There is no other stone so luxurious and prestigious for surfaces in the home, office or commercial establishments as granite. It is as durable as it is beautiful. It won’t burn from hot pans, scratch from the sharpest knives, is stain resistant and cleans up like the first day it was installed even after years of use. Surprisingly, there are many different shades and textures of granite so it is suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, hotel lobbies, side tables as well as coffee tables and vanity units. The possibility for different granite colour has expanded because of the availability of granite from mines all over the world. The colour depends on where it is quarried and what chemicals are in the earth where is formed. Granite is a texture of different crystals packed tightly or loosely together and when machine polished has a depth and clarity that is unmatched in any other living stone.
Dark coloured granite is generally less porous than light coloured granite. If you choose a light color you may need to have it heavily sealed. You can test the how porous the granite colour you like is with a few drops of lemon juice. Squeeze a few drops on a sample of your granite and see how long it takes to turn darker under the juice. If it darkens quickly, the granite is porous and will need a strong sealant.
Some of the softer granites are from Spain, Italy, Brazil and India. From Italy there is Bianco Sardo white with grey and black markings and Rosa Beta white with gray, black and pink/peach features. From Spain there is Rosa Porrino pink granite with black and white markings and Azul Platino, a light blue with white and black markings. Brazil has Giallo Imperial which is gold with black markings and red spots, Giallo Veneziano, gold with black markings and Giallo St. Cecilla, light gold with black markings and red spots. From India there are many soft granites of gold, red, green, light brown, dark brown, ivory, pink all with white and black markings. Even from the same quarry, granite colour can differ but there is a large selection.
Gold granite from Brazil has an especially luxurious look and contrasts well with dark wood or painted cabinets. Green granite varies a lot. From Norway it has blue tints while from India it has gray and rose tints. Red granites are the rarest granite colour available. It is highly prized in China and is quarried there as well as coastal Africa and Brazil. Burgundy is a darker form of the red with brown, grey and black as secondary colours and brown is very popular for worktops because it is strong, easy to find and elegant with light wood or painted cabinets. Because granite is a natural stone, colours may vary from different quarries and countries. If you are looking for a particular granite colour it is good to find as many samples as you can before you make a decision.
Black is the most dense and strongest granite colour. It is quarried in countries all over the world including Italy, China, India, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Angola among others. Any black granite may be called Nero Absolute no matter where it is quarried, so if you want something specific you need to know. The top quality is very expensive and comes from India, Africa and China. Black granite is the most elegant and becomes the focus of any room. It suits any décor from minimalist to Mediterranean and will look elegant in a hotel lobby or a side table in a foyer. All granite has texture because it is tightly packed crystals but some black granite looks solid. Some has amazing silver chips that shine like the night sky.
Depending on how much use the granite worktop gets, it will need care and cleaning over time. Especially light porous granite colours will need resealing. This can be done by a professional to keep the luxurious look of your natural stone surfaces. The cost of granite has come down considerably over the years because of its availability. There will be a colour that you love in a price range that will fit your budget. Please view our extensive selection of granite colours.