Installing Granite Kitchen Worktops? Weigh in these Pros and Cons!

Granite has always been considered a sturdy building material owing to the gradual compression of silica, feldspar, quartz, and other minerals for centuries. Recognised by its unique whorls, flecks, and veins, this sturdy natural stone is found in uninterrupted, sprawling deposits spanning several hundred square kilometres. While its historical use dates back to the red pyramid of Egypt built in the 26th century BC, the biggest modern-day application lies in granite worktops. Especially popular in UK kitchens, granite is the finest natural worktop material with profound advantages over other natural and engineered worktops. Also, contrary to common opinion, granite is available in a lot more colours than the common beiges, browns, reds, and pinks. Depending on the mineral composition and crystallisation process, granite can be white, blue, green, yellow, cream, gold, grey, or black.

Advantages of Granite Worktops for Your Kitchen

Not just for a new kitchen blueprint, but even for homeowners keen on revamping their kitchens to add value, granite is the best choice. Here are some noteworthy advantages of granite worktops:-

1. High Resilience– When compared to marble worktops, granite has an overall higher tensile strength and hardness. Dragging kitchenware on the surface or placing knives carelessly is bound to make immediate scratches on a soft stone like marble. But the hard crystalline structure of granite makes it resilient to etching, denting, and cracking. However, being a natural stone, you should avoid placing unduly heavy objects on it.
2. Unique Aesthetics– Because of the crystallisation of different minerals in various patterns, the visual captivation of granite is a class apart from other worktop materials. Every slab is one-of-a-kind and the crystallised patterns can be of various types. These include dense flecks, vivid spirals, cascading veins, sparkling crystals, pellucid swirls, luminescent speckles, and so on. Homeowners are usually stunned at the wide range of design and colour choices, suitable for everything from minimalistic to grandiose. 
3. Hard to Stain– Unlike marble worktops that are highly sensitive to even the mildest acids, sealed granite doesn’t absorb spills or get stained easily. When properly sealed, granite is non-reactive to most chemicals. Thus, you needn’t get perturbed if you accidentally spill some juice or coffee on your granite countertop. Even then, remember to wipe it as soon as possible for a long-lasting countertop.
4. Durable– Granite is naturally tough and impervious with a hardness reading of 7 on the Mohs scale. Although popular and pretty, marble lies far behind at 3. Hence, granite worktops are capable of enduring the daily grind of a busy kitchen for years at a stretch. 
5. UV-Resistant– Exposure to sunlight doesn’t fade the natural colour of granite to the extent that it does with other worktop materials. Overall, granite is UV-resistant and therefore suitable for installation in alfresco and outdoor kitchens. It requires occasional polishing after prolonged usage, but there will be no drastic colour fading.
6. Water-Resistant– As long as a good sealant is used, water and other liquids cannot permeate the surface of granite. It is a big priority for working kitchen surfaces where liquids spilling and wet wiping are frequent activities.
7. Easy to Clean and Maintain– No natural stone can be termed as zero maintenance. But granite is far easier to clean and maintain compared to marble, quartzite, and wood. Using a mild stone cleaner, warm water, and a microfiber cloth is enough to keep granite kitchen surfaces sparkling clean. Both hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can be used to remove stubborn stains from the surface.

Suitably Dealing with the Limitations of Granite Countertops

Every kitchen countertop material, natural or manufactured, has distinct pros and cons. As far as granite is concerned, the advantages far outweigh the limitations. Yet, understanding these limitations and knowing how to handle them is very important.

1. Porosity– No natural stone used in home interiors is non-porous. The same holds for granite. Despite being hardwearing and dense, the surface is prone to absorbing liquids. Therefore, granite has to be sealed at least once a year, or more as required.
2. Pricing- Although priced less than marble, granite is still an expensive countertop material compared to manmade porcelain, acrylic, or quartz worktops. Combined with the cost of resealing and occasional polishing, it is certainly not for low-budget households.
3. Installation and Repair- The innate bulkiness of granite slabs makes them difficult to install and repair. Homeowners can proceed with DIY installation for lighter synthetic materials but not for granite.

Conclusion

Assessing the pros and cons of granite worktops, it can be unanimously concluded that this gorgeous and tough natural stone is an excellent material. From rare, pristine white granite for chic urban kitchens and reddish-brown granite worktops for outdoor kitchens to mesmerising blue-green granite for flamboyant designer kitchens, the choices are exciting and endless. Granite worktops exude a timeless charm and physical longevity, making them a worthwhile investment to bolster the overall value of your house.