Granite
For a kitchen that gets used every day, granite is the most forgiving natural stone. It takes a hot pan and lemon juice, and we can carve the sink straight into the worktop.
What we make
Mainly kitchen worktops, islands and the sink carved into the stone. On a 3 cm black slab, a carved basin means no silicone joint round a separate sink. We also do window sills, thresholds, outdoor steps and pool coping.
Common granites
In the trade, any hard crystalline stone gets called granite. Zimbabwe Black is actually a gabbro, even denser and less porous than light granites. Star Galaxy, the black with gold flecks, comes from India, as do Kashmir White and Steel Grey.
Weight and fitting
Allow 80 to 90 kg per m² at 3 cm. A 3 m by 65 cm worktop in black granite weighs about 160 kg. It arrives flat on a trestle and takes several people to carry, so before fitting we check the way in, door widths, a turning staircase, the lift.
Finishes
Polished keeps the colour deep and shows few marks. On honed black, fingerprints show more. Leathered, slightly wavy to the touch, hides fingerprints and limescale well. Outside, on a step or coping, we use flamed or bush-hammered, which grips in the rain and stands up to frost.
Its limits
It has little veining, so if you want one long vein across an island, granite isn't it. It's heavy for a table you move about. And some light granites contain iron that can rust outside, so we ask for the batch data sheet.
Care
Hot water and washing-up liquid. A sealer once a year on light granites, pointless on most blacks. White marks on polished black are limescale from the tap water, and a dry microfibre cloth deals with them.
Current slabs and offcuts are on the clearance page. To compare, see quartz, or call 07 45 20 76 39.
Frequently asked questions
Another question? Call the workshop: 07 45 20 76 39
Can granite take heat?
Yes, a pan straight off the hob is fine. We just avoid repeated thermal shocks near cut-outs, where the stone is thinner.
Does a granite worktop need sealing?
Light granites do, about once a year. On dense black granite the sealer barely soaks in.
Which finish for an outdoor step?
Flamed or bush-hammered. The rough surface keeps its grip in rain and frost.
Granite or quartz for a kitchen?
Granite copes better with heat and sun. Quartz gives plain colours and absorbs nothing, but its resin doesn't like heat.
Free quote
Send your measurements or a photo of the room and we will call you back. The quote costs nothing.