Helpful Information About River Green Granite

River Green 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 River Green 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 River Green. 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 River Green and how to take of it.

Why River Green 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. River Green 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 River Green.

A colorful garnetiferous gneiss with greenish quartz, spots of reddish garnets, and blackish-colored streaks of ferromagnesian minerals. Undetermined provenance & age.

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

What River Green Granite Is Made Of

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

River Green Properties

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

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

Installation of River Green Granite

It is nice to be able to just go and pick out your River Green 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 River Green 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 River Green the fabricator will make use of some particular tools.

One of the tools that a granite professional will most likely use for installing River Green is a cartridge glue gun and glue cartridge. These are valuable pieces of equipment when it comes to River Green 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 River Green smoother and more effective.

How to Care for River Green

There are some basic care requirements involved with owning a River Green kitchen countertop. It is a natural surface and it is very durable. And although it is very durable, keeping it looking its best takes a bit of regular care. This care comes trough a couple of channels. Each of the following plays an important role in caring for your River Green Granite surface.

Sealing River Green 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 River Green 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 River Green 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 River Green 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.

River Green Cleaning

Besides keeping your River Green 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 River Green 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 River Green, 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 River Green

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

River Green 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 River Green 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.