Fun & Fast Facts on Granite

Most everyone can appreciate the intrinsic attractiveness of a granite countertop but beyond knowing that granite is a rock, what exactly is it? Here are a few facts that might just help you win your next game of Trivial Pursuit:

• Granite is widely distributed in the Earth's crust and is made of a crystalline structure.
• It is an intrusive igneous rock meaning that it solidified moderately from magma under the Earths surface.
• If the magma had made it to outside and then cooled, it would be an extrusive igneous rock and would possess smaller crystals.
• Granite can consist of many separate minerals especially feldspar and quartz which are stronger than steel making granite one the strongest rocks.
• Depending on the specific mineral composition, granite can range in color from pink to white to gray and black.
• The texture of granite is thought about by its rate of cooling prominent granite producers are Brazil, Italy, India and China.
• The sarcophagus in the Great Pyramid of Giza is made of red Aswan granite.
• Many Hindu temples in India are made of granite.
• Certain types of granite are radioactive and consist of 10 to 20 parts per million of uranium.
• The odd sport that is ordinarily only seen on the Olympics, curling, utilizes granite. The stones that slide down the ice are made of granite and have been since 1750.
• Granite is perfect for rock climbing. Many artificial climbing systems are designed to mimic the bodily properties of granite.

After reading that list, your brain should be alive with knowledge! As touched on above, granite is also perfect at adding attractiveness to your home. It is ordinarily used for countertops but can also be used for fireplace surrounds or floor tiles. Granite's attractiveness stems from it capability to be highly polished and from its uniqueness. Since granite is a natural product, no two stones will be selfsame resulting in countertops or other adornments to your home that are truly original.

Granite works well in the home as it is very durable and is highly difficult to scratch or break when installed properly. Additionally, unlike a laminate countertop it can never be worn through. You have likely seen unsightly brown or black sections on laminate countertops where the outside stop has been worn away over time. This is naturally not a qoute with granite.

Hopefully, these tidbits have helped you appreciate granite and given you the capability to look like a genius the next time you are chatting at a party over a granite countertop. Certainly, starting a conversation off with "you know, this countertop is approximately 70% silicon dioxide" is a sure fire path to winning friends and popularity!