Sooner or later, when designing furniture, you come to the moment of choosing the type of worktop that will be used in them. In this area we will have to choose from a very wide range of products. Nowadays, countertops are made of many types of materials, starting from laminated chipboards, through wooden countertops, composite materials or stainless steel. This range of materials also includes granite, a quartz rock of natural origin. When properly treated, it gives you a granite worktops Liverpool, a luxury product that we will have the opportunity to take a closer look at today.
Granite kitchen worktop – general characteristics
Granite is a magma rock composed of quartz, orthoclaz, plagioclaz, biotite. It takes different colors from grey, through white pink, green, red to black. Its physical properties perfectly predispose it for building applications, one of them is to make kitchen worktops in these cases should be properly impregnated. As a very hard material it has excellent resistance to abrasion or drawing, another important feature is its total water resistance equal to that of composite worktops only.
Granite is also characterized by its resistance to high temperatures, accidental leaving a hot pot or pan on it will not leave any traces. A properly protected granite worktop is also relatively resistant to chemical reactions, but it is important to make sure that it is impregnated before use, because without this it can react to acidic or oily substances with a change in shade.
Visually, the granite worktops Liverpool look very solid and elegant, adding a luxurious character to the kitchen. With the help of special machines at the disposal of granite manufacturers, granite can be cut in many different ways and shapes, which gives a lot of room for manoeuvre when designing furniture. One of the most interesting possibilities is the use of grooves creating a natural drainer at the sink.
Visually, the granite worktop looks very solid and elegant, adding a luxurious character to the kitchen. With the help of special machines at the disposal of granite manufacturers, granite can be cut in many different ways and shapes, which leave a considerable margin of manoeuvre when designing furniture. One of the most interesting possibilities is the use of grooves creating a natural drainer at the sink.
One of the few drawbacks that it has is the fact that as a stone it makes a cold impression to the touch and visually does not warm the room. Therefore, it is best suited for applications where it will be able to contrast with warmer materials such as wood. Or, for example, in kitchens connected to living rooms with appropriate carpets. It fits perfectly with all types of wood. In combination with which it forms a very elegant furniture. Prices of marble start from about 700 PLN per m2 upwards. This is certainly an interesting solution for many years, which brings with it excellent physical properties and also looks decent.
It is worth remembering that every granite worktop Liverpool is the only and not repeatable element, fully natural and ecological, which in the era of ubiquitous plastics is its next advantage.
How to take care of granite worktops Liverpool?
- Although granite is a hard material, it can always scratch, use cutting boards and saucers for heavy pots and pans.
- Any stains and dirt should be removed as soon as possible, and left too long may cause discolouration.
- For cleaning, it is best to use special agents designed for the maintenance of stone.
- Granite worktops should be impregnated regularly with designated agents, which will improve its visual properties and resistance to dirt.
- Cleaning agents containing all kinds of acids, purified soda, silicone oils should be avoided.
- In the absence of dedicated cleaning agents, the worktop can be cleaned with warm water or soapy water, but it is particularly important to wipe the worktop thoroughly so that no soap or liquid residue remains on it. This can later cause stains.
How to check if granite requires impregnation?
As we mentioned earlier, granite worktops Liverpool should be impregnated regularly in order to serve us for many years, maintaining its aesthetic and physical properties. How to find out if a worktop needs impregnation? The easiest way is to leave a damp towel on the worktop for about 5 minutes. If a dark stain remains on the worktop after lifting the towel, we know that the stone has started to absorb and it is time for the next impregnation.
Before impregnation, clean the worktop thoroughly and wipe it dry. The impregnate should be spread evenly with a brush or cloth, and after some time polished with a dry cloth. It is important to read how to use the impregnate, which you will buy, because they differ, e.g. drying time.
Granite worktops Liverpool are an interesting alternative to furniture made in modern and classic design. polishgranite.co.uk) is a website of a Manchester company Polish Granite LTD. On their website you can gain access to almost all varieties of granite/quartz that can be used in kitchen development.