Lustro Italiano > Kinawa

Photo provided by James St. John under the Creative Commons 2.0 license.

Helpful Information About Kinawa Granite

Kinawa is one of the names of granite you will find in our gallery. This is one of many different types of natural granite that people use for kitchen countertops and other surfaces. As with most granite, there are some specific features that Kinawa possesses. Additionally, there are some traits that make this granite unique. In this article, we won't go into too much detail about the unique qualities of Kinawa. We will mention some brief comments about the composition or the visual appearance or both, but the majority of this article will talk about working with Kinawa and how to take of it.

Why Kinawa Granite

One of the first things to contemplate when considering any granite surface is why people choose it. There are many reasons people select natural granite for kitchen countertops. Kinawa Granite has many of the benefits that virtually all natural granite offers. It does however, have some characteristics that make it what it is. And like many other stone surfaces knowing a bit about the composition can be helpful. The following quote was taken from the description of a photo written by a geologist about Kinawa.

An Archean-aged migmatite from Brazil. It formed about 2.72-2.75 billion years ago by metamorphism of an older precursor rock (protolith) that dates to about 3.00-3.38 billion years. This migmatite is quarried in the southern São Francisco Craton of southeastern Brazil. It consists of quartz (gray), feldspar (white), and mafic minerals (black).

In addition to those basic comments, many other important facts about Kinawa are helpful to be aware of. We'll consider some additional helpful information about this remarkable natural stone.

What Kinawa Granite Is Made Of

As with most natural granite, Kinawa is a composition of primarily natural quartz and/or feldspar. It can contain other materials, but the main minerals are those in most cases.

The minerals that make up a Kinawa Granite slab give it some qualities that people are drawn to. Some of these qualities translate into practical properties for daily use and care.

Kinawa Properties

One of the big advantages of natural granite over other hard countertop surface materials is that it is very hard. Materials such as Kinawa Granite are scratch resistant because of the hardness of the material. Kinawa is also heat resistant. Unlike some engineered stone, granite can resist heat and does not burn or discolor.

Kinawa natural granite is also very unique. Not just unique from other stone, but it is also distinct from other Kinawa slabs. Choosing your specific slab is encouraged since each stone can vary one from another.

Working With Kinawa Granite

Granite fabricators are no doubt familiar with suppliers that offer Kinawa and can help you find some slabs from which to choose your personal favorite. Fabrication professionals are the way to go for many natural granite enthusiasts. If you are looking for a Kinawa Granite slab, a stone fabrication shop could prove to be a very advantageous choice. This is because they are experienced in working with natural stone and have probably even worked with Kinawa. Which takes not only know-how but the proper equipment.

There are some important tools that fabrication professionals need if they are to work with Kinawa Granite. One piece of equipment that stone professionals need is a saw with the horsepower to run a diamond blade. Not only the saw, but also the granite blade is an important tool for a fabrication pro. Kinawa is a hard material and having a blade that can cut it makes the finished project look its best; not-to-mention how much easier the project is when you have professional grade equipment and tools.

What Goes Into Caring for Kinawa

Kinawa natural granite does benefit from a bit of TLC. True, granite is a chunk of a mountain, which makes it sound virtually indestructible. But don't forget that granite undergoes some treatments before it is installed in a kitchen, bathroom, or other part of the home. So, keeping your Kinawa countertop or other surface looking its best takes a little bit of care from the new owner. Caring for Kinawa happens in a couple of main ways. These ways are what we will look at next.

Maintaining the Seal

Even before your surface arrived in your home it was being given treatments to prepare it for the "day in, day out" wear and tear that comes from normal household use. One of the treatments the surface underwent was an initial sealing. Granite slabs get sealed to make them less absorbent. Natural granite is porous. And some Kinawa Granite slabs are more porous than others. So slabs get an initial sealing to help them be more resistant to water-based and oil-based liquids that can penetrate the pores and stain them.

One of the parts of caring for your Kinawa surface includes periodically sealing the stone using a natural stone sealer. In the case of a Kinawa Granite kitchen countertop, you may want to choose a food safe granite sealer designed especially for eating surfaces. Treating the surface when the stone begins losing its repellent nature is the first part of the two-pronged care process.

Kinawa Cleaning

Besides keeping your Kinawa surfaces and countertops sealed properly, you will also need to use some cleaning techniques designed to yield the best results in your overall maintenance program. In so doing, you will find that there are a couple of aspects to cleaning Kinawa surfaces. The first aspect of cleaning granite is the everyday cleaning tasks. This kind of cleaning would include wiping up spills, splatters, and crumbs from the surface of the stone.

When daily cleaning is being performed, the best cleaner for the job is a pH neutral cleaner. Why us a pH neutral cleaner for natural stone? Because these cleaners do not break down the sealer. Some cleaners will simply remove the sealer that you use to treat the surface of the stone. When this happens it is as if the surface was never sealed in the first place. So, using the appropriate cleaner will retain the benefits you gain by using a natural stone sealer.

In addition to the daily cleaning of Kinawa, and particularly in the event that your sealer has been worn down or dissolved, you may find that you have to remove a stain of some sort. When this happens, you will need a different kind of cleaner. There are a number of specialty cleaners that are formulated to remove specific kinds of discolorations. These kinds of cleaners are often referred to as stain removers. Depending on the kind of stain or discoloration you have, you will need a remover made for that particular substance.

About Maintaining Kinawa

It really just boils down to putting together a regular routine of cleaning and sealing your natural Kinawa Granite surface. Once you get the routine into full swing, it just becomes second nature. A good routine for maintaining natural granite, including Kinawa, basically involves the following:

  • Use a pH neutral cleaner to keep the sealer from breaking down and clean any debris from the surface.
  • Reseal the surface of your granite surface when it gets "thirsty"*.
  • Using a fortified stone polish periodically gradually maintains the sealer on the surface of the natural stone.

As with many other project types, Kinawa is a natural stone that is best fabricated and installed by a professional with both experience and the right equipment. And once the material is installed and initially sealed, maintenance is needed. As we have seen, Kinawa Granite is not a chore to maintain if the proper products are used in the proper manner. Doing so effectively will no doubt provide you with years of performance.

* A thirsty granite stone is one that quickly absorbs water resting on its surface. Simply put a tablespoon of water on the surface of the stone. The faster the water is absorbed, the "thirstier" the stone is.