Granite Flooring – Advantages, Disadvantages, & Types (2022 Tips)

What Is Granite?

Granite is a natural stone formed by cooling molten rock in the earth. Granite stone is the result of a time-consuming and high-pressure process. It is an igneous rock that is primarily solid and robust.

Granite is composed of minerals such as feldspar and quartz, which add to its radiance. It may be used in practically every room of your home and is available in both honed, matte slabs and brushed, shining tiles.

What Is Granite Flooring?

Granite flooring is stunning, with distinct grain movement and colors that bring natural beauty and elegance to any space. It is best suited for kitchen floors and high-traffic areas. It is also used in outdoor areas, such as walks.

Granite flooring tiles come in various colors, shapes, and patterns, including rich browns, vivid golds, warm creams, colder blues, greens, greys, and luxurious black, to suit any purpose and please builders and interior designers.

Granite flooring is extremely hard, long-lasting, and almost indestructible. Because of its limited porosity, it is stain resistant. It is also heat and scratch-resistant. Because this flooring is resistant to microorganisms, it is a wonderful alternative for persons who suffer from allergies. Because it is smooth, it is simple to clean, requires minimal care, and does not require painting regularly.

General Requirements

Here are the requirements of granite to use in flooring:

1. Granites should be free of all flaws and harmful minerals that interfere with their beauty, strength, structural integrity, and capacity to take a decent polish.

2. Textural variations, which are a function of the degree of homogeneity and the distribution of the constituent minerals, are the primary source of imperfections.

3. Imperfections include hairline cracks/joints, flowers, moles, knots, white and black lines caused by segregation of light-colored minerals in multi-colored granites and ferromagnesium minerals in light-colored granites.

4. Granites should be free of harmful minerals such as pyrite, marcasite, biotite, chlorite, and ilmenite. These minerals can affect the color and appearance of weathering and polishing characteristics.

Size Of Granite Tiles

Granite tiles come in a variety of sizes. The most frequent sizes are as follows:

• 60 cm x 30 cm
• 60 cm x 60 cm

Types Of Granite Flooring

The following are the types of granite flooring:

• Kashmir White Granite
• Platinum White Granite
• Absolute Black Granite
• Black galaxy granite
• Crystal Yellow Granite
• Tan Brown Granite
• Rosy Pink Granite
• Steel Grey Granite

1. Kashmir White Granite

It is long-lasting and has a gleaming finish. Tiles with a thickness of roughly 2-3 cm are substantially more durable.

2. Platinum White Granite

Platinum white granite flooring tiles are available in a variety of vibrant colors. They are also cost-effective. If you have a limited budget, these tiles may be suitable for you. It also has a long lifespan. Different finishing options are available such as polished, flamed, or leather finish.

3. Absolute Black Granite

Absolute black granite tiles are also available and utilized as flooring tiles. Absolute black granite countertops are expensive. However, this granite type’s tiles are reasonably priced.

4. Black Galaxy Granite

It is similar to absolute black granite and is now utilized for flooring and countertops. These tiles are arranged without a line.

5. Crystal Yellow Granite

Crystal yellow granite has a vibrant color. It is an excellent choice for interior flooring. It features the most uniformly distributed crystals and is one of the most uniform tiles. It comes in two thicknesses: 1.8 cm and 2 cm. It is also appropriate for usage outside.

6. Tan Brown Granite

Another dark color choice for flooring is tan brown granite. These tiles are also available in various finishes, such as flamed, polished, and leather.

7. Rosy Pink Granite

Pink granite tiles are among the most affordable granite tiles. Because of its exceptional longevity, it is also known as zero maintenance granite. It doesn’t even need to be sealed, which saves money on sealant. It is, however, heavily polished.

8. Steel Grey Granite

Steel grey granite tiles, which resemble silver pearls in the water, are one of the most commonly utilized varieties of granite tiles.

Installation Process Of Granite Flooring

Because granite is both expensive and heavy, it should only be installed by an expert. Granite is not porous as marble and does not require sealing if used in a moisture-proof space. It is biodegradable, more durable, and stain-resistant than any other flooring material, including marble.

Equipment Required For Installation

• Plastic spacers,
• Granite flooring tiles,
• Rubber mallet,
• Wet saw,
• Backer-board,
• Screw,
• Notched trowel,
• Grout sponge,
• Grout float,
• Penetrating grout sealer,
• Paper towel.

Steps Involved In The Process Of Installation

1. Before installing tiles, the subfloor should be cleaned and dried.

2. During the cleaning process, sandpaper or other suitable material may require to scrape away the paint and residue sealants.

3. The granite floor tiles used should have a 90-degree corner.

4. Layout the floor tiles and use plastic spacers to keep the granite tiles aligned. 

5. Trim the tiles to fit with a wet saw.

6. Now, prepare the thin-set according to the package instructions. Then, using a trowel, apply an even coating of thin-set to the sub-floor.

