Types of granite: learn about their characteristics and choose your favorite

A material widely used as a coating in buildings, granite is a rock formed from one or more minerals, where its original name "granum", in Latin, means grains, perfectly describing its appearance.

Visibly composed of a mixture of dots with different colors and shapes, this appearance is the result of the mixture of atoms of various materials, being composed mainly of quartz, feldspar, and mica.

This mixture results in unique designs, guaranteeing particular characteristics to each slab of granite taken from the ground. This material forms inside the earth's crust, due to the slow cooling of the crust and the solidification of magma.

In decoration, the possibilities of use range from floor covering, walls, countertops, stairs and even bathtubs, with various names due to their colors or place of extraction. Its initial use was by the Egyptian people who used it in the construction of monuments and pharaonic tombs, beautifying the aesthetics of the place. With its most widespread use in the Middle Ages, it was used inbuilding homes and churches.

According to architect Graziela Naldi, from C'est La Vie Architecture and Interiors, it is possible to find a great variety of granite colors: "The most common ones come in shades of white, gray, brown, beige, and black, but we also find natural stone options that come in pinks, reds, yellows, and blues," she says.

Difference between granite and marble

While marble is formed by only one mineral, together with calcite, granite presents a mixture of three minerals, conferring greater hardness and less porosity than the previous one. Besides, granite is resistant to scratches and chemical agents, being the material "most advisable to be used in places such as kitchen countertops, for example", reveals the architect.

In the finishing, marble has a more uniform appearance, while granite has more mixed colors and points, a result due to the mixture of minerals present in its composition.

Types of granite

According to the architect, our country has a great wealth and variety of natural stones, where we can find granites with different types of colors and varied pigmentation.

Some stones have a more uniform appearance, while others have more visible pigments with various dimensions and even showing geometric designs. "These details may vary according to the region of the country from which the raw material comes. For example, blue colored granites come from Bahia", he teaches.

The image below reveals some finishes found of this material, with varying appearance and colors.

Check out some of the characteristics of the most used types of granite according to Evando Sodré, director of Marmoraria Pedra Julia:

Yellow Granite Icaraí

According to Evando, this type of granite has unlimited possibilities of use, and can be applied according to the customer's personal taste. Part of the yellowish white group of materials, it has low absorption and high uniformity, and is often used as a coating for kitchen or bathroom countertops.

Ornamental Yellow Granite

This model of granite presents medium to coarse granulation with a yellowish pink background and few brown points. It can be found as Giallo Ornamental granite, this "granite has a massive structure that is flexible when cut, with low porosity and water absorption. Ideal for application in internal and external environments, it can be used in standardized flooring, customized flooring, kitchens, and bathrooms,walls, tables and stairs".

Dallas White Granite

According to the company's director, "the Branco Dallas granite is formed by grains that are mostly clear, and a small amount of purple and black grains. With uniformity and medium absorption, it can be used both indoors and outdoors, with polished, levigated, flamed, or honed finishes.

Granite White Fortaleza

Branco Fortaleza granite, on the other hand, is "a rock that has a homogeneous texture, with an appearance composed of a white background and gray and black points, which can be used in kitchen worktops, countertops, sinks, and washbasins, for example".

Itaunas White Granite

"Presenting medium granulation, the visual characteristic of this granite is a creamy white background, with small pink, grayish, and greenish spots. With high resistance to impacts and low water absorption, it can be used outdoors or indoors, according to the dweller's personal taste."

Ivory White Granite

"With a light greenish background, this type of granite has black spots with high uniformity. Because it is a light granite, it is ideal for environments that need lighter and more uniform materials." A good option for floors or countertops in an indoor environment.

White Siena Granite

"Formed by very small grains, providing a more uniform tone, this granite has medium absorption and uniformity, and is a suitable material for various types of coating," explains Evando. Visually, it is characterized as a granite with a whitish background composed of small pink dots.

Absolute Black Granite

According to the director, this granite is considered the darkest material found in nature, ideal for the elaboration of exclusive and differentiated projects. With high uniformity and low absorption, it is one of the favorite coverings for kitchen countertops and stairs.

São Gabriel Black Granite

This option can be applied both in the external and internal areas of the home, being one of the most used options as countertop tiles. With its black structure and medium grain, this model adds beauty and sophistication to the project.

Absolute Brown Granite

With great uniformity, this type of granite has been in great demand for kitchen countertops, due to its beautiful and elegant color. With high uniformity and low absorption, it has good resistance to scratches, and can also be used in bathrooms and barbecue pits, for example.

Norwegian Blue Granite

It can be used indoors or outdoors, this type of granite is characterized by the presence of blue, black, and brown grains and a grayish background. It has a low absorption index and high resistance, and is found in several possible finishes.

