You have decided to install granite countertops in your home. You visit different stores and identify a few slabs you like but you aren’t satisfied with just any slab—you want the best of the best. How can you tell the quality of granite? You wonder.
To help you out, here are some of the things you should look out for to tell the granite quality:
Appearance
How does the slab look like? Like you can tell a quality piece of clothing, you can tell a quality granite slab.
On first look, how does the stone come across? Are there cracks, scratches, chips, dings, or discolorations on the stone? If they are present, the stone is most likely poor quality, and you should stay away from it.
You also should pay attention to is the size of the slab. A good quality slab should not exceed 1 mm in length and breadth. The thickness tolerance shouldn’t exceed 15% of the actual thickness. If buying the stone for construction work, ensure the slab is at least 15-20 mm thick.
The next thing to look out for is the color of the stone. It should be uniform and the slab should have a homogenous crystalline texture.
You can check the color by rubbing the stone with a cloth dipped in petrol or kerosene. If the cloth brings color, artificial color must have been used, so stay from that slab.
On tapping the stone, it should give a clear ringing sound. The slab should also be hard, sound, and dense. You can check how hard the stone is by pressing it with a hard object. If chips split from the slab, get a new slab.
Polishing
The polishing and cutting quality will help you know the quality of the stone. A quality granite slab should have one face properly polished and the edges straight and perfectly at a right angle.
Scrape the surface with a coin and if the coin leaves scratches, the polishing is poor quality so stay away from the stone.
Check for porosity
Granite is a natural stone and is naturally porous, but manufacturers work hard at reducing the porosity of the stone so most high-quality slabs will have shiny and less absorbent surfaces.
You can test the porosity of the stone by dropping 3-4 droplets of lemon juice on the granite surface. If the slab absorbs lemon juice quickly, granite has high porosity and not well maintained by the manufacturer.
If lemon juice leaves a white stain on top of the granite surface, it means it has a high calcite level, which is a sign of a poor quality stone.
A good quality slab shouldn’t have high porosity. It also shouldn’t stain easily.
You have found a quality slab, what next?
Once you have done your due diligence and ensured the stone you have is high quality, the next step is to take the piece of slab home and see how it looks in your house.
Plenty of homeowners have reported installing countertops, then regretted it as they didn’t like how they looked after installation. Don’t be one of these homeowners.
You might like how a slab looks at the store but when you get it home not like the look. This is because the kitchen has different design, lighting, and other factors.
To be proud of your installation, take the slab you like to your home and see how it looks there. If you don’t like the look return it to the store and get another.
When it comes to installation, don’t hire any contractor you come across. Research and find experienced and certified granite countertop installers Raleigh. The professionals will expertly install your countertops and seal them to prevent stains from developing in the future.
Installing the countertops isn’t enough—you need to take good care of them. At least once a year, ask the contractor to reseal the surfaces so they are stain proof. You also should clean the surfaces regularly to keep off dirt and other debris that might stain the surfaces and give them an off-putting look.
Finally, don’t sit or stand on the countertops as the countertops are known to crack under the extra weight. After all, they aren’t a sofa, are they?