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How Can You Tell the Difference Between Real Granite and Fake Granite?

Since the late 1980s, granite has been one of the world’s most popular countertop materials. Natural stones grew in popularity as costs fell and began to be quarried worldwide. Previously, granite was a stone that only wealthy homeowners could buy. Thankfully, granite countertops can now be found in countless kitchens and bathrooms worldwide.

What makes granite so popular?

Granite has various properties, making it the preferred stone in the construction industry. Granite excels all other materials in aesthetics, strength, and durability, providing unrivaled value to residential and commercial users worldwide.

Appearance

Granite comes in a variety of visual features, including spectacular grains, gorgeous veins, and color patches. This property is unique to granite, and no other construction stone offers such a wide range of aesthetic possibilities.

Durability

Granite’s durability is another factor contributing to its popularity. Granite is one of the most potent natural stones. Granite is a good countertop material due to its durability and ability to withstand kitchen demands.

Maintenance

Finally, granite countertops’ popularity stems from the ease with which they can be maintained. Although you must maintain the counters, they require significantly less maintenance than other countertop options.

You only need warm, soapy water and a mop for daily cleaning. Even though you must reseal the surface, you only need to do it once a year. Sealing requirements vary per granite type; however, the stone does not need to be resealed as regularly as many other natural stones.

While granite is a popular stone countertop material, faux granite is another option worth considering. While there is nothing wrong with faux granite, many companies try to sell faux granite countertops as real granite, and this is wrong as it can result in you getting scammed. To avoid getting duped, you should keep your eyes out for the faux granite and be able to tell the difference.

What does “fake granite” mean?

The term “fake granite” refers to countertops that try to replicate the elegance of actual stone. Various countertop materials may be made to seem like granite, including engineered stone, laminate, and painted counters.

The good thing is that if you are keen, you can tell whether the granite you want is real or faux. Some of the things you need to look out for include:

Cost

In general, granite will cost a couple of tens of dollars per square foot. You should be wary if you come across a stone that claims to be granite at a much lower price. If the stone is less expensive than what is available in the market, you are most certainly dealing with faux granite, and if this isn’t what you are looking for, you should stay away from it. If the “granite” is inexpensive and not a forgery, it is almost certainly of inferior quality.

Pay attention to the appearance of the granite.

This could be the most challenging part. Because faux granite countertops are designed to seem like granite, you may not notice the difference at first glance. However, several characteristics of the appearance indicate that the granite is artificial.

If you see that the slab has the same pattern throughout, you are not looking at genuine granite. Granite is a natural stone; thus, there will always be some faults. Furthermore, each slab of granite is distinct due to its natural origin. Even slabs from the same quarry will have variances.

Test for porosity

Testing the porosity of the granite is a simple approach to determine whether it is genuine. Natural granite is porous and will absorb spilled water (unless freshly sealed). However, faux granite would not be permeable. Apply a modest amount of water to a small area of stone. If the water absorbs within a few minutes, you have actual granite that has not been sealed.

However, if the water does not absorb, the granite is likely a fake. This granite will only be genuine if it has already been sealed, which is unlikely given that you must often seal it yourself. In any case, you ought to be suspicious.

Tap the surface

If you lightly tap the rear of the surface with a small hammer, authentic granite should make a ringing noise. Fake granite, on the other hand, produces a slight click sound. If the stone makes the latter of the two sounds, you know it’s not natural stone.

Check the seams

Natural granite countertops will have seams anywhere on their surface. Once you’ve located the seam, examine it closely. If the pattern on the other side of the seam is somewhat different, it is most likely genuine granite. However, if the pattern is identical, you have faux granite. Finally, the surface is most likely faux granite if there is no seam.

Tricks to reduce the chances of buying the wrong stone

To get the ideal results, you must buy the right stone. To increase the chances of buying the right stone, you need to ensure that you are buying the stone from the right store. Before committing to making the purchase, you should do plenty of research beforehand and confirm that the store you are looking to buy the stone from is reputable and has a proven record.