Granite for kitchen

According to Graziela's recommendations, the granite chosen for this room must meet the project's proposal. It is important to define what the stone's function is in this environment, whether it is to create a contrast in the decoration or if the desired objective is a more discreet, even monochromatic, environment.

"The ideal thickness of the slabs is 2 cm, but it is possible to use the resource of a border to have a more robust aspect. For kitchens, this border is usually used with 4 to 5 cm, remembering that the ideal finish is the half-square, because the seam is not apparent and the aesthetic result is much better," teaches the professional.

Black is always a good choice, it goes with everything. It can be used to create a contrast with the classic white kitchens that never go out of fashion, but it also looks great with cabinets in wood tones, colors, etc.", she suggests.

When decorating this room, the ideal is to create a balance between the colors of the cabinets, coatings, and stone, choosing colors and textures that are in harmony with each other, so as not to run the risk of creating a visually polluted environment:

1. how about going bold with a red imported granite countertop?

2. absolute black granite remains the favorite for kitchen countertops

3. in shades of dark green, covering both the countertop and framing the grill

4. in dark tones, harmonizing with the environment's woodwork

5. brown granite is gaining space in the decoration of homes

6. here the yellow is used for the countertop, baseboard and even wall cladding

7. soft tones to highlight the cabinetry in vibrant yellow

8. lighter tone, characterizing a lighter kitchen clean

9. a kitchen with brown dominating, showing all its sophistication

10. a practically monochromatic environment, full of style and elegance

11. countertop with a beige background, harmonizing with the rest of the neutral decoration

12. aiming to highlight the tiles and the colored cabinets, here the granite chosen is more discreet

13. again the black countertop making its presence felt, now accompanied by white furniture and subway tiles

14. opting for a darker granite is the right choice for a kitchen with white cabinets

Granite in bathrooms

For a more clean In short, the possibilities of combinations are countless, the important thing is to adapt it to the taste and personality of each client", he adds.

As the architect points out, in bathrooms it is quite common to use borders, also called skirts, with greater thicknesses, between 10 and 15 cm, adding sophistication to the project.

1. the dark, polished tone of the granite made the yellow of the room even more vibrant

2. with delicate colors, it matches perfectly with the cabinets in wood tones

3. black granite also making its presence felt in this room

4. the neutral tone leaves the emphasis of the environment to the furniture and the textured wall

5. the shades of granite match the designs on the wall of this bathroom

6. brown granite further embellishing the bathroom

7. granite designs give the environment more style

8. here granite was used for the bathroom floor and baseboards

9. a beautiful countertop that makes the restroom more sophisticated

10. traditional granite countertop, leaving the environment full of style

11. here the same granite applied to the countertop also appears on the floor, harmonizing the look of the bathroom

12. double bowl, carved directly into the granite

13. the shade of granite used in the countertop is ideal to match the tone of the floor

Granite stairs and floors

"When opting for granite floors or stairs, it is ideal to try to choose a model with the most uniform aspect possible within the options of the desired color", indicates Graziela. According to her, this detail is important, because the floor is a very striking item in an environment, where it will have to harmonize with various details of the decoration, such as furniture, coatings, objects, among others.

Therefore, it is fundamental to be careful not to compromise the look of the room and take away the freedom in choosing the other items. In relation to the ideal thickness, the recommended thickness for floors and stairs is 2 cm.

1. reinforced concrete and green granite staircase

2) A stairway using Siena white granite, embellishing the environment

The white granite staircase discreetly connects environments

4. with a light background, the granite chosen is ideal for environments with different decorations

5. beautiful combination of glass, granite and textured wall

6. soft tone to let the wood floor stand out

7. again the use of granite extended beyond the stairs to the floor and baseboards

8. in contrast with the brown granite counter, the staircase follows in a neutral tone, integrating environments

9. black granite further enhances the clear floor in the room

Maintenance and cleaning

Granite is a material of easy conservation and cleaning. According to the architect's recommendations, if it is applied as a floor, it is recommended to use a soft bristled broom and a damp cloth with neutral soap: "On the countertops, it is important to be attentive to clean as soon as possible anything that falls on the countertop to avoid stains", she alerts.

The architect reveals that soda, lemon juice, and vinegar are the main causes of stains, and when cleaning the countertops it is recommended to use water with neutral detergent, dried with a cloth or paper towel afterwards.

"For a better cleaning result, after washing it is possible to spray a solution of one part alcohol with three parts water, and then dry. In general, it is not recommended to use abrasive products and cleaners with acidic ingredients," explains the professional.

Widely used as coating material in the most varied forms and environments, granite is a highly resistant material, with excellent durability and easy application.

"Besides, the raw material is abundantly found in Brazil, making its cost accessible if compared to other options, such as imported synthetic or stainless steel stones, for example," adds Graziela.

Now that you know a little more about this stone and its wide variety of options, choose your favorite model and make your environment more functional and beautiful.