If you&#;ve chosen granite countertops for any home improvement projects lately, you&#;ve made the right choice. Granite is known for its durability and resistance to scratches or chips. Plus, granite offers a sophisticated, modern look when used in a room.
Read more
If you haven&#;t made the leap to purchase granite, it&#;s time to do some research. There are different types, or &#;grades,&#; of granite. Each grade has its own benefits and drawbacks. It&#;s important to understand the elements of each grade to determine which is the best option for you. Choosing the highest grade, for example, will have appealing benefits as opposed to lesser grades.
What are the different grades of granite and why choose the highest grade?
There are three different grades of granite. There&#;s low-grade granite, mid-grade granite, and high-grade granite. Grade is determined by factors including color, veins, marking, thickness, pitting, soft material, and where the granite was quarried.
There&#;s no need to be overwhelmed by the different routes you can take. Each grade of granite offers its own appeal. By the end of your research, you&#;ll know exactly which grade is right for you.
Identifying Low-Grade Granite
Low-grade granite, also known as Level 1 or &#;Entry Level&#; granite, is typically considered &#;commercial&#; or &#;builder&#;s&#; grade. Entry level granite is typically prefabricated and commonly used in apartments, either for remodels or new furniture.
Low-grade granite comes in thinner cuts, typically about 3/8 inch, and typically needs some plywood to back it. Level 1 granite has a basic structure, with an average design and colors. Entry level granite is usually imported from China and then sold through granite liquidators.
How to Spot Mid-Grade Granite
Mid-grade granite has a thickness of roughly 2/4 inch. The overall visual appeal of mid-level granite is elevated compared to the entry level granite. There&#;s more interesting design. Mid-grade granite is typically imported from India or Brazil.
High-Grade Granite Wins
High-grade granite, also known as Level 3+ granite, is usually the highest quality appearance-wise. Granite can have up to 6 or 7 levels and is generally imported from India/Brazil and has a thickness of at least ¾ inch.
Though high-grade granite can be more expensive, remember that granite can add a level of sophistication for your project, especially because the higher the grade, the more elevated the appearance of the color, design, veining, etc.
Related Questions
How Can You Tell Quality of Granite?
Granite grade can be determined by different factors. The size of the granite slabs and thickness can hint at the level. The slabs typically come in squares or rectangles, depending on the consumer&#;s request. The dimensions of the slabs typically don&#;t exceed 1 mm in length and thickness.
Granite&#;s color is typically uniform, with a crystalline appearance and overall blended appearance. The slab should be quite dense and hard. If you press a hard object against the slab, there should be no scratches or chips.
You can check the polishing quality and the quality of the cut. At least one of the surface areas should be properly polished. This would be the side you want to appear on the countertop or for whatever project you&#;re doing.
There are a few other things to check for to confirm the quality of your granite. Check the diagonal of the slabs. They should be uniform and measure the same length. The top layer of the slab should be straight and without scratches, cracks, and chips. There shouldn&#;t be any holes in the slab.
You can check the color by rubbing a kerosene or petrol-dipped cloth on the slab. If the color transfers onto the cloth, then the color is likely artificial. In addition, check the porosity of the slab using 3 to 4 drops of lemon juice or citric acid on top of the slab.
If the slab absorbs the juice rapidly, the granite has a high porosity. You can deduce the slab is low-quality. If the droplets leave a white stain on the slab, you can conclude the slab is low quality. Basically, if the slab reacts to the droplets in any abnormal way, you&#;re not dealing with high-grade granite.
Summary
Overall, there are various options for granite depending on your budget, style, and availability of the product. Whether you want something basic and affordable or sophisticated and high quality, you can pick between 6 to 7 grades of granite. Of course, if you want a stunning, crystalline texture, you should pick the highest grade of granite, it&#;s worth the investment. But regardless, granite is a worthy investment for your project.
Wisconsin Granite Design can help make your countertop dreams come true. Our expert natural stone professionals have installed countless of kitchen countertops throughout our great state and will help make the process of choosing a countertop for your kitchen or bath remodel easy.
Our designers are happy to meet with you to discuss your remodel project, and our vast selection of countertop materials ensures that you will find the perfect countertop solution. We specialize in granite, marble and quartz and offer customized, budget friendly designs and installation. Call us today for a Free Design Consultation!
Table of Contents
Granite is the most popular choice for homeowners when it comes to their countertops making it a high demand and luxurious item in any home. There are so many options when it comes to choosing the right countertop for your home. Not only is the visual beauty of granite important but also the quality. The cost of a piece of Granite does not always mean it is high-end granite. A rarity in the color and pattern as well as the country of origin plays a large role in the quality and cost of granite. The thickness of the slab is also very important when it comes to granite being high-end.
What makes Granite High end?
