Granite Tile Basics

If you want to know all about granite tile encompassing the basics, key characteristics and the processing manner, this article will prove to be quite useful for you.

Granite is a natural stone that offers a wonderful alternative for interior and exterior design. The stone is beautiful to look at and practical to use. People love to install it due to its durability and classy look.

When it comes to the beginnings of this stone, you would be amazed to learn that granite is formed deep inside the earth due to the extreme heat and pressure applied by the atmosphere over thousands of years. The stone can be defined as an igneous rock formed due to the pressure applied to liquid magma between other layers of rock. Thereafter it cools and forms a layer of it's own.

The rock is amalgamated with various elements such as feldspar, mica and quartz. The cooling process is very slow. The suspended mineral elements inside the magma result into the crystalline look of granite. Granite is hard in nature due to the harsh origins and lengthy process that suspends several stabilizing elements within it. You can vouch for the durability of this stone.

As soon as the raw granite is removed from its bed, the first stage of granite processing starts and the stage is known as cutting. Here, the large portions of granite into manageable blocks. Thereafter, these blocks of granite are cut to size so as to utilize them as slabs and tiles with the help of wire saws treated with different types of durable abrasives such as sand, diamond and aluminum oxide.

High pressure water jets are also used to cut the granite in tandem with traditional wire saws. As soon as the process of cutting is accomplished, the stone undergoes three more processes that make them look like tile flooring or countertop slabs. The stone is polished on one side, calibrated and gauged.

Once the processes are over, the stones are ready to be used as tiles and slabs. Most commonly these tiles are used as kitchen installation and outdoor installation. The leftover granite tiles are used as cutting boards, coasters and fireplace surrounds.

If you want to care the granite tile flooring and countertops, the process is very simple. The stone is heat-resistant and works as worry-free countertop solution. You can use hot pots and plates on the surface of this stone directly. The granite tile is durable. However, it still requires your attention. You should consider the application of an appropriate sealant seriously. Consult a specialist to determine the variety of granite tile you want to install. The sealant acts as a protective coat for your granite tile. It protects the tile from moisture. You can purchase different types of cleaners and polishes to keep your granite tile free of dirt and scratch.

The Practical Benefits of Granite Countertops

Aside from its natural, timeless beauty, many homeowners are surprised to learn that there are many practical reasons to purchase granite countertops for their kitchen, bathroom, or home bar. This article will cover the overlooked, pragmatic purposes for purchasing granite countertops. Let’s get started.

Granite Countertops Add Value to Your Home

When your home becomes too cramped for your expanding family, or if you simply want to relocate, many people will put their home up for sale at some point in time. Most real estate professionals are aware that the installation of granite countertops will add value to your home. Meaning, granite counters should be viewed as an investment rather than an interior design indulgence. Professional home stagers also advocate about the positive financial benefits of having granite in your house. It’s a great selling point for those flipping houses as well.

Granite Countertops are Durable

While most countertop materials have to be replaced every-so-often due to normal wear-and-tear, granite countertops are incredibly durable and lasting. As well, maintaining granite counters is fairly easy too. Because of this, they have the potential to last a lifetime. Other countertop options, especially ones that are constructed from a wood-base may require replacement every 4-5 years. While imitation stone, or plastic countertops, will almost certainly depreciate in value during their lifetime, granite, if well maintained, increases the worth of your home.

Granite Countertops are Sanitary

Many people are surprised to learn that in addition to its beauty and durability, granite is also quite sanitary due to its intrinsic physical properties. Granite is much less porous compared to other countertop varieties, which can potentially harbor harmful bacteria. When compared to a wooden cutting block, or an artificial surface, for example, granite is much more sanitary. Simply sealing and cleaning it often with products like Superior Zero Ultimate Stone Sealer and the AGM Granite and Marble Countertop Cleaner will keep your granite countertop safe and clean.

Read more at marble.com

How to Clean Granite

Granite is a siliceous stone composed primarily of silicates, such as quartz, feldspar, and mica, which account for the colorful flecks and sparkling veins that make granite a favored finish for kitchens and baths. One of the hardest stones used in interior applications, granite has antibacterial traits and is naturally resistant to heat, water, scratches, and most acids found in kitchen settings.

When it comes to safeguarding granite surfaces, Mike Loflin, Industry Research & Information Manager at the Marble Institute of America, recommends:

Think about sealing. Sealing granite surfaces with an impregnating sealer supplies a protection against stains; sealers do not make stone surfaces stain-proof, but create surfaces that are more resistant to stains. Sealers in food preparation areas must be non-toxic and safe for use with food.

Devise preventative measures. Always use coasters under glasses, particularly those containing alcohol or citrus juices, and place hot dishes on trivets. Don't store staining items--such as cooking oils and oil-based cosmetics and creams--on granite countertops.

Protect against abrasive sand, dirt, and grit. Frequently mop interior floors using a clean non-treated dry dust mop. Minimize tracked-in dirt by placing slip-resistant mats or area rugs inside and outside entrances. If using a vacuum cleaner on granite floors, make sure that attachments and wheels are in tiptop shape; worn equipment can scratch granite.

