Is Granite Harder Than Stone

Granite is a very hard granular crystalline igneous rock which consists mainly of quartz mica and feldspar and is often used as building stone.

Is granite harder than stone.

The igneous rock is comprised of mostly quartz and feldspar along with smaller amounts of various other minerals. That is an old classification and i am not sure the classification still exists. Granite can be more expensive than quartz at times based on the availability of a color and pattern. Granite is a stronger and harder stone than marble is which lends it a shiny glossy appearance compared to marble s dull smoothness.

Basalt is a common extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface of earth. Sometimes quartz is more expensive due to the treatments it receives during manufacturing. Diamonds of course are harder than all of these and still clock in at 7 on the all time list of hardest materials found or created on earth. On the mohs test that measures how hard a material is it has been given a hardness reading of 8 10.

This mean that it is harder than glass and can actually cut it. Quartzite is an extremely hard rock that is not water or acid soluble. But in the 1960s when i began learning rock classification a quartzite was a sandstone that was composed predominantly of quartz and cemented with sili. Granite comes in at a 6 to 7 on the mohs scale meaning it is relatively hard.

Though natural stone countertops are harder and less likely to damage and scratch in comparison to synthetic countertops such as formica or laminate there are natural stones that are harder than others. While definitely not a cheap countertop option the look and endurance of stone make it well worth the cost. Meaning no two slabs are alike and each has its own similar yet unique composition. Despite the fact that they ve been surpassed by.

And while in general your quartzite is harder than your granite or your granite is harder than your marble keep in mind that natural stone is a product of mother nature. An example of the hardness of a granite countertop can be seen in the fact that a knife blade will not scratch the surface. Granite is less expensive than marble starting at roughly 75 square foot installed and 100 more than that for higher end stone.