10 REASONS TO CHOOSE GRANITE WORKTOPS

We live in an age where almost anything we can envision we can create. When it comes to designing our homes, never before have we had such a range of materials, colours and styles to choose from, while the marriage of design software and precision tools has made cutting and shaping easier.

Despite these advances, humanity's love for the natural goes on, and the appeal of granite worktops is as strong as ever. In fact, its natural beauty is only one of many reasons that granite is favoured by so many; here are the main benefits of choosing granite for your worktops.

1. Aesthetics

Top of the list of reasons to choose granite, for many people, is its inimitable natural beauty. Throughout numerous changes in fashion and style, granite has always attracted admirers and been associated with style and class.

1. Water and Stain Resistance

Unlike many other surfaces, granite is unaffected by water and is impervious to most stains. It's one real weakness in this respect is a sensitivity to acid which can start to attack the feldspar minerals if not mopped up quickly enough, so take care with wine, juice and citrus fruits.

1. Heat Resistance

Granite is very resistant to heat, so you won't damage a granite worktop if you spill hot liquid on it. You should still use a trivet for hot pans, although it is unlikely that placing one directly on the surface would cause any damage.

1. Maintenance

Granite is extremely low-maintenance, and can be wiped down with water plus a bit of washing-up liquid. Bleaches should not be used, mainly due to reaction with the sealer, while acid-based cleaners are a definite no-no (see No.2).

1. Environmental Impact

There is nothing more environmentally-friendly than a natural stone that does not require any energy to manufacture.

1. Durability

No surface is indestructible, but granite is about as close as you can get due to its interlocking minerals. Granite is impervious to scratches, and you will blunt your knife before doing any damage to the stone.

1. Hygeine

The closely-interlocking crystals in granite have another advantage. There are no pores for harbouring bacteria, making granite second only to stainless steel in terms of hygeine.

1. Variety

Mother Nature has never, and never will, produce two pieces of granite alike. Differences in chemical composition leads to variation in hue that ranges from gold and silver to red, blue and green, while the layout and size of the minerals within creates all sorts of effects, from whirls and streaks to speckles and flecks.

1. Cool Surface

Bakers love granite for its hard and cool surface, which makes it the ideal worktop material for rolling out dough when baking bread or making pastries.

1. Economy

While it is true that granite is an expensive, high-end product, it's durability and timeless style means you are unlikely to either need or want to replace it in your lifetime. In addition, granite worktops will add that wow factor to your kitchen that will reap dividends when the time comes to sell your property.

"This article was written by Christopher Hales, an internet marketer and UK business professional. Christopher writes on a number of topics and is available for continued work to assist businesses across the UK."