Granite Tile Flooring

 

Today many homeowners are choosing granite tile flooring. Granite is sturdy and beautiful, and when installed and sealed properly, can last for generations. Stone tiles are especially suitable for bathrooms and kitchens, two areas of the house that require durable flooring. Granite can withstand high traffic, water and heat. Some homeowners choose to install granite tiles around sinks and tubs as well, using the stone on both walls and floors. The wide selection of colours and designs available in this versatile stone make this an attractive option.

 

If you've never visited a better stone showroom, you'll be astounded at the many types of granite available to you. These range from the traditional to the exotic, from basic to intricately-patterned. Granite can be divided into categories depending on colours, patterns and shades. The six base colours are azul, black, gold and copper, green, rose and white.

 

 

Granite is a very hard, durable igneous stone. It's formed when liquid magma is pushed between layers of rock. This molten quartz and feldspar, at incredibly high temperatures and under pressure, then forms a layer of its own. It fuses with other substances that may be present, such as hornblende, biotite and muscovite, as well as minor accessory minerals like magnetite, garnet, zircon and apatite. These substances help to determine the colour of the stone and give granite its characteristic patterns.

 

Granite is cut out of the earth in huge pieces and then sliced into smaller blocks. This rough-cut stone is then lifted onto a truck and transported to a facility where it can be sawed. The granite is cut into slabs with a diamond-tipped saw or shaped into smaller pieces by stone workers.

 

 

The advantages of granite are well known; it's a material that has been used for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians favoured granite in many of their buildings and they used a construction method that allowed them to "sew” blocks of stone together very tightly. Ancient Romans also used granite extensively. Public baths, paved roads and the Corinthian columns of the Pantheon are all made of it. Many of these ancient structures built with granite are still standing, a testament to the durability of this strong igneous rock.

 

The use of granite continued into modern times. The city of Aberdeen, Scotland, is known as "The Granite City” because most of its buildings are made of the pale granite quarried nearby. New Hampshire, nicknamed "The Granite State” is known for its many granite formations. Many monuments are made of granite; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a 500-foot V-shaped wall made of polished black Indian granite and the fountain dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales that stands in London's Hyde Park is constructed from pieces of Cornish granite.

 

When you choose granite tiles, you know that you're choosing one of the toughest materials in the world, a natural flooring that will endure.You can also be sure that this beautiful stone will add beauty and elegance to any room in your house.