From Vancouver to Vaughan, granite countertops have been the go-to choice for kitchen and bathroom renovation projects for years, and it’s easy to see why. For durability, ease of maintenance and pure, simple class, granite is in a class of its own where building materials are concerned. When it comes time to remodel that tired, old bathroom or kitchen, it’s the natural choice, in more ways than one.
Because this popular material is referred to just by the one name, you may think that “granite” refers to a very specific stone. If so, you may be surprised to learn that granite comes in a huge variety of types and colours, ranging from pink to black, with various levels of luminosity and sparkle.
For centuries, builders have turned to granite to form the basis of remodelling and construction projects, a fitting role for it to take, since its solidity, density and strength are forged from the core of the earth itself.
Forged by history
Granite is a type of stone known as igneous, one of three terms of classifying rock types. Igneous rock, unlike sedimentary or metamorphic, has an ancient, powerful and violent past. Starting out as red-hot magma (or lava), granite is formed when the chaos and drama of volcanic activity finally ebb away and the ground begins to cool once more. As it cools, the minerals in the rock form crystalline structures, swirling and mixing to allow the chemicals to combine to give it a specific colour, tone and pattern. Once fully cooled and hardened, it is strong enough to withstand enormous pressure and dense enough to be the paragon of durability and resiliency.
Once coaxed back out of the ground by expert miners, each slab of granite holds within it eons of geologic history, tracing back to the time of the dinosaurs and maybe even beyond, to a time when the very ground we take for granted was just being formed and shaped.
Little wonder, then, that you’ve heard so much about how no-nonsense granite is to deal with in the home. Incredibly durable, amazingly easy to clean and maintain and breathtakingly beautiful, granite countertops and accents bring a little bit of the history of our planet right into your kitchen or bathroom.
A long past, and a long future
As lengthy a past as granite has, it can also have a significant future, providing astounding durability anywhere you put it. Hard enough to stand up to the punishment of regular kitchen or bathroom use, and all it takes is a soft cloth and warm water to clean it and getting the shine and glimmer back to as good as new. Even for tougher messes, a little soapy water does the trick and is all you need.
With rich variety, beautiful colours and tones, a solid history and a bright future, the choice of building materials should be obvious: for your next home renovation project in Vaughan, granite countertops are the way to go.