Helpful Information About Blue Eyes Granite

Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes. 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 Blue Eyes and how to take of it.

Why Blue Eyes 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. Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes.

All of the lightish to darkish gray material in the polished decorative stone surface shown here is labradorite - every crystal will flash bright blue when tilted at the correct angle in the light. This expensive decorative stone comes from the Ten Mile Bay Quarry, near the town of Nain along the Labrador coast, eastern Canada. The quarry exploits the Nain Anorthosite (Nain Plutonic Suite), a mid-Mesoproterozoic intrusion (1.29 to 1.35 billion years) emplaced along the Abloviak Shear Zone.

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

What Blue Eyes Granite Is Made Of

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

Blue Eyes Properties

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

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

Fabricating Natural Blue Eyes Granite

What goes into working with and fabricating Blue Eyes Granite? Well, for most of us the project is bigger than we are equipped to take on. This is because Blue Eyes is such a hard material that ordinary tools aren't the best suited for working with it. For example, just drilling a hole in a Blue Eyes kitchen countertop slab will take a diamond core bit designed to cut through rock. Stone fabrication professionals have all this equipment. Therefore, the project is not only easier for them, but they have more experience actually working with granite. So, cutting, drilling, and installing Blue Eyes is much easier for them than it would be for a novice.

Even transporting Blue Eyes natural granite can be a challenge for the average person. Even handy individuals and do-it-yourselfers could find moving a piece of Blue Eyes Granite form point A to point B. Since Blue Eyes is heavy, it requires more than one person to move, lift, and adjust it. That doesn't even take into consideration the material handling equipment that one needs to transport it. Additionally, installing Blue Eyes will require a specific formulated and colored granite glue. These are all supplies that fabricators are familiar with and even already have.

What Goes Into Caring for Blue Eyes

Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes countertop or other surface looking its best takes a little bit of care from the new owner. Caring for Blue Eyes happens in a couple of main ways. These ways are what we will look at next.

Sealing Blue Eyes Granite

You may have heard that natural stone needs to be sealed. You also may have heard that you need to check with the fabricator to find out. Both of these statements are true. One of the two main ways that you can care for your Blue Eyes surface is to periodically reseal the surface using an appropriate stone sealer. There are many kinds and we even offer a stone sealer that is food safe for kitchen countertops (both indoors and outdoors). Keeping up with resealing your Blue Eyes surface helps protect it from oil and water-based liquids that could get into the pores and stain the surface.

Resealing a granite countertop is not a difficult task and it does not have to be done all that often. It all depends on how much wear and tear the surfaces experiences through household use. About every 6 to 12 months it would be good to do a water test on the Blue Eyes surface. This simple test lets you know how absorbent the stone is at that time. The test is easy. Just put som water on the stone in various places and see how fast it absorbs the water. The more absorbent, the more needed the sealer is.

Blue Eyes Cleaning

Besides keeping your Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes, 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 Blue Eyes

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

Blue Eyes 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 Blue Eyes 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.