Another thing you should do is to avoid looking for the cheapest deal in the market. As much as you shouldn’t spend all your money on a countertop, you shouldn’t try to buy the countertop stone at an extremely low price. This is because, you are most likely to attract scammers who might try to sell you substandard or fake stones for an ultra-low price.

The right thing to do is to research and find an average amount you should expect to pay for your stone.

Parting shot

Investing in genuine granite countertops for your home is never a waste of effort or money. However, it is critical to shop carefully to avoid purchasing faux granite countertops Ralegh if you don’t want them.

You can reliably identify natural granite countertops by following the abovementioned guidelines and making a wise investment in your house.

5 Things You Should Know About Faux Granite Countertops

If you love the look and feel of real granite but can’t afford it, you should try out faux granite countertops. These countertops are almost identical to the real expensive and elegant stone, but cheaper.

They are made by applying a primer and a few paint coats in multiple layers. Once the paint has completely dried, the manufacturers apply multiple layers of sealant to provide a protective layer.

Are you considering installing the countertops? Here are 5 things you should know about them:

You have a few installation options.

When installing the countertops, you should know that you don’t have plenty of options or transformations to play around with.

One option involves applying a contact paper-like product to a completely smoothed and cleared surface. Here you need to measure, cut, and carefully apply the material of choice to the countertops, then smooth it into place.

You can also use primers, sponges, paintbrushes, acrylic paints, and epoxy. This process involves painting the look of granite onto the countertop. To achieve ideal results, you need to get involved, have a keen eye for detail, and invest a lot of time into the project.

You can do the installation by yourself or hire a professional to help you out.  Obviously, you are better off hiring a professional as they tend to do a better job.

Although, you are limited to the installation methods, faux countertop installation is an easy project to execute.

One of the most important things you should do is have a clear idea of how you want the countertops to look like once you are done.

The fake countertops look similar to the real stone.

Many homeowners are cautious about installing fake countertops as they have the impression they will give their kitchen counters a cheap look, but this isn’t the case.

As long as the countertops are carefully and professionally installed, they will look the same, if not better, than the real stone.

To ensure the countertop maintains the look of real granite, have it installed by experts. Remember that some contractors say they are experts while they are not. To avoid making the wrong choice, take time when hiring.

Interview a few contractors while comparing their experiences and expertise.

While you can easily replace the countertops when they get damaged, it’s wise to protect them from damage. This saves you money and, at the same time, keeps your countertops looking spectacular.

When cutting vegetables and other items, always use a chopping board. You should never cut directly on the countertops. You also shouldn’t place hot items directly on the counters. Instead, use a hot pad or placement to protect the surfaces.

When it comes to cleaning, use mild non-abrasive cleaners. Clean the faux granite counters gently with a clean rag and a small amount of water in addition to the cleaner. When spills happen, wipe them away immediately.

Even with the best care, it’s common for scratches to come about. When they show up, buff them out with small baking soda rubbed into the surface with a soft cloth. For deeper scratches, consult your manufacturer on how to handle them.

You need to give tender and caring love to the countertops.

Since the faux granite isn’t as tough as the real stone, you need to give it more tender loving care. Remember, the countertop is more susceptible to cuts, burns, and scrapes, so be cautious when handling it. Use the tips we have given above to keep your counters in good condition.

Faux granite won’t last as long as a real stone.

Although the countertop’s durability depends on the installation and maintenance, there is no way the faux granite will last as long as the real stone. Thankfully, you can extend the countertops’ life to even several years by taking good care of it.

Again, use the above tips to keep your counters in the best shape possible.

You have plenty of colors and designs to choose from

One of the best things about the countertops is you have plenty of varieties to choose from. You get to choose the color and all the secondary colors you want, and feel will give your counters the look you want. As we have been saying, for excellent results, work with expert granite contractors Raleigh.