7. Screw the backer board into place. It makes the surface smoother and protects the granite from harm.

8. To create consistent ridges, hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle.

9. Tap the granite tile into the mortar with a rubber mallet, using a slight twisting motion. It ensures that air pockets are forced out for total contact. Give the mortar 24 hours to dry.

10. Mix grout in small batches and use it within 20 minutes. Grout should have the consistency of toothpaste.

11. Then, using a grout float, massage the grout into the tile joints.

12. Remove any extra grout paste with a damp sponge and an assistance float.

13. Allow the grout to dry for three days.

14. Apply a penetrating grout sealant now. Remove any extra sealant from the tile after it has been applied.

15. Finally, the granite flooring is finished.

Granite Flooring Advantages

Granite flooring has gained popularity in recent years because of its wide range of benefits and attractive styles. While not the cheapest flooring option, granite tiles are both gorgeous and elegant, as well as durable.

1. Granite comes in a variety of colors. Some of the patterns are appealing, with natural beauty and features.

2. Because they are not porous materials, they can withstand water seepage.

3. It is hypoallergenic, resistant to allergens and bacteria, and very resistant to water or moisture, making it a sanitary choice for flooring and kitchen countertops.

4. Because of its highly gleaming surface, it is effortless to maintain. With frequent sweeping and mopping, granite may remain gleaming and last a lifetime.

5 Its rigid surface can resist heavy traffic.

6. Granite is an excellent choice if you don’t want to change your floor because its firm surface can easily endure a lifetime.

7. Granite’s color does not fade. The color of granite on the first day it is put will remain the same even after 20 years.

8. As long as it is sealed, granite becomes stain resistant.

9. Its timeless elegance, exceptional toughness, and abrasion resistance make it ideal for outdoor and interior use.

10. It can withstand extremely high temperatures. Granite is used as kitchen countertops because of its fire and heat resistance, as it can withstand direct heat from cooking tools without affecting its surface.

11. Because of its longevity, granite window sills do not require routine maintenance. They blend in wonderfully with various materials like wood, metal, and others in any interior.

Granite Flooring Disadvantages

1. Granite is quite expensive since it has to be mined and polished by professionals. The transportation cost of granite rises as you move further from the quarry.

2. Granite installation necessitates the use of professional workers and is both complicated and time-consuming. It is not recommended that you attempt granite installation on your own because granite is incredibly heavy and takes exceptional precision and know-how to install.

3. In the winter, granite flooring can be extremely cold underfoot, though not as frigid as marble.

4. Soft or fragile brittle goods dropped on the surface will most likely break due to their hardness.

5. When wet, highly polished (glossy) granite tiles can be difficult for youngsters and the elderly.

6. Repairing badly scratched granite can be costly, with the possibility of changing the granite’s color. In addition, cracked or fractured granite necessitates the services of a trained worker to restore.

Quality Check Before Buying

Before purchasing granite floor tiles, it is critical to ensure the quality of the tiles. Here are a few guidelines for assuring the quality of the granite tiles:

1. Dimensions

The dimensions of the granite tiles used for flooring should be as specified. There is a tolerance of 1 mm in length and breadth and 15% in thickness. The thickness of granite tiles should be at least 15-20 cm.

When measured diagonally, the tiles should all be the same size. It can be made in either a square or a rectangular shape, depending on the customer’s needs.

2. Consistency

The color, thickness, and texture of the granite tiles should be consistent.

3. Specifications

Granite tiles should be strong and durable. By pressing a stone on the surface of the tiles, you can see if they are in good condition. If the stone falls off, the tiles must be rejected.

When the tiles are stuck together, they should generate a clear ringing sound. The granite tiles should have a smooth polish and be free of flaws. The top layer of the tiles should be free of cracks and holes.

4. Sharp Corners

The granite tiles should have sharp edges and not have broken corners.

5. Color

The tie’s color should not fade away quickly. We can test it by rubbing a cloth soaked in kerosene or gasoline. If the tiles leave a stain on the cloth, it indicates that the color is synthetic.

6. Quality

The porosity of the granite stone indicates its quality. We can test it by dropping some lemon juice on its surface. This test can establish two things: if the lemon juice absorbs quickly, the tiles are porous.

If the granite floor tiles are porous, it indicates that the granite is of poor quality. On the other hand, if it leaves a white stain on the surface, it contains a large amount of calcite.

Conclusion:

Granite flooring is a good choice for your home, particularly in damp areas such as the bathroom, kitchen, and also for countertops because it is scratch and stain-resistant.

Granite floors can have both a bright and a smooth polish. So, one can look into all of the possibilities accessible in the market and select the one that best meets their needs.

Also Read –

Types Of Flooring For Homes

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