6 Little-Known Facts About Granite
Granite is a popular choice for countertops in bathrooms and kitchens, and it's easy to see why. It's durable, attractive, and comes in styles that can suit any home's décor. However, there's more to granite than good looks alone. The Stone Care Experts at Granite Gold® want to share a few fun facts you might not have known about this natural stone.
1. It's Easy to Maintain
Gentle cleaning, sealing, and polishing is enough to keep granite looking as good as the day it was installed. Wipe your counters down regularly with a specially formulated granite cleaner, seal the counters often, and keep them polished to enhance their appearance and help ward off water stains. Avoid using common household cleaners on granite because they can damage the protective seal.
2. It's Igneous
Granite forms when a pocket of magma rises within the earth and cools slowly enough to allow large mineral crystals to form. This gives it the coarse-grained, interlocking structure responsible for its patterning and durability.
3. It Was Used to Build Some of the World's Oldest Structures
The Almendres Cromlech, from approximately 6,000 B.C., is one of the largest groups of standing stones in Europe. The stones are set up in a roughly circular form, including a set of almost 100 granite monoliths that still stands to this day. Because granite is so resistant to weathering, it continues to be an incredibly popular material for statues and other outdoor structures.
4. It Was Responsible for One of the First Commercial Railroads in the U.S.
Granite's value as a construction and decorative material is so high that it caused the creation of America’s first commercial railroads in 1825. The Granite Railway connected Quincy, Massachusetts, and a dock on the Neponset River. From there, boats carried the stone to Charlestown where it was used to build the Bunker Hill Monument obelisk.
5. Indoor Rock Climbing Probably Wouldn't Exist without It
Rock climbing is a fun way to get a great full-body workout, but it's not something that can be done year-round. Fortunately, indoor rock climbing gyms provide climbers with space to practice. The rock walls in these gyms are often made of granite, chosen for its durability and safety.