Helpful Information About Silver Plume Granite

Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume. 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 Silver Plume and how to take of it.

Why Silver Plume 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. Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume.

Unweathered Silver Plume Granite - pink speckled granite. Silver Plume Granite (a.k.a. Long's Peak Granite) - 1.42 b.y. granite composed of K-feldspar, quartz, biotite mica, and muscovite mica. This is an outcrop photograph from a roadcut along Trail Ridge Road (Rt. 34) in Rocky Mountains National Park.

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

What Silver Plume Granite Is Made Of

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

Silver Plume Properties

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

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

Fabricating Natural Silver Plume Granite

What goes into working with and fabricating Silver Plume Granite? Well, for most of us the project is bigger than we are equipped to take on. This is because Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume is much easier for them than it would be for a novice.

Even transporting Silver Plume natural granite can be a challenge for the average person. Even handy individuals and do-it-yourselfers could find moving a piece of Silver Plume Granite form point A to point B. Since Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume will require a specific formulated and colored granite glue. These are all supplies that fabricators are familiar with and even already have.

Silver Plume Granite Care

Even though Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume surface. Let's take a brief look at each of these aspects.

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 Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume surface includes periodically sealing the stone using a natural stone sealer. In the case of a Silver Plume 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.

Silver Plume Cleaning

Besides keeping your Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume 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 Silver Plume, 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 Silver Plume

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

In conclusion, granite surfaces like Silver Plume make very durable surfaces for the home and can ber a challenge to install yourself. Having your Silver Plume Granite countertop installed by a professional with the proper tools and equipment will yield the best results. Additionally, how you care for the surface after the installation will go a long way toward years of performance from your Silver Plume kitchen countertop surface.