Stay on top of spills. Immediately blot (don't wipe) spills with a paper towel (wiping spreads spills). Flush the area with a mix of water and mild dishwashing soap; rinse several times. Dry the area thoroughly with a soft cloth. Repeat as necessary.

Avoid harsh cleaners. Granites may contain trace levels of minerals that are acid sensitive, so don't use cleaning products containing lemon, vinegar, or other acids. Don't use scouring powders or abrasive creams or rust removers. Steer clear of ammonia, bleach, or cleaning products with solvents or caustics that could remove sealers. 

Read more at bhg.com

Quartz or Engineered Stone Pros and Cons

In our experience, Quartz or engineered stone is becoming more popular than granite for the following reasons:

1) Quartz is non-porous so won't mark like granite will
2) Quartz is and engineered stone (man-made), but contain 90%-96% natural materials (AKA Quartz crystals).

Quartz has colours, resins and other ingredients added for colour and consistency, making it an overall better looking materialProducersManufacturers of Quartz in the UK include Silestone, Hanstone, Caesarstone, Zodiaq (owned by DuPont)Are there differences between these producers that a homeowner would normally care about?Having a non-porous material in your kitchen is good for reasons of sanitation, since bacteria and viruses cannot penetrate into your kitchen counter top.Granite on the other hand can have a wilder and indeed organic feel to it. See below.PriceDepending on which company you buy your quartz from it can vary significantly of course, but generally engineered stone has a price point that is close to granite.

Some colors of granite cost much more, some much less, but engineered stone in general is about equal in price to a mid-range granite slab.Is there a difference in strength?Yes there is. Engineered stone much stronger than granite, while at the same time being easier to shape. Granite tends to be more brittle due to some parts of the slab being denser and having higher or lower iron content in relation to the natural amount of quartz in the matrix.

Drawbacks of quartz
The biggest complaint about quartz products is that if something does manage to scratch or somehow deface the surface of your counter top, it is almost impossible to repair. This is because engineered stones have a surfacing substance applied to them.With granite it is possible to repair a chip or fill a scratch and to cover your tracks by surface polishing the material. Afterward the repair can often be unnoticeable. This is something that is difficult or impossible with many engineered stones.

Drawbacks of Granite
Granite counter tops occasionally need to be sealed because they are actually porous. Also over time each color of granite will tend to shift (get one shade darker or lighter, change hue slightly) as it is mined from deeper and deeper in the Earth. So if you ever wanted to replace a piece or add to your job, the odds become increasingly thinner and thinner of finding a good color match, even of the same color.

Fire Up a Stone Fireplace

Stone fireplaces are an excellent addition to any home, inside or outside. Add to that the wide range of possible styles, installation methods, and builders out there to choose from, and it's hard to beat one of these fireplaces for any home.

Indoor Stone Fireplaces

 
You really can't improve on a good indoor fireplace. They provide warmth, light, and maybe more importantly, create a homey, comfortable ambience to any living area. Whether you prefer the rugged natural look of uncut stone masonry or the refined, elegant air of carved stone, there's a stone fireplace out there to meet your needs. For those who want a more contemporary and refined look, carved stone fireplaces and mantels made of everything from sandstone to limestone to marble, can turn an average living space into a graceful and impressive place to entertain guests or just read a good book.

If you like something more natural, there are fireplace builders who specialize in more rustic constructions, many of whom prefer to use natural stone gathered from the surrounding area in order to create a harmony between your new stone fireplace and the natural world your fireplace protects you from. When it comes right down to it, however, why keep a stone fireplace indoors in the first place, when stone construction is the perfect material for conducting a great outdoor fireplace as well?

The Great Outdoors

 
When you really sit down and think about it, there aren't many better places to enjoy a good fire than in your own backyard. Again, your personal preference will determine what type of outdoor stone fireplace will best suit your landscape and match your house and your personality. As with indoor models, refined and carved stone is an option as are more rustic and primitive constructions. Regardless of which direction you choose, a stone fireplace is the perfect answer for outdoor fireplaces. Stone is fire and weather resistant, making it an investment that will last a lifetime and give you countless hours of quiet, contemplative evenings or rowdy nighttime reveling.

Read more: homeadvisor.com

Selecting the Right Natural Stone for Your Project

Natural stone has been used as a material for home interior design for a very long time.  It is used for counter tops, fire places,flooring and for interior design components. However, to provide a long term of solution of all these items it is important to know how to select the right stone and materials for the job. This suggests that you need to think about solutions to potential problems of the materials being used for both exterior and also interior decoration.

Simply put, you ought to feel in one's bones integral attributes of the kind of stone you like and the problems which you could encounter with its use. These problems have got easier over the years to overcome. Many centuries ago natural stone was exposed only to manual work. Today we have many methods for its protection, including a longer life and easier maintenance.

Nonetheless, home repair or even improvement demand that you select the right natural stone for the decor and also know enough tips to stay clear of even mistakes in the future.

