Granite

Granite is an igneous rock which has cooled slowly, allowing distinctive crystal patterns to form. These crystals are clearly visible to the naked eye. Most granites consist of three minerals which can be easily distinguished :

Quartz a clear or greyish ‘glassy’ mineral
Mica a soft black mineral which splits into thin flakes
Feldspar a mineral which occurs in a range of colours

Pink or white Feldspar is known as Orthoclase, while grey Feldspar is known as Plagioclase.

Granite is one of the oldest, most durable and most respected of building materials. Traditionally, it is the material chosen by both architects and engineers when permanence, enduring colour and texture combined with complete freedom from deterioration and maintenance, are prime requirements.

From a highly polished water feature or piece of street furniture to a hand cropped cobble or road kerb, granite is fast becoming the basic ingredient for some of the most dynamic, cutting edge projects in the world today.

Although granite is one of the world’s oldest building materials, it is also one of the most popular, used in contemporary designs. Each piece of granite is created deep in the earth from magma. It has a very dense grain which helps it endure the toughest of weather conditions whilst making its stain resistance one of the best in natural materials.

Granite’s strength and quality is unrivalled by any other building material, its versatility makes it a must for any sophisticated design. With finishes that include flamed, fine picked, honed, polished, chiselled, sawn and rough punched, the one piece of stone can be transformed to suit individual require-ments and design needs.

The broad range of colours on offer ensures the designer can be as vibrant or as subtle with the colour palate as desired. From off whites and silvers to black, reds, blues and greens, the choice is as varied as it is dynamic.

It is important to remember that when natural stone is formed it may have been infused with other minerals creating a patterned movement as well as colour. Different types of natural stone will vary not only in shading and veining from each other, but also from the initial sample. As a granite customer, do not expect uniformity, but rather to appreciate the everlasting and individual beauty of natural stone.

Please speak to one of our specialist team members about how or why you should incorporate granite into your design.