Granite is one of the most popular picks for home renovations inside including but not limited to: countertops, floor tiles and stair treads but it has also been relied upon for outside projects to add a polished solid dimension to any space.
Granite is one of the most popular picks for home renovations inside including but not limited to: countertops, floor tiles and stair treads but it has also been relied upon for outside projects to add a polished solid dimension to any space. Such a commonplace element may not be understood by everyone though; this week we will be exploring the basics of granite.
What Is it?
Granite is sometimes considered the signature rock of the continents and also of Earth itself. Other rocky planets like Mars, Mercury and Venus do not have this rock on their surfaces, making this rock unique to Earth. It is a rock made up of many different minerals. The various minerals that make it up include quartz, feldspar, amphiboles and micas are what has an effect on the color and texture variations we see. Granite is formed in place during the cooling of a molten rock, making it an intrusive igneous rock.
Qualities of Granite
As we noted above granite can vary in color, shape and size; there are four ways geologists use to distinguish granite rocks.
- Igneous, or I-Type appears to rise from preexisting igneous rock formations
- Sedimentary, or S-Type are from melted sedimentary rocks
- Mantle, or M-Type is rarer because it’s believed to have evolved directly from the earth’s mantle.
- Anorogenic, or A-Type is a newly discovered and hotly debated classification as it is just a special variety of the I-Type classification.
Part of the Earth
Granite is an example of how the Earth is constantly moving a shaping. The heat within the Earth’s core is its strongest on the continents. The eruption of lava due to plate tectonics all over the earth eventually cooling down is all a part of the story of this rock. In nature, it is a part of a never-ending cycle of breaking down and then being re-molded again.
Sounds like a pretty inspiring addition to your home.
Go With Granite and Del Prete Masonry
If you’re ready to upgrade your home and to utilize granite, Del Prete Masonry has the expertise to meet your needs. With more than 25 years of experience, Del Prete has done work in and around the Baltimore area at Johns Hopkins and M&T Bank Stadium as well as Harford, Carroll, Anne Arundel and Howard Counties. To explore our residential or commercial services and to set up a consultation, please give us a call at 410-683-0650 or contact us online. To see examples of our work and get updates follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
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