How granite is used in buildings?

Granite stone is commonly used in buildings, bridges, paving, monuments, countertops, tile floors, stair treads and many other design elements. The word granite is derived from the Latin word "granum", which means grain. Granite is an intrusive igneous rock with a granular and pan-crystalline structure that makes up 70-80 percent of the Earth's crust. Its origin is pelagic, which means it formed deep underground. This rock is primarily composed of interlocking crystals of alkaline feldspar (65 percent by volume), quartz (20 percent by volume), mica, amphibole, and other minerals. Depending on the mineral composition, granite can be red, pink, gray or white in color with dark mineral grains visible to the naked eye. Granite is a hard and tough rock with an average density between 2.65 and 2.75 g/cm.

More Uses

Granite has all the desirable properties needed to use it as a dimension stone. It's stiff and durable enough to resist wear and tear and carry a lot of weight. It is also fairly inert in nature and can be polished for a glossy finish. Therefore, this stone is used for various structural and decorative purposes. Both the ancient world and the modern world attest to the importance of granite as a building material. Today, granite is commonly used to build roads, sidewalks, monuments, public buildings and bridges.

Aberdeen in Scotland is often referred to as the "Granite City" due to the extensive use of granite in the construction of the city. In the case of interior applications, granite is an excellent choice for countertops, floor tiles, stair treads, and more. The material can also be used to build tombstones and memorials. Crushed forms of granite are used as filler in various construction activities.

Where to Find Good Granite

Granite is mined worldwide, but the most exotic colors come from granite deposits in China, India, Brazil, Finland and South Africa. Granite mining is a capital and labor intensive process. Granite blocks are extracted from sediments by cutting or blasting procedures. The extracted granite blocks are cut into transportable slabs using specialized cutting machines, which are then packaged and shipped by rail or shipping service. China, Brazil and India are some of the world's leading granite producers.