Is Granite A Porous Surface

Some of the more common porous surfaces include laminate granite and various types of tile and plastic materials.

Is granite a porous surface.

Daily kitchen activities pose no problems for granite which can even take on a hot pot without the use of a trivet. This means granite has tiny crevices or holes that allow air and water into the stone. Most fabricators will apply a sealer to granite countertops before they are installed which will protect them from absorbing liquids too quickly. Granite is one of the most durable materials you can install in your home.

Being porous is not necessarily a bad quality. Polishing the stone creates a flat smooth surface that reduces the porosity. A non porous surface is microscopically flat and smooth down to the molecular level. Corian is a homogenous nonporous surface that is manufactured by dupont.

Hard surfaces are a combination of porous and nonporous materials. The surfaces are non porous so you will not have to worry about sealing. While granite is not the most porous natural stone countertop option it is still porous and you will need to seal the surface to protect it from liquid damage and stains. When a surface is nonporous such as stainless steel it cannot absorb anything at all.

The size of these tiny voids along with their surface count determine the porosity level. If liquids are left on the surface for long periods of time they will eventually absorb. Granite is a porous material. While granite is unlikely to ever go out of style the choice for countertop surfaces extends far beyond granite and includes synthetic surfaces like corian natural rocks like marble and engineered quartz like silestone granite a natural rock is extremely hard and durable despite being porous.

Porosity can be swiss cheese or sponge like others have said but it can go down to the nanostructures level like zeolite and aerogel. All natural stone possesses some degree of porosity. On the downside laminate countertops typically only last for about 10 years or so before you should replace them. Granite countertops are porous if left unsealed.

However this doesn t mean granite acts as a sponge. The material is also stain resistant. Beautiful stronger than oak but porous a gorgeous nearly impenetrable counter top surface granite is highly resistant to scratching cracking and staining and is impervious to heat. Common hard surface materials are stainless steel solid surface laminate porcelain and a wide variety of tile and ridged plastic materials.

Each pore on the surface of granite tiles or slabs is considered to be a microscopic void. As previously mentioned granite is of an igneous nature which makes it less porous than sedimentary rocks such as limestone. Polished granite is the most durable most granite countertops are polished then sealed making them nearly impermeable. It is stain resistant.

You do not want your granite kitchen countertops or surfaces in other rooms to sustain damages as a result of a worn seal. Granite is a naturally porous stone though it s not as porous as some other types of natural stone like marble. Often overlooked are details such as the material surface texture.