Know Your Natural Stone - Commercial Care & Cleaning

Basalt Paving

The most popular igneous stones used in building construction are granite and basalt, which means that they are cooled from the magma stage of molten rock, minerals and gases. Both contain large quantities of quartz and silica, but it is the heavy metals such as iron and magnesium that give the stones their dark colour.

Granite

Granite is great stuff. It's coarse-textured rock in which individual mineral grains are easily visible. Granite is strong and extremely durable. It mainly contains the minerals potassium, feldspar and quartz with small amounts of mica. Most of the continent is made of granite.

Granite is one of the hardest, most popular building materials used in the world and is commonly used indoors for kitchen benchtops, bathroom vanities, floors and furniture. Outdoors it is used in large structures such as bridges, monuments, retaining walls and steps and in large public floor areas due to its solid character and ability to withstand deterioration. Granite is usually used as a slab rather than a tile, so its weight must be considered when choosing an application.

Polished granite is hard wearing, easily maintained, heat, chip, bacteria, fire and scratch resistant and is not affected by acidic liquids such as juice, coffee, tea and wine when treated with a good quality penetrating sealer. Granite has an ageless beauty, is longer wearing than manmade stones and will retain its colour and finish longer than other stones.

Colours are usually shades of black, grey, brown, red, pink and yellow, which are determined by the minerals trapped when the stone is forming.

Basalt

Because the magma comes out of the earth and cools very quickly, the minerals have very little opportunity to grow. Basalt is thus extrusive and very fine grained.Basalt is also known as bluestone. It was traditionally used for cobbled roads and laneways due to its durability and because water drained away from the surface efficiently allowing it to dry quickly. It was also popular due to its texture, which made it a non-slip surface. It is now commonly used in outdoor areas for paving, stairs, exterior wall cladding, ponds, landscaping, pathways and indoors for countertops, walls and floors. 

Colours are usually blue-grey, green-grey, grey and black.

Formation & Characteristics of Igneous Stones

Igneous stones are exposed to extreme heat, hence the name ‘igneous’, which comes from the Latin word ‘ignius’ meaning fire. Igneous stone is either ‘intrusive’ or ‘extrusive’. ‘Intrusive’ stone is formed underground where rock located up to 40km under the earth’s surface melts at temperatures of up to 900 Degree C and becomes magma. The magma rises and cools slowly, trapping gases and minerals, and eventually solidifying into stone that has large crystals and a coarse texture. Granite is ‘intrusive’ stone.

‘Extrusive’ stone such as Basalt develops above the earth’s surface. It is formed from lava that flows from volcanos on to the earth’s surface and into the sea, or from volcanos under the sea. The lava settles on the earth or on the ocean floor and cools. The faster cooling process, due to the lower temperature at the earth’s surface and under the ocean, encourages smaller crystals to form.

Stone Restoration Service by The Marble Man 

It is a common mistake to think that granite and basalt stones are pretty easy to maintain as they are made of strong natural stone quarried from the mountain ranges. But the real thing is that even though they have a strong surface and are highly resistant, it needs regular maintenance that includes cleaning, sealing and polishing as per the usage. These stone surfaces can be maintained to look as new for six months to one year by protecting against moisture and harmful spills.  

We have a team of experienced technicians who receive hands on, practical training on stone care processes and are kept up to date with the latest techniques and technology. We provide service at: Gold Coast|Brisbane|Sunshine Coast|Byron Bay|Sydney|Canberra|Newcastle|Central Coast.

If you would like us to inspect your stone and get advice on its repair or restoration, an experienced team member will visit at a time convenient to you and provide a no obligation, FREE Quote. Call our office today on 1300 627 626 or Email us to book your onsite evaluation.

Making the Right Colour Choice with Granite Benchtops

Making the choice of colour for granite tabletops is a big decision since it will not only define your taste in style and lavishness but will also be a reflection of the creativity that you display in your home decor. Broadly classifying, there are two wide choices – the light coloured and the dark coloured granites.

The Range of Light Coloured Granite Benchtops

The biggest advantage with light coloured granite benchtops is that they can go well with any kind of colour setting. The inclusions in this set are:

Beige: When it comes to blending subtlety with a rich appeal, beige is an ultimate choice. The similar kind of colour pattern of furniture, walls and lighting and granite tabletops can just light up the grace of your home manifolds.

