Granite is a stone widely used in construction as a coating and decorative element because it has high strength and is not susceptible to stains. It is widely used in countertops, sills, walkways and can also be used as flooring or walls, bringing much sophistication and elegance to the home.
When choosing the type of finish, the stone and the installation, many questions arise. So we've selected a few tips that will help you in that choice, starting with the six types of granite finish (polished, levigated, brushed, sandblasted, and flamed) and then going on to talking about granite stone types and waterproofing.
Granite is an igneous rock formed by three minerals: feldspar, mica and quartz. It is a material with low porosity, so it absorbs little water—the amount of water can vary from color to color. The granites have a mixed look, as if they were several small compact pebbles.
Already marble is a metamorphic rock composed mainly of calcite minerals and has a more uniform coloration (without the granite pebbles
) with well defined veins. It is a less resistant material and more porous than granite, staining more easily if it is not waterproofed.
Granite is extracted from nature in large blocks and sliced, as if it were a loaf of bread. After having the product in slices, the process of finishing begins, being the most common of them is the polished one.
Granite with polished finish passes a long polishing process until the sheet shines on its own. It is flat and well sleek, widely used as flooring in dry environments such as rooms and bedrooms and in countertops. It has easy maintenance but is also quite slippery.
The levigado finish is also flat, but not so sleek when polished. To obtain this, it is necessary to sand the part with abrasives until it is smooth and without any scratches.
If we compare the granite to the porcelanato, the polished porcelanato would be the polished granite and the porcelanato levigado would be equivalent to the satiny porcelanato.
This finish leaves the stone with a satiny and silky texture and a bit more non-slip than the polished, so it is ideal for BBQ area flooring, gourmet space and other environments that are not wet.
To achieve a non-slip granite floor, the stone receives a jet of sand that leaves it rough. It has a rougher finish than the levigado and less than the apicotado or the flamed.
This finish is less common, made with small beats of a tip (as if it were small hammers), that leave the surface full of mini holes, making it non-slip. Usually this finish is used in small bands on the polished granite in order to make the floor non-slip.
Most aggressive finish of all, is done through the thermal shock of water and fire, making the appearance of the stone quite rustic and with a sandy touch, reminiscent of marble.
As we speak of white granite, we must always remember that the bottom
of the stone is white, but that it has grains of other colors in it. There is no natural white stone, the closest thing to that is the marble. However there are already artificial stones that are totally white, but their cost is high compared to natural stones.
Among the white granites, Itaúnas is one of the most used granite colors for bathrooms and kitchens because it has very small pebbles
in soft tones, which makes it very uniform. However, it is one of the most easily-stained stones, so it is advisable to waterproof the granite after it is installed. Learn how to do this at the end of this post.
Below are some types of granites that have their white base:
The lighter stones, mainly White Itaúnas granite, are more porous materials and susceptible to water absorption, so they need to be properly waterproofed. The best waterproofing is done by professionals after the granite is already installed, but it is possible to do it yourself with the right products found in building materials stores.
For more inspiration, here are https://www.homify.in/ideabooks/924543/7-stunning-colour-combinations-for-indian-living-rooms