There are four main factors that make granite considered &#;high-end&#; size of the slab, rare patterns, vibrant colors, and origin of the stone. One of the rarest types of granite the world is Van Gogh Granite known for its aqua blue and mint green color with burnt orange veining. Since the combination of blue and red granite specifically is so rare in nature it is the most expensive.
For more information, please visit Zhouxing.
[get_quote]
What is Granite Graded?
Unlike other industries granite does not have a standard for the quality grading system. Granite is given its &#;grade&#; based on the retailer's standards. There are generally three levels of granite which include commercial/ builder-grade granite, Mid-grade granite, and high-quality granite.
Commercial grade granite tends to be softer in minerals and has less variety of colors than mid-grade or high-quality granite. Commercial grade granite consists of the most common and accessible granite such as Santa Cecilia, New Caledonia, Venetian Gold, and Black Pearl.
The distinctions between the different grades of granite are all pretty similar in physical quality. High-quality granite is marked as such due to its rarity. High-quality granite usually has rare patterns and most vibrant colors. Since granite is a natural stone every piece is unique. In some cases, high-end granite is the only of its kind. The most unique granites are Blue Pearl GT, Lava Jewel, Blue Bahia, and Van Gogh granite.
Where does Granite come from?
Granite is a natural igneous rock. It takes hundreds even thousands of years for granite to form in underground volcano chambers. It forms slowly during a crystallization process of magma. Granite is made of mostly quartz and feldspar but also includes small amounts of other minerals.
Granite is mined from the earth since it is an igneous stone. The place where granite is mined is referred to as quarries. Granite is extracted from the quarries and then transported to facilities where it is cut into slabs. Those slabs are then shipped all over the world to different fabricators. Next, the slabs are cut into home surfaces and installed creating breathtaking home designs. Granite is mined from many different places all over the world.
Most of the granite sold in the United States is from Brazil, India, and Canada. High-end granite is rare and harder to get it typically comes from Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Italy, and Greece. Granite can also be found here in the United States.
On average how much does Granite cost?
Granite typically retails anywhere between $35- $75 per square foot and goes up from there. The cost of granite is determined by thickness, appearance, porosity, and country of origin.
If you are looking for the cheapest possible option it would be a builder/commercial grade slab. High-end granite will always be at the higher end of the price spectrum but will be better both in quality and eye appeal.
How should I install high-end granite?
You will need a professional to install your granite countertop for you. You should not attempt to take on the job yourself. Having a professional do the job can prevent any chipping or minor damages happening when the countertop is being installed.
What is the most expensive granite?
Overall, you will find that the most expensive types of stone are red, purple, and blue granite. Various types of blue granite, like Azul Aran and Blue Bahia granite, are in the high-end of the price range. The most expensive type of granite is Van Gogh granite. This is because these slabs are highly desirable, yet very rare.
Factors to Consider when purchasing granite:
Granite Thickness
The ideal thickness for counters is at least 1 to 1 ¼ inch. The thinner the slab the less durable the surface will be. The thicker the granite the higher quality it is considered to be. High-end granite is minimally 1 ¼ inch.
Granite Appearance
It is important to check out the appearance of granite before purchasing looking for any imperfections such as natural stress marks, scratches, and chips. When looking at samples it is important to remember no cut of natural stone will eve be identical.
Granite Porosity
Porosity is another factor that is very important to consider when purchasing granite. The porosity of granite impacts the way you care for the stone and how much sealant it will require. Granite is a porous natural stone, if it is not properly sealed, the liquid is able to penetrate and damage the surface. The good news is that there is an easy fix to this problem granite countertops are able to be sealed which will prevent damage to the surface of the stone.
Granite Durability
Granite is a very durable resistance to scratching, cracking, and chipping. Granite is also one of the most heat resistant countertop materials. A properly installed and sealed granite countertop will look like new for an entire lifetime under normal use and proper care. Granite usually does not require re-sealing.
[get_quote]
Marble vs Granite
Next to granite Marble is the second most popular choice for homeowners when it comes to their countertops. With the trend of all-white kitchens on the rise, it leaves consumers questioning the difference between the two. When comparing price marble slabs retail for about $100 per foot and go up from there. Granite generally retails around $35 to $75 per square foot making it much more affordable. Marble requires more upkeep and maintenance than granite because marble is very porous and requires re-sealing once every few months. Overall, high-end Granite is more durable and affordable than Marble. No matter what material you choose for your home both marble and granite are beautiful show-stopping stones that are guaranteed to transform your space from ordinary to extraordinary.
Why you can trust Marble.com
Why you can trust Marble.com
When it comes time to get the job done, our fabrication and installation teams have the equipment and expertise it takes to get your project cut and delivered the right way, every time. We at Marble.com are known for our incredibly quick turnaround, as we understand having countertops and other mainstays installed quickly and properly is important to our customers. We value your time, and our goal is to create the best work possible and have you enjoying it as possible.
[Total:
52
Average:
5.0
/5]
You must be logged in before you can vote.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Custom Granite.
Comments
Please Join Us to post.
0