A granite tile countertop for your kitchen or bath will give you the highest quality stone material you can choose for your home or office. Granite comes from hot magma and is one of the hardest and strongest natural materials, second only to diamonds. In fact, diamonds are used to cut and polish granite.
Granite countertops are not easily scratched. They will not blister or crack; they can withstand hot pots and pans being placed directly on them. They are stain resistant, waterproof and inhibit the growth of bacteria and molds. Their polished surface makes them excellent for rolling out pastry dough. They are easy to clean with mild soap and warm water. In addition, they are cost effective because adding granite to your kitchen will increase the value of your home.
Granite slabs are the most expensive for your stone countertop. The entire countertop must be purchased at the same time as granite has unique patterns that cannot be duplicated and therefore need to be purchased in one block from the same quarry. They are extremely heavy and the cabinets have to be reinforced before installation. These slabs are extremely durable and can handle almost any abuse.
A granite tile countertop is much lighter and thinner than a granite slab. This is a big advantage when doing a home improvement or renovation project as the tiles can be installed with the same simple preparation as any ceramic tile installation. It still has many of the advantages of the granite slab, such as durability. It is far superior to ceramic tile in terms of cracking, staining or being bacteria resistant.
Best of all, a granite tile countertop is about a third the price of a granite slab. Installation is much less as well. Someone handy can even install the tiles themselves with the same ease as with ceramic tile.
When choosing a granite tile countertop, you will still enjoy the natural stone beauty and uniqueness of granite that is mined in places all around the world, such as Africa, Brazil and Europe. Each quarry and area of a quarry will have patterns unique to that region. Granite tiles are packaged and sold to compliment each other.
Sample kits are offered by many manufacturers to take home, examine, and coordinate with your home decor. Granite used to be sold from dark quarries in colors of dark greens, grays, blues and blacks. Various lighter shades have been made available since the popularity of granite began in the late 1990’s. Colors are now available in shades of white, beige, brown and red. When using tiles, you can make a design within your granite tile countertop.
Granite tiles will maintain their natural beauty and vibrancy just as well as granite slabs. As with all granite, it is sealed with an impregnating or penetrating sealer that is permanent and will withstand the test of time.