Yellow: Though this colour is not that common, yet this is a nice pick if you wish to blend in some trendiness to make your home decor stand out. This bright and vibrant look can fill in great radiance.

White: Luxury in simplicity is what white defines. For a classy and distinguished aura to highlight your home's appeal, white granite tabletops can be just the perfect fit. Besides, white is the vogue of all times.

Gold: No colour can be a better definition of lavishness. Lending a generous yet sparkling look to your home, this colour is miss-me-not for lovers of elegance.

Grey: The shades of grey have always been an interesting choice for individuals who are focusing on establishing a simple setting while clubbing the same with exclusive glass and lights to add new vigor to the look and feel of your home.

The Range of Dark Coloured Granite Benchtops

The advantage with making choice of dark colours is that these colours display uniqueness in style and instil a sense of excitement. The inclusions in this set are:

Green: Perhaps the most widely chosen and one of the best looking colours of granite, green gives your home a wildly beautiful look. A display of spontaneity is what this colour offers.

Blue: This colour is a little uncommon but the vein-like pattern running all over this vibrant colour gives it an awe-striking look. This colour choice lies on the higher side of trendy thereby matching the steel-look of chests and steel appliances in your kitchen.

Black: Black is a trend-setter when it comes to defining a class in home decoration. White appliances and an overall white look can add to the grace of your kitchen and other parts of home decorated with black granite bench tops.

Red: Romance and enthusiasm is draws in with red. This colour has been the oldest in line and amongst the most chosen decorative inclusions.

Burgundy: This colour bears a close match in appearance with brown granite. However, the slightly different tinge of burgundy makes it quite a perfection that looks flawless with stainless steel kitchen appliances.                        

Brown: If you have a wooden setting in the room, especially that with the regular teak wood, this colour will form the perfect combo. Dressed in lightly veined pattern, a brown kitchen bench top lends the ultimate classic look.

While making a choice, it is obvious to strike you that the dark coloured granite will be a little easier to maintain but that’s not entirely true. Every kind of granite surface needs specific type of care and even if you don’t have the expertise in cleaning of granite or maintaining its sparkling look, you can always seek help from natural stone restoration specialists! Professional Cleaning, Polishing, Sealing and Repairing are some of the stone restoration works done by those specialists. 

The Marble Man Tips for Natural Stone Care & Maintenance- Removing Granite Stains & Dull Spots

Granite is one of the most widely sought after natural stones used in the kitchen and floors of your home. It is durable and tougher than marble. However, like everything else, it is important for you to ensure granite is taken care of.

There is a common misconception that stains and dull spots do not appear on granite surfaces. This is wrong. Just like marble, your granite countertop or floor also has the tendency to get stained and lose its shine.

The Marble Man- a leading marble and natural stone maintenance, restoration and repairing company on the Gold Coast servicing most part of QLD and NSW- gives you some insights about the granite stone and how you effectively can keep away stains and dull surfaces at bay. Let us take a look at them below-

Granite – How to Keep Stains & Dull Surfaces at Bay:

• Though granite is a tough stone, it has the tendency to suffer from scratches. When you find a scratch on your granite stone, it is recommended to contact a professional to have it repaired.
• It is advised to use coasters under all your glass items to stop stains and dull spots on your granite surfaces.
• If you have a granite countertop at home, it is very important for you to avoid having citrus and other alcoholic products sitting on the surface. This leads to etching and subsequent dullness.
• It is very important for you to keep hot items away and off the granite surface. In case you need to place something hot on the granite countertop or surface, use a trivet or a hot pad. This will protect the granite surface from stains and dull spots.
• It is important for you to reseal the granite countertop in order to preserve and maintain its sheen. It is important for you to do this after an interval of every two years or as advised by a stone care specialist.
• If you wish to clean the granite countertop on your own, you can make your own cleaner. This is a pH balanced cleaner and you can mix one part water with one part alcohol to get the best effects. If you wish you may use less alcohol and more water.
• If you have a floor made of granite, you should clean it with the help of granite cleaner. You may call in a professional to do the stone cleaning for you. If you want to clean the granite stone on a regular basis, you may do so with regular dusting and sweeping.

It is thus evident that the task to keep stains and dull spots on granite at bay is an easy one. You just have to be little more careful and ensure the tips above are followed. If you are based in the QLD and NSW region and looking for skilled and experienced experts to take professional care of your granite stone, feel free to call in the friendly professionals at The Marble Man.