Posts Tagged ‘Granite’

Increase Your Workspace with Granite Worktops

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Today granite is widely used for making various utilities of our houses. Granite can be used in bathrooms to make vanity tops or showers. It can also be used to build table tops and other free standing furniture. Granite worktops have become the ultimate in interior decoration as they give a certain style statement.

They not only add a certain grace and elegance to your house but also make it efficient. Granite kitchen islands are widely used today not only because of their beautiful looks but also because of the benefits that they offer over usual counters. As granite is an igneous rock it can readily resist high temperatures. Temperatures as high as 2000K have no effect over granite.

Further it is also used in bathrooms and kitchens as it is extremely hygienic. Granite has a crystalline structure which leaves very little space for existence and growth of harmful microbes. Though granite might seem very sophisticated it is rather extremely durable and easy to maintain. It is generally resistant to most stains and can be easily cleaned with just a wet cloth hence increasing its utility as a countertop.

Granite kitchen islands also serve a very important purpose of increasing your workspace. More workspace means more working convenience in the kitchen and hence granite is an all time favorite. Granite also comes in a variety of colors and textures which allows a person to choose a style that reflects his own character. Hence the emotional value of granite is also very high.

The most usual granite colors are emerald, brown and white but the beauty about granite is the availability of a variety of textures and colors. Each place where granite is found yields a different type of granite having a unique texture and unique blend of colors.

You can choose the texture and color of your choice from a large variety. Each person has a different taste for colors and hence for people looking for something very unique and just according to their taste to decorate their houses, granite is just the perfect choice.

Certain granite colors are more suited for using in bathrooms and some are just perfect for tiling your floors and walls. For example emerald is most suited for making sinks and tiling walls of bathrooms whereas brown is generally used in kitchens. Therefore one must pay due attention to the color they choose.

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Natural Stones and Their Uses

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Stones have been used by mankind since ages. Their use can be prominently seen in historical monuments. In fact their use their use becomes even more prominent as we go back in time. Today also natural stones are of great importance to man and rather it can be said that now even more number of applications of these stones have been discovered.

Stones like quartz (sandstone), marble, granite and pumice are widely used today for various purposes. These stones are used for construction of houses, for the constructions of bridges, pavements, buildings and decorative showpieces as well. This varied use is a consequence of the fact that they are found in various forms.

These different forms have varying strengths, different textures, and different physical and chemical properties. They are also found in a variety of colors. Let us take a look at the various properties and uses of some of these stones.

Granite is a widely used stone due to its durability strength and beauty. It is very smooth and shiny and hence adds a grace to the things made out of it. It can be used to make kitchen worktops, other countertops and furniture as it is completely scratch resistant and also very easy to maintain.

It is also extremely hygienic due to a very compact crystalline structure. Such a structure does not allow bacteria to hide. It can be very quickly and easily cleaned by just water. It is also used to build kitchen counters due to its heat resisting character. This is property it has due to igneous origins.

Quartz or sandstone is generally used for making bricks. It is extremely hard but on the other hand its rough nature prevents its use in making furniture. But in recent times a new trend of using polished quartz stone for making luxury worktops has started. In fact some of these counters are costlier than the granite ones. It is also extremely easy to maintain and clean.

Marble is one of the cheapest of stones used for tiling, making decorative showpieces and sometimes also for making furniture and countertops. Though it is cheap it is no less in beauty than granite and sandstone. Its milky white color is loved by all and hence it is most commonly used stone for making showpieces. It is not widely used for making worktops due to lack of strength and durability.

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The Different Accessories in Granite Fashion

Friday, March 6th, 2009

The functional and aesthetic measure of any living area can be improved upon with modern and creative designs.

Granite slabs look beautiful with their rugged looks and they can be used for the outdoor décor as well. These outdoor granite slabs are made from specialized form of epoxy resin and it is used for fabrication by many manufacturers. Granite slabs are the best choice for outdoor barbeque. These slabs are available in various shapes and sizes. They also add elegance and natural beauty to the living spaces. Granite stones are considered healthy for the base of kitchen countertops and for outside barbeques.

Fireplaces are integrated as design elements of the living space. Granite fireplaces add sophistication and elegance to the ambience. It is a perfect material for fireplaces because of its durability and its resistance to heat exposure. It is also used as tiles for countertops, garden furniture, bathroom tiles etc. Skilled craftsman can also redesign and enhance the feel of the fireplace by adding new designs and patterns. Granite is also resistant to abrasion, acid and alkali attacks. The mantles of granite fireplaces shine more when they are simple. Granite fireplaces are appreciated for its superior quality and classic styles. These can also be made from granite tiles paired with other materials. Granite is usually available in shades of black, gray and beige. However with the latest development in technology, granite is now available in shades of red, green and white.

Granite also makes a perfect material for bathroom vanity tops. Granite vanity tops are long lasting and durable, water resistant and easy to clean. Installing a vanity top adds strength in both performance and notable design feature of your bathroom. Granite vanity tops increases the aesthetic appeal and it also creates a rich and royal look to the bathroom. These vanity tops can be generally designed in terms of color, pattern, size and shapes. Installing granite vanity tops can transform the entire outlook of your home.

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History of Natural Stone Applications

Monday, January 19th, 2009

The history of natural stone applications dates back to sometime around 5000 years ago. In fact the time span is so long that it is not at all easy to comprehend standing at the edge of twentieth century. Ancient men used natural stone as their weapons and later on, after being civilized they learnt other usages of stones. There are quite a number of monuments, pillars, ancient statues and temples which were made of natural stones and all of them are standing boldly without a trace of fracture or crack. The designs carved on these stone statues might have faded away with the natural decaying process executed by the air, water, rain etc but the strength of the stature is retained perfectly. It shows that the natural stones are the most durable elements and ancient people knew it very well.

In Egypt, you get to see the world famous Pyramids which are all made of natural sand stones available in plenty in the country. In fact the historians believe that Egyptian civilization was the first to prepare stone architecture. Granites and lime stones are widely used in their structures. The “Great Pyramid of Cheops” was constructed in 2560 BC and is still alive with all its grace and beauty. Huge stone blocks were used to prepare these large structures. The outer portion of the pyramids use the yellowish lime stones wherein the interior features usage of granites. The blocks are fitted so perfectly that not a ray of light can enter inside the pyramids.

Though Egyptians are considered the pioneers in application and carving the natural stones, the Greeks were no less than them. They created many aesthetically pleasant stone statues and temples in their territory. But Greek sculpture mainly features marble stones which were polished to show ultimate off grandeur. “Temple of Artemis”, Statue of Zeus is few of the best stone works by the Greek architects. The comparatively newer Greek monuments include Theseum, Parthenon and many more. They still make the visitors spellbound with the natural shine and beauty. IN fact they lead the way of using stones at home. In ancient Greek household they started making pools, small statues etc with marbles.

The Roman stone work features the usage of both marbles and granites. In fact the strength, endurance and durability of the granite stones inspired them to use it for building roads. The columns of the houses and constructions, walls of public baths were all made from granites. But they adored marble stones for its beauty and splendor. They invented the technique of covering brick buildings with marble stones and this is in practice till date. The Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is carved from milky white marble stone. The Chinese wall is also made from natural stone. Till date the natural stones are used to decorate the rooms of regular household and hold preference over synthetic stones.  For understanding  on natural stone and synthetic stone, click here.

It shows that the popularity of natural stones like will remain unaltered always not only because they are durable but also for their pleasant appearance. Get the best quality marble, granite and limestone in the  Bay Area California at Marble City Company

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