Granite countertops may be very durable, but there is still a risk of chipping the stone. If a heavy object is dropped on a corner overhang, for example, a granite repair specialist may need to step in to fix any cracks or damage.
If you repeatedly leave hot items on your counter, it can create black marks on the surface. Or, it could lead to thermal shock and cracks. Extreme heat can even wear through the sealant itself, making the granite more vulnerable to stains and acid damage.
The Disadvantages of Granite
One of the biggest problems with granite stones is its high price and high cost of installation, which is very high compared to other products. The speed of implementing granite is low due to behind the stone mortaring operation and time-consuming mortar adhesion and takes a long time.
Granite, like any other stone, may contain veins of naturally occurring radioactive elements like uranium, thorium, and their radioactive decay products. These trace concentrations may vary from stone to stone, or even within a single slab of granite.
Cons for Granite Countertops
Granite countertops are strong and durable as long as it receives sealing each year. If homeowners are lax in their maintenance, the porous granite can suck up oils, juice, and wine, which will be impossible to remove. Bacteria can also harbor inside granite if not sealed properly.
Very tough. So, the last thing anyone expects is a crack developing on the surface of their kitchen or bathroom countertops. However, it is possible for granite to crack from improper care, wear and tear, and sometimes it may even be a natural part of the stone.
Everything from white granite and black granite countertops to granite slabs has fallen out of style. The second reason granite countertops have lost their appeal is that the preference for light, simple kitchens has replaced the trend of dark, warm kitchens. Designers quit wanting “movement” and instead wanted peace.
Granite is porous and made of natural minerals that can oxidize and cause rust. Also, depending on the type of surface, rust buildup can occur from time to time if your natural stone is not properly sealed.
How tough is it? Quartz and feldspar are tougher than steel, according to the Mohs scale of hardness. That makes granite one of the hardest materials on earth, and a granite slab one of the best countertops for resisting damage from hot pans, scratching, chipping, staining, and more.
Igneous rock
Most granitic rocks also contain mica or amphibole minerals, though a few (known as leucogranites) contain almost no dark minerals. Granite is nearly always massive (lacking any internal structures), hard, and tough.
Granite – the tough stuff
While marble is often known as a soft stone (relatively soft – it's still rock hard!), granite is one of the hardest substances we know of. As it forms, atoms are forced into a regular structure which is very hard to break.
Even when subjected to a direct flame, granite holds its structure–of course, firing a blow torch at your countertop for any reason isn't recommended. Because of their high heat resistance, any realistic amount of heat applied to granite countertops in your kitchen will not cause them to chip or crack.
Granite is naturally heat resistant, and heat damage would occur only if the granite was heated unevenly. So briefly putting a hot pan down on your granite countertop isn't going to cause long-term damage. That said, we don't recommend putting hot pans on granite countertops — not for the granite's sake but for yours.
Will fire crack granite? Granite does not crack under high temperatures. The melting point for dry granite is 1215 to 1260 degrees Celsius (2219 to 2300 degrees Fahrenheit). Fire, at orange to yellow range (which you are most likely to get in a fire pit), is about 1100 degrees Celsius (2012 degrees Fahrenheit).
In comparison to other countertop materials, granite has the capacity to last longer than other materials. Most granite and other natural stones can last anywhere from 100 years or more; whereas marble countertops last an average of 20 years.
Granite forms over millions of years from magma, so theoretically, you can run out of granite if you take enough of it from the source. However, it is unlikely that will ever happen. People have been quarrying granite for centuries for various uses, and yet they have only used up a very small portion of the supply.
The granites on the surface decompose mainly into quartz and feldspars. These minerals are drained into water bodies such as streams and rivers and often end up in the oceans as sediments. Granites that are buried deep in the crust or exposed to hot magma often transform into the metamorphic rock called gneiss.
Clorox and Lysol sprays and wipes are convenient, but they are not safe for granite countertops. They rarely contain bleach, but they do generally contain citric acid to help remove soap scum. Avoid using bleach as well.
If the granite surface immediately takes in most of the water and develops a dark mark or ring, you need to seal it once every few months. If it takes a few minutes for your stone countertop to soak up all the water, you only need to seal it once every year or two.
Note: Some experts will recommend sealing granite countertops every “6-12 months” or “3-5 years”, but there is no hard and fast rule.
It has a natural water resistance that helps protect it. However, it isn't water-proof. Because granite is a stone, it is also naturally porous. And while it won't absorb in the same way as, say, sandstone or limestone, it will still absorb bits of moisture that can eventually damage your counters.
The swelling of these clay minerals as they abosorb water further weathers the granite and biotite minerals in particular also undergo oxidiation, leading to the reddish color of grus deposits. Because hydration is the main chemical process breaking granite down, it follows that water plays a big role.