cooling process is slow, the new layer of rock being shielded by the layers above and below where the molten magma had been forced. The mineral elements which have become suspended in the cooling magma define the crystalline appearance of this unique natural stone. Due to its harsh origins and the lengthy process that suspends so many stabilizing elements within it, granite is an incredibly hard surface. This is material you can trust for durability!
Granite at the Quarry
Once the raw granite has been removed from its bed, first stage in processing granite for the purposes of flooring or countertop slabs is cutting the larger chunks of granite into manageable blocks. These blocks of granite are then further cut to size for use as both slabs and tiles by means of wire saws which are treated with various kinds of durable abrasives, such as sand, aluminum oxide, and diamond. These saws are most commonly used with water as a coolant. Sometimes, high-pressure water jets are used to cut the granite in tandem with the more traditional wire saws. Once the cutting process has been completed, the granite undergoes three processes that make them recognizable as tile flooring or countertop slabs. They are polished on one side, calibrated and gauged. These latter two terms refer to the process of making the back of each tile or slab as even as possible, and the edges as square as possible respectively. Once completed, the granite tile or slab is ready to be shipped to site, ready for your installation.
Popular uses for granite tile for flooring and countertops
Granite tile, being a very versatile material, can be installed in a great many locations in a residential or commercial project. Some of the more popular uses of granite are halls and foyers. Because of their decorative appearance, the popularity of granite tile in these areas is far from surprising. Granite tile helps to create an ambience of professionalism, strength, and permanence when placed in the foyers and halls of an office building. In the home, a granite tile floor can make all the difference in creating a space that is characterized by a singular, refined beauty that complements the surrounding décor.
Further to this, granite tiles and slabs make a great countertop surfaces. Granite tiles are commonly used as highly suitable backsplashes that can add just the right accent to a kitchen installation. For an outdoor installation, on a terrace for instance, or a walkway, unpolished granite tile can add similar visual accent to a property as well as overall value. If you have leftover granite tile pieces after your installation is complete, granite tile can be cut to size and serve as cutting boards, coasters, fireplace surrounds, and a number of other uses limited only be your imagination and sense of practicality.
Caring for granite tile flooring and countertops
Given the hardness of granite, and the harsh origins that make it extremely resistant to certain types of wear, many of the things you would have to worry about with a lesser material is simply not an issue. For instance, many people choose granite for kitchen countertops and flooring because granite tile and slabs are highly resistant to abrasion caused by cutlery. Granite is also extremely heat-resistant, making it a worry-free countertop solution when it comes to hot pots and plates placed directly on its surface.
However, despite how durable granite tile is, it does require your attention in terms of care. One of the first things to consider is the application of an appropriate sealant. The choice of sealant may be determined by the variety of granite tile you’ve chosen to install, and where you’ve chosen to install it. Generally, a sealant is required to protect your granite tile from moisture, which is the most insidious enemy of any building material. As to the specific brands and varieties, talk to your local retailer or flooring expert about which one is the most effective choice with regard to your specific choice in granite tile.
Many of the other approaches to caring for your granite tile come down to common sense; clean up spills right away, keep your granite tile free of dirt and grit that can scratch the polish, and see about which types of cleaners and polishes are most appropriate to granite tile. Also, consider what you are prepared to do to maintain your granite tile surface. A level of commitment is needed in order to keep the sheen of the polished granite tile the same as it is when you first lay it down.
Granite: All this and brains too!
Granite tile and slabs are both a decorative and practical choice, making your choice of granite both a stylish and smart one indeed! Due to its hardness, its resistance to heat and other forms of stress, as well as the versatility which is offered by granite tile, you are making an investment that will add value to your property and one which will be the source of a tremendous pride of ownership. The production of granite has been millions of years in the making, made by the greatest manufacturer there is – the earth itself. For a lasting durability designed by nature that is stone cold gorgeous too, granite may be the best idea you’ve ever had!
Granite Tile Do’s and Don’ts
Here are a few things to think about when you are considering granite tile for your project:
Do:
Consider the area where you intend to install granite tile. Make sure that factors such as moisture levels, foot traffic, and slip resistance are carefully considered. Consider what type of surface is the best – polished, honed, or brushed (AKA flamed) are popular varieties in granite tile, each better suited to certain areas than others. Polished granite is great for countertops and low traffic areas, but often becomes slippery when wet. Honed flooring is more all-purpose, but may be considered less decorative by some. Brushed or flamed granite tile is most commonly used outdoors
Read all warranty information before purchase
Look into hiring a flooring tile professional to help you as working with granite can be very strenuous, due to its weight particularly. When in doubt, it’s always best to get experienced help
Inspect the whole batch before beginning an installation for possible breakage and any other issues, and consult your terms and conditions as to how to see about compensation, if any
Expect color variations in your batch of granite tile. Remember, granite is a natural material. Use these natural color variations found in your batch to your advantage. Get as creative with your layout as you can
Lay out all of your granite tiles in a dry run before applying mortar or other chosen adhesive agent.
Choose a sealant that best suits your choice in granite tile. Ask your sales rep or flooring professional about specific varieties and brand names
Initiate a cleaning and maintenance regimen; choose the appropriate cleaners and polishes based on experienced advice in order to make sure your granite tile retains all of its natural beauty
Don’t:
Install granite tile on an uneven, dirty or wet subfloor
Leave spills to sit on your granite tile flooring or countertops. It is important to avoid excessive moisture as this is what contributes to the wear of any building material. Also, liquids with an acid base are often culprits of stubborn stains
Allow dirt and grit to remain on the surface of your granite tile. These elements can affect the finish over time and take away from the natural beauty of granite
Use acid-based cleaners or other agents on your granite tile. This can be a major source of wear on your tile, cause stains to become permanent, and dull the finish as well. Avoid using any product your no sure about
Forget to thoroughly rinse your granite tile once you’ve used a recommended cleaner, or forget to change dirty water or solution which you are using to clean the tile
Use scouring powders, steel wool, or other abrasive materials to remove stains from your granite tile
Obviously this is not a complete list. Once again, one of the best courses of action to take to ensure that granite tile is the right choice for a flooring or countertop solution is to consult with the experts. This way, you are benefiting from years of experience which will allow you to avoid costly mistakes. It will also help to make sure that your granite tile will be as attractive and long lasting as it is meant to be with you as its best ally!
Rob Jones is Communications Coordinator with BuildDirect, a leading online wholesaler of building products. Rob writes articles for commercial contractors and DIYers on features, installation, and maintenance of building materials used in commercial and residential projects. These articles focus on materials such as flooring, decking, roofing, and siding, and other related topics.
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Granite is a form of igneous rock which was created out of magna. Magma or volcanic rock is very dense and hard and due to the extreme heat and pressure impacted on the magma, granite is formed.