Granite is a natural igneous rock found on the earth’s surface and even below the crust. That being so, mining of the stone has to take place during its extraction. The material has applications in the construction of residential homes and commercial buildings.
Just like diamond, granite comes in various levels of quality. Factors such as thickness consistency, hardness, hairline cracks, pitting, level of edge polishing, water content and graining determine the quality rating of a granite countertop.
When shopping for a granite countertop, reputable dealers of granite countertop, Kansas City will tell you that it is important for you to carry out the selection process in person. This is due to the simple reason that granite has thousands of variations, which depend on its place of origin and type.
Taking your pick from a picture on the internet may seem convenient but in the end it may not augur well for your kitchen or bathroom. This is because it is hard to pin point pattern variations that you may not like from a picture. Apart from the place of origin and the type of granite, other factors also account for the many granite variations. These are transportation and fabrication means as well as any other treatment that the granite undergoes before reaching your kitchen countertop. Understanding these factors is invaluable in the selection of high quality granite for your home.
The simple fact that granite is a type of mineral that occurs naturally means that it is hard to manipulate or control its appearance. You cannot therefore, judge a good granite countertop based on uniform grain pattern or color. This is the principle reason why you will find many granite countertop, Kansas City companies selling the granite in slab form as opposed to tile form. The bottom line is that even the highest quality granite will still vary widely in terms of appearance.
How then do you arrive at a definite rating for a granite countertop? Very simple, just be on the lookout for non-natural factors such as the thickness of a particular slab. The mining of granite takes place in big blocks from the earth before slicing into slabs and lots takes place. When shopping for granite, make sure that the slabs are from the same lot. This ensures uniform thickness and consistency of patterns, dots and veins. Thickness consistency is especially an important hallmark in determining good granite artisanship.
Be on the lookout for the smallest of cracks (hairline cracks) as these reduce the durability of your granite slab significantly. Before cutting, professional granite countertop, Kansas City will select a granite slab based on its consistency and smoothness. As such, cracks reflect poor artistic judgment on the part of the dealer.
Granite countertop in Kansas City has the highest rated granite slabs for kitchen and bathroom countertops. Please feel free to visit Midwest Marble & Granite for more information on granite countertops.
