Granite "Why" Questions

From an early age we being asking "why" questions. The young child asks her parents, "why is the sky blue?" It is interesting that even when we become adults we still ask those why questions. Often times the answers are not so complicated that a full article is needed to answer granite why questions. Yet, you still need the answers. This page is a collection of "why questions" that are commonly asked about granite. You will find that often times the answers are not very complicated and can be expressed in only one paragraph. When the answer is more involved you will find a short answer and a link to an expanded answer that is in another article, or perhaps an entire article that answers the question. Let's get to the "whys" of granite.

Why Is Granite A Good Building Material?

Granite is a good building material because it is durable, environment friendly and is easy to care for. Granite is a natural stone that forms naturally in the earth and has ver appealing characteristics. However, there are also neutral shades of granite stone that seem to be preferable for exterior applications in architecture.

Why Do You Seal Granite Countertops?

Sealing countertops is often times recommended by or actually performed by the company that installs the granite. Additionally, resealing granite surfaces is recommended by installation companies as well. The resealing period varies with the company recommending the treatment.

Why Does Granite Need To Be Sealed?

Granite needs sealed because it is a natural stone and natrual stone is porous. The pores in granite can receive (or absorb) liquids and other substances. To make absorption slower and increase the time a substacne can sit on the surface without cleaning, sealer is applied to granite. This helps protect the surface. Granite needs to be sealed only periodically. If your granite was sealed at the time of installation by the company that installed it, you should not need to seal it for a period of time.

Why Are Granite Countertops So Expensive?

Expensive is a relative term. Some may not view the price as being "expensive". However, granite pricing is a result of the process required to get the surface to you, the customer. Also, granite is a natural material and as such, the demand for it is dependent on how much is being quarried and what the appearance of the material on hand is. Additionally, not all granite has the same look. So, some granite may cost more than others. Finally, granite is available in a variety of grades. So, some granite might cost more than others.

Why Not Granite Countertops?

Some may argue that there are reasons for not using granite. Yet we are of the opinion that a material can be selected for a number of reasons. So, our answer to the question, "why not granite?" is, "we don't know."

Why Why Is My Granite Countertop Cloudy?

There are a number of things that could cause a countertop to appear as if it is "cloudy" or "hazy". First, be sure that your surface is made of granite. Sometimes people use the word granite to describe various natural stone. However, "granite" is a specific kind of stone. This is important because some natural stones become cloudy from things that granite is not susceptible to. If however, your surface is actual granite, the cause could be water film that has built up on the surface. This can be cleaned off using a pH neutral cleaner like ours. Or, if the surface polish is wearing or has interacted with other substances it could be that a granite polish might restore the shine.

Why Does My Granite Feel Gritty?

There are various reasons your granite surfaces could feel gritty. First, natural granite comes in different grades. The quality of granite you purchased could be the reason the surfaces feels gritty. Second, there may be a substance that has gotten on the surface such as grout from the backsplash. If this is the reason, you can remove the substance form the surface of the granite. Remember, granite is a natural material that is composed of various minerals so variations, in texture are to be expected. However, there is a difference between natural variations and poor quality granite.

Why Is My Granite Countertop Rough?

Granite countertops are available with different finishes. For example, there are polished finishes that are smooth and shiny. Additionally, there are "honed" finishes that are more like a satin or matte finish. Finally, there are "antiqued" and "leathered" finishes. If your granite surface has one of those finishes it will most likely feel "rough". However, if you have a polished granite it could be a different cause, explained in a previous part of this page.

Why Does Granite Stain?

granite stains because of a variety of things that work together; a perfect storm, if you will. A number of things happen that contribute to a stain on granite. First, leaving water on the surface can stain it. If the water has minerals in it and it dries, the minerals can be left on the surface. Second, a substance that has a color different from the granite gets on the surface and either dries on the surface or penetrates the pores and dries. In this case the stain could have potentially been prevented by sealing the granite with an impregnating sealer. Whether the stain is inside the pores or on the surface, virtually all stains (with the exception of rust forming inside the stone) can be removed.

Why Does Granite Change Color When Wet?

Granite is usually sealed at the time of installation. If an impregnating sealer is used for this, a barrier is formed that causes water to bead up on the surface of the granite. However, as the sealer wears away (or if no sealer was applied at the time of installation), the water will be absorbed by granite and the stone will appear dark. In fact, this "water test" is how you determine whether it is time to reseal your granite countertops.

Why Is Granite So Popular?

Granite's popularity has to do with many of the things surrounding its natural composition and characteristics. The uniqueness of granite, its strength, and the durability of the natural stone are all contributing factors to it popularity.

Why Is Granite Better Than Quartz?

When talking about which material is "better" we are really talking about something that is subjective. However, some people feel that granite is better than quartz because it is composed of natural minerals. Quartz on the other hand has natural and synthetic materials in it. Additionally, granite is more unique than quartz. Since it is formed naturally, granite will stand out distinctly from all other countertops because of its random appearance.

As you can see, there are many "why questions" that get asked about granite countertops. Rather, about granite in general. This is not an exhaustive list of "whys", but it covers some of the important and most asked kinds of why questions people have regarding granite.