Hallways

Since it is the hall that we immediately see when we go into a house, we will start here. In this little, yet important room natural stone is typically used for walls and also flooring. As a rule, wall surfaces are not exposed to aggressive influence of dampness, mud, chemicals or chafing, therefore, any kind of natural stone ending up will be suitable right here. On the vertical surface areas both attractive aspects with harsh chips such as limestone, and smooth tiles will certainly make a desirable perception. Refined marble and also granite look specifically reliable.

There are fewer choices for flooring production: it is unreasonable to use stone with a permeable framework - it won't offer long life and will require excessive time for care. Granite is the undisputed leader among materials for floor tile. It is strong and wear-resistant enough; has a rich range of colors which allow it to combine it with any designer's choices.

Stone Appearance

Unique consideration ought to be provided to stone structure, since regular treatment as well as its intricacy depend much on the surface: whether it is smooth as well as refined or tough. Smooth surface areas are much easier to clean, but with the lapse of time they will begin to show wear locations of the highest use. It is a little harder to clean a harder surface area, since dust as well as mud get into the smallest crevices.

Natural stone care and cleaning products permit you to simplify cleaning: These safe cleansers are routinely applied on the tile and will significantly decrease the time for cleaning while providing the best result. By the way, the same fluids might be put on the wall surface tiles too.

If you like smooth floor tile (well-polished dark granite shows wall surfaces and also ceiling of the lighted hall like a mirror, giving the home extra splendor), use the anti-slip tapes. They are simple to apply, absolutely undetectable and supply an excellent outcome. Simply keep in mind to restore safety film from time to time.

Bathroom Design

Bathroom design as a whole is worthy of special interest concerning the selection of the right natural stone. Bathroom tiles, being frequently exposed to the influence of water and vapor. Eventually lime scale on its surface area and really high moisture may cause mold to appear. Definitely, there is a way out: in the first case use filters for water purification and also air conditioning, and in the second one - create greater air flow.

Caring for Marble Countertops and Vanity Tops

Daily and periodic care

Elegant, versatile and durable as it is, marble, like any other surface, needs conditioning, cleaning, care and maintenance to preserve its beauty and prolong its life. Because it is absorbent, marble need special care – it can stain with spillages like liquids or oil, and is sensitive to acids like citrus juices, vinegar or household cleaning chemicals, which can damage its surface. When used externally, it is vulnerable to acid rain or pollutants in the atmosphere, which erode and discolor its surface. But, taking care of your marble as soon as you install it will go a long way to preserve it, and save restoration costs in the long run.

• Prevention – the cure to marble damage
• Taking just a few precautions with your marble will mitigate, and sometimes eliminate any problems whatsoever:
• Use honed marble on the floor – it is more resistant to scratches.
• Avoid using polished marble in high traffic areas
• Placing non-slip mats or rugs at the entrance minimizes soiling from dirt on shoes
• Wipe anything that spills on marble immediately
• Use coasters under glasses or bottles
• Use mats or trivets to place hot items on marble
• Follow a daily and periodic cleaning routine
• Use clean mops and brooms
• Old vacuum cleaners will scratch your marble – avoid using them
• Change mopping water frequently during cleaning
• Always rinse using clean, warm water
• Allow floors to dry before use
• Always follow the directions on your cleaner and avoid mixing chemicals unless specified
• Use abrasives (nutshells, feldspar or silica, quartz etc) on honed marble only, and never on polished surfaces. Abrasives can cause scratches
• Avoid using chemical cleaners, acids like vinegar and limejuice, grout cleaners, tub or tile cleaners on marble. They will etch or dull the stone
• Try not to use wax on marble, as it makes it slippery
• Inspect interior and exterior tiles regularly and correct flaws straightaway
• Never use a mixture of ammonia and bleach for removing stains. The resulting gas is toxic and lethal
• Do not use hot water to clean spilt milk or blood, as doing so makes the stain worse

Cleaners for your marble

For best results, please do not use acid based household cleaners on your marble. Soapless cleaners and other neutral cleaners like specialized stone soaps are ideal, as they do not damage the surface. Mild phosphate-free, eco-friendly dishwashing liquids or powders, suitable detergents (PH 7 –neither acidic nor alkaline), or vegetable oil based soaps are also fine, as long as you rinse the soap off completely. Contact your stone dealer for more details.

Daily care

Floors

Sweep using a soft brush for polished surfaces, and medium bristles for a textured surface. You can also vacuum, as long as the cleaner is in good condition – worn vacuum can scratch your marble - to remove dust. Or dry mop every day, using a non treated cloth.

Kitchen counters

Ideally, granite is best as a kitchen countertop, because it is very hygienic and easy to clean. If you decide on marble, however, (it does create a very European feel) then honed (natural finish with no shine) is best, as it is easier to manage. You can scrub your honed marble counter using abrasives, bleach and soaps with a scouring pad without worrying about damage. Rinse well and dry afterwards using a soft cloth.

Read more at marble.com