-- Optional Product Category -- CarpetCountertop SystemsHardwoodsLaminatesMarbleMosaics & TrimPallet Pricing - Save 15% - 20%SlateSpecialsSuppliesTile - CeramicTile - GraniteTile - Granite SecondsTile - PorcelainTravertineTravertine Tumbled

Q&A
		Granite
Description: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GRANITE For what purposes can I use granite tiles? Granite tiles can be used for any application including kitchen countertops, tiling floors, wall tiles, fireplace surrounds and hearths, shower enclosures and commercial applications. Some people have even used it to tile their garage and show off their exotic sports cars. There is no end to the usefulness of granite tiles. How do I keep it clean? Immediately after the surface is installed use a sealer such as silicone (or even a good car wax) and apply liberally. This should be done approximately once every six months. Although granite has an extremely low permeability it is possible to stain. Try to wipe up all water and especially all wine or liquids with higher acidic values. The acid will tend to etch the polished surface over time. How hard is granite? Granite typically has a hardness greater than steel. Can I have a bull nosed edge? Yes. You will need to have this done professionally as it does require specialized tools. Do I need grout joints similar to those used in ceramic tile? No. The granite is cut to exact specifications; therefore, it is preferable to butt the tiles together with no grout joints. Ideally, the finished surface should be as smooth as a sheet of glass. What is granite? Granite is an igneous rock made of many different minerals including: quartz, orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars and hornblende. The clear minerals are quartz, the pinkish to flesh to brown colored minerals are orthoclase, the white are plagioclase and the black are hornblende. There are also many other minerals which give granite its unique and exotic looks, some of these include: Labradorite, a blue mineral; Microcline is green; Mica is the shiny, silvery mineral; garnet is the glassy red mineral. Are all tiles granite? No. Even though all tiles are marketed as granite many of the tiles available are in fact from a different rock group including volcanic or intrusive rocks. A example of these tiles are the Almond Mauve and Absolute Black tiles. The characteristics of a good quarry stone are that it be massive and unfractured and hard, such as granite and volcanic rock.