Limitations of Granite
Its molecular structure renders granite very stable but rigid. It will not bend or flex in worktop thickness though granite is not suitable in long span applications.
Granite can have natural flaws, veining and irregularities and can never be fully guaranteed to remain consistent throughout the whole installation process.
With Granite breakages can and do happen in the process of manufacturing, if this be the case, delays can happen.
Granite is sawn into slabs from a 4m3 block, which weighs about 40 tonnes and cutting can take up to a week. This can reveal variations in the consistency and colour throughout the block.
Granite is difficult to work with and requires water cooled diamond tooling equipment, it is also very heavy. Its approximate weight is 30mm top 2.6m long x .6m = 145kg or 23 stone and it is sometimes is susceptible to blowing out. This happens when contact is made with the material whilst cutting. It is common in Granite with large particles. Granite is filled and sealed in the affected areas with epoxy resin to make sure that the stone is not left with any sharp edges.
From time to time, your Granite worktops should be re-sealed to prevent damage happening. This is more necessary in high use areas.
Although Granite is one of the least absorbent stone types, it can be stained by grease, nicotine, fruit juices, wine or coffee, any spills must be removed quickly from a granite worktop, if you delay this you could cause permanent damage to the material.
Hot pots/pans should not be placed directly on a granite worktop, use a trivet instead.
The size of slab is a real factor in selecting the total usable length of a Granite worktop. Approximately 2.8m is the largest work area that can be manufactured, this may be reduced dramatically if you require a cut-out, especially in granite types that have larger crystals.
Here are some important notes to remember about Granite…
When Granite worktops are installed, some tops may vary in colour. This may be due to the reflectors in granite moving in different plains, for example, ‘L’ shaped worktops in colours such as Emerald Pearl and Blue Pearl.
Due to the nature of granite, the thickness of work surfaces can slightly vary. We will try to keep this variation within a tolerance of ±2mm. Granite worktops are shimmed up with laminate packing, adjusting the thickness to suit each kind of installation.
The joins in Granite worktops are finished off with silicone sealant which is applied to prevent liquid seeping in.