Granite - The Versatile Stone

Take a moment to look around and you are most likely to find

granite. Inside you may find it on the floor, walls, vanity or

bench top; outside it may be used as paving, external cladding

or statuary. Granite is considered an enduring stone not only

because of its hard wearing and durable nature but also

because it’s always in fashion. So what is granite, what

makes it so versatile and how can we choose a good quality

stone?

Granite Formation

The word granite comes from the Latin granum, meaning “a grain” referring to the coarse-grained texture of this

rock type. In geological terms, granite is a particular type of igneous rock formed from magma emplaced

kilometres deep within the earths crust. The basic mineralogy of ‘true’ granite includes quartz, feldspar and mica

but it may also contain traces of other minerals including pyrite.

In the commercial stone industry the term ‘granite’ is used more

broadly to simplify a wide range of igneous rock types on the

market. Although grouping different igneous intrusive rock types

under one generic term may be convenient it can restrict the

understanding of the variability in texture, properties and mineralogy

of the various stone types on the market. As an example, the

popular group of dimension stones marketed as ‘black granite’

include igneous rock types such as Gabbro and Norite which do not

contain all of the basic minerals found in true granite. Another

variation is granite-gneiss with the term indicating a variation in

texture rather than mineral composition. Granite-gneiss is characterized by banding caused by segregation of
different types of various minerals present within the rock producing light and dark veins or bands which

produces an elongated structure which can cause the stone to split along the veins.

Appearance

Granite is available in a wide range of colours including white, green, red, brown and even blue. The appearance

is usually determined by the colour of the feldspar, the presence of alteration minerals and the type and

distribution of the mica present. Yellowish granites usually gain their colour from a fine dusting of iron oxide

present along grain boundaries. The concentration of minerals within the stone can present as dark, wispy (from

biotite mica) or broad, light coloured veins (from quartz or feldspar).

Granite can be produced in a range of finishes such as polished, honed, sawn, flamed and wire-brushed making

it suitable for a wide range of locations from hotel lobbies to pool surrounds. Granite can be brought to a high

polish although the final appearance is affected by the mineralogy and grain size.

Occasionally, the polishing of coarse grain granite results in a crazed surface finish due to the highlighting of the

grain boundaries. The development of fine pin-point pits can also be a problem with some types of granite as

softer or flaky minerals such as mica are plucked from the surface during the polishing stage. Although these

features may not affect the structural integrity of the stone they may detract from the appearance. When

selecting granite with a polished finish it is good practice to view the slab at different light angles to ensure you

are happy with the appearance.

Use

Granite is generally considered the strongest and most

durable commercial stone type. Most of the minerals

within granite are hard giving the stone a high abrasion

resistance. Granite is also highly acid resistant making it

a great choice for kitchen bench tops, toilet floors and

throughout entertaining areas. As granite can be prepared

with a wide range of surface finishes it is also a highly

versatile paving material especially for areas that require a

very high slip resistance. The high strength of granite allows it to be prepared in large format for use as cladding

as well as tiles with a thickness of less than 10mm. The use of granite for statuary and funerary works through

the millennia is well documented and is a testament to its durability and popularity.
Design Considerations

Granite is generally considered dimensionally stable and is therefore a good choice in wet-dry environments such

as around a pool. Thermal expansion may be considered an issue for some granite installations especially when

large format pavers are used and if the stone has a dark colour which tends to absorb more heat. In this situation

it is important to install sufficient expansion joints to prevent pressure build up between tiles.

Unlike sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks such as granite do not usually lose significant strength when wet. It is

not uncommon for very fine-grained igneous rock types such as ‘black granite’ to actually increase in strength

slightly when they become wet. When granite does exhibit a noticeable strength loss when wet it is likely that the

stone has undergone some weathering which leads to the development of clay and other unstable minerals along

grain boundaries. It is important that both dried and soaked strength is taken into account when determining load

bearing requirements.

Granite has a very high abrasion resistance compared to most other types of dimension stone making it a good

choice for high traffic areas. Due to the high abrasion resistance textured finishes that have been applied to

improve slip resistance are less likely to become polished over time. Although granite is resistant to abrasion the

use of highly polished ‘black granite’ in high traffic or bottle neck areas may lead to the development of track

marks which may require periodic repolishing to maintain a uniform finish.

Thermal finishes known as flaming or exfoliation are produced by shattering the mineral grains exposed at the

surface. This surface treatment can extend into the stone to some depth which may vary the strength of the

stone. Flaming of thin, large format tiles can lead to the development of shrinkage cracks as the unit cools during

quenching.

Although granite is generally considered to have good resistance to staining, some mid-tone colours (e.g. light

grey) tend to highlight oil and water stains by becoming darker. This effect is less evident on light coloured or

very dark coloured stone and it can be reduced by the application of a good quality impregnating sealer.

Testing and Specification of Granite

Standard specification ASTM C615 provides a guide to the selection of granite dimension stone suitable for

general building and structural purposes. The physical requirements for this specification are given in Table 1.

Property Granite

Bulk Specific Gravity - min (kg.m-3) 2560

Water Absorption - max (% by 0.4

weight) 10.34
 Modulus of Rupture - min (MPa) 8.3

Flexural Strength - min (MPa) 131

Compressive Strength - min (MPa) 25

Abrasion Resistance - min (Ha)

Table1: ASTM C615-11 physical requirements of granite dimension stone.

The specification of any dimension stone should be based on location, design and engineering considerations

specific to the intended use. The specification states a minimum strength requirement which requires the

determination of both dried and soaked strength. It is worth noting that the strength results may vary slightly with

change of orientation due to the ‘onion peel’ cooling characteristic of igneous rocks.

Water absorption and flexural strength are the key performance indicators for this stone and should be evaluated

closely throughout the project supply phase to ensure adequate performance in service.

In Summary

Granite is a strong, durable and wear resistant stone type available in a wide range of colours and textures and

suitable for nearly all locations. The following tips will assist you in the selection of the right stone for the job and

in its maintenance well into the future:

 Ensure your selection is made on a representative sample that shows all likely variations in colour,

shade, veining and grain size.

 Ensure strength tests are carried out on the proposed surface finish in both a dry and wet condition.

 View polished finishes in reflected light to ensure you are happy with the finish.

 Determine whether the stone needs to be sealed by performing a stain resistance test and by evaluating

the change in appearance when wet.

 Ensure the slip resistance of the surface finish is appropriate for the location and an appropriate

cleaning regime is specified.

By: Jim Mann

Principal

Stone Initiatives (c)