Helpful Information About Baltic Brown Granite

Baltic Brown 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 Baltic Brown 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 Baltic Brown. 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 Baltic Brown and how to take of it.

Why Baltic Brown 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. Baltic Brown 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 Baltic Brown.

Rapakivi granite from the Precambrian of Finland. Baltic Brown Granite is a variety of rapakivi granite called wiborgite, characterized by having large K-feldspar spheroids rimmed (usually) by greenish plagioclase feldspar. Wiborgite is composed of K-feldspar, plagioclase feldspar, quartz, biotite mica, and hornblende amphibole. This rock comes from the Wiborg Batholith (a.k.a. Wiborg Rapakivi Granite Batholith, Wiborg Massif, Vyborg Batholith) in the Baltic Shield (Fennoscandian Shield).

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

What Baltic Brown Granite Is Made Of

As with most natural granite, Baltic Brown 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 Baltic Brown Granite slab give it some qualities that people are drawn to. Some of these qualities translate into practical properties for daily use and care.

Baltic Brown Properties

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

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

Installation of Baltic Brown Granite

It is nice to be able to just go and pick out your Baltic Brown slab and then patiently wait until it gets installed in your kitchen or other space. However, there is a significant amount of work and skill that goes into a good Baltic Brown Granite install. Granite professionals invest in powerful equipment and tools to be able to take a slab of rock and formit into a kitchen countertop. For the installation of a slab of Baltic Brown the fabricator will make use of some particular tools.

One of the tools that a granite professional will most likely use for installing Baltic Brown is a cartridge glue gun and glue cartridge. These are valuable pieces of equipment when it comes to Baltic Brown Granite installation. Other tools that you will likely see during installation if you are there when it is installed are seam setters, support brackets, and carry clamps. These are just some of the granite installation tools that make the work of installing Baltic Brown smoother and more effective.

Baltic Brown Granite Care

Even though Baltic Brown Granite surfaces are durable and tough, to keep the natural beauty for which you invested in the surface, a plan for taking care of the stone will be necessary. There are two main aspects of caring for your Baltic Brown surface. Let's take a brief look at each of these aspects.

Keeping Baltic Brown Sealed

Your Baltic Brown surface will arrive with a sealer applied to keep it from readily absorbing liquids. Sealers are applied to natural granite because of the porous nature of natural stone. Maintaining the sealer on your surface is the first way to care for it. Baltic Brown Granite benefits from periodic testing to see if it needs resealed. every so often, 6 months to a year, simply put a few ounces of water on the surface to see if the stone is "thirsty". If the slab readily soaks up the water, then it is in need of being sealed.

There are a number of natural stone sealers available for all sorts of materials. If you are sealing a kitchen countertop, we offer a food safe stone sealer designed for use on surfaces that come into contact with food. Again periodic testing of the surface will reveal how much sealer it needs.

How to Clean Baltic Brown

Another aspect of caring for your granite surface is to use a cleaner formulated for use on natural stone. Baltic Brown countertops and other surfaces are natural stone and sealing them is only one part. Not every household cleaner is made for use on natural stone. In reality, some cleaners actually break down natural stone sealers. So to maintain the seal that you are replenishing every-so-often, be sure to use a natural stone cleaner that will not degrade sealers. This is true of all sorts of natural stone cleaners. Let's look at some basic ones now.

One type of natural stone cleaner is the daily cleaner that is designed to remove the spots, smudges, and food residue that inevitably ends up on your Baltic Brown kitchen countertop. Another type of cleaner that is not as frequently needed is a stain remover. If your sealer breaks down and and an oil based liquid or a water based liquid gets into the pores of the granite, you may need this type of cleaning agent. These products are formulated to draw the stain out of the stone. But once again, keeping the sealer replenished on the stone reduces the need for these types of stone cleaners.

About Maintaining Baltic Brown

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

Baltic Brown Granite is a unique natural stone that will result in your design being truly unique. Your kitchen or other area will not only be appealing, but it will also be functional. Additionally, how you care for your Baltic Brown surface will play a role in how long it looks its best. However, for the best results, the install will most likely need to be handled by a professional fabrication company.