How do you tell the difference between real granite countertops and countertops made of some kind of composite containing ground-up stone in it (like quartz)?
The countertop in our new (rented) kitchen and bathrooms has a bullnose formed by a second piece being glued to the undersurface. There is grayish discoloration (and a repaired crack) near the stove that I presume is due to heat exposure. The surface doesn’t seem *quite* as hard as I would expect real granite to be, although it’s considerably harder than Corian. There is quite a lot of crystalline material in it of a couple of different colors and different sized pieces, as well as pockets of pigment. I can’t really tell if it’s all suspended in some plastic matrix or if it’s the real thing.
The tile flooring and the tile in the master bathroom shower is real stone, not that that makes any difference.
How do I tell? Not that it matters, I’m just curious.
Thanks,
Rebeccah
Replies
Take sandpaper and sand the underside a little, if it is a composite you will be able to smell it.
Sounds like Silestone or one of the other quartz counter tops, especially with the laminated edge. Silestone comes in 2 CM and 3 CM. The 3 CM is a little over an inch thick. The 2CM is thinner but the edge is built up to 4 CM or about 1.5" thick.
One way to tell the difference between that and a natural stone is that often people say that it is too uniform.... Granite, marble or other natural stones are most often not uniform - having veining, etc that go through it in irregular patterns.
The quartz manufacturers say that their product is cleaner and requires less maintenance.
Composite materials like Corian, have more of a plastic or wood feel when you tap your finger nails on them.
Really though, my opinion is that granite is not as bullet proof as one might think.
With a good high powered magnify glass, take a look. A true crystalline rock like granite will be composed entirely of small interlocking crystal grains. The intersections will be irregular. A synthetic aggregate will have a very fine matrix between the grains.
Silestone or equivalent was my first guess, too.
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
Not to sound like too much of a DA, but what thicknesses does granite come in...
Granite comes in 2 and 3 cm thicknesses. the 3 cm can span base cabinets alone, but 2 cm usually needs a subtop of plywood.
To the OP: I think if you look closely at real granitye, you will see tiny pockmarks, whereas the silestone will be perfectly smooth."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Looks like FE beat me to the answer.
There are two kinds of people who never amount to much:those who cannot do what they are told, and those who can do nothing else.
Sounds like real granite to me.
the composites are very uniform---- at least the ones that i have seen.
I have seen real granite doubled on the edge on more than one occasion.
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” —Albert Einstein
Look for "defects".....larger shiney flakes, surface pocking, any small irregularity that is not repeated. Some granites, especially darker ones, are pretty consistant, but still will show small irregularities, especially in direct sunlight.
Man-mades like silestone usually do not.