The grand finish

Jagvir Goyal

Granite which was once rarely used in houses due to its high cost range has seen extensive use both in domestic as well as commercial sector during the past one decade. While hardness and durability remain the ever-attractive features of granite, its easy availability in multiple colours, present cost competitiveness has made it a favorite material of home owners. Now, granite is available in different finishes also and one can choose a finish as per one’s liking. Let’s have a look at its major features, uses and choice of finishes:

Uses of Granite: Granite is extensively used for kitchen counter tops. Some people are switching over to artificial marble but this material is yet under trial on account of issues over scratch and heat resistance. Therefore, people’s preference stays for good quality and well polished granite only. Good quality granite is scratch resistant, stain resistant, heat resistant, impervious and retains its polish for a long time. Next, it is used in the staircases in combination with marble to display a colour contrast on the risers and treads of steps. Next are the pillars for the main gate. These pillars are often clad with granite to give a majestic look to the entrance for the house. Its use on pillars and entrance steps makes these maintenance free. Another use of granite is in the front courtyard of the house to have a durable flooring. Here, a cheaper variety of granite instead of the polished one is used. Otherwise a combination of marble and granite or leather finish granite is used for attractive and non-slippery courtyard flooring.

Essential features: Apart from the uniformity in colour, uniform thickness of granite slabs is an important feature to be checked. Often, granite slabs, even in the same lot are found having varying thickness and problems are faced in fixing these slabs if thickness is not uniform. Granite slabs are available in thickness of 18 mm to even 30 mm. However, a thickness of 18 mm is sufficient. Slab sizes should be chosen by keeping the length, breadth and area of usage to have minimum wastage. There should be no patches or discoloration in the slabs. The slabs should be minutely checked for having no hair cracks or pinholes in them. Check them by throwing water and see if it leaks. There should be no curvature either. For kitchen, vanities and staircase, Grade I slabs should be selected as these will be completely flat.

Granite shades: Granite has more than 120 shades and most of these are available in India. Some sellers classify them as South Indian and North Indian granites. Most popular shades of granite are absolute black, lakha red, cat eye and tan brown. Next preferred are black galaxy, royal brown, royal pink, red galaxy and Himalayan red. The shades and colours occur in natural form of granite because of different proportions of minerals like quartz, mica, feldspar etc in it.

Granite finishes: Granite needs to be finished properly before putting it into use. After getting the required finish, its surface becomes impervious, looks better and its polished or granular, crystalline or texture beauty is enhanced. Most of us know only of the polished finish of granite. However, granite can be finished in a number of ways. Each type of finish provides a different type of plain or granular look to the granite surface.

Polished finish: This is the most common finish of granite. This finish provides a mirror like surface to granite. The surface is reflective, full of shine and granite acquires sort of richness in colour. Polished finish granites don’t get stained easily and are very easy to clean. Granite with polished finish is most popular for kitchen counter tops, wash basin counters and risers of the staircase steps.

Leather finish: Leather finish granite was almost unknown till a few years back but now, it is becoming a favourite choice of landscape consultants for landscaping work. In addition, leather finish granite is now frequently provided in pathways and courtyards. A combination of red and black leather finish granite is commonly used. The final appearance of granite provided with leather finish is granular and not plain like that of the polished surfaces. The closeness of grains in granular surface depends on the natural composition and density of granite. Leather finish can conceal the stains on granite surfaces more effectively than polished finish. This finish is not as reflective and shiny as the polished surface but has a soft sheen coupled with a granular finish that can be felt with fingers.

Methodology: While stone discs and abrasives are used to provide polished finish to granite, brush like abrasives are used for providing leather finish to granite. The bristles of these brushes are not of wire but of stone that continue to reduce in length on repeated applications on granite. (See photograph). The granite surface is first made rough by applying 36 number abrasive to it. The roughing has to be done very well to achieve good leather finish. Thereafter, 46 and 60 number abrasives are applied to clear all the scratches produced by 36 number stone. Next in line are the stone-bristle-brushes that are applied in sequence on the granite surface. These are of 80, 120 and 240 numbers. On their application, all the scratches fade away, surface becomes smoother and color of the surface increases. Stone brush number 320 is now applied to add mild gloss to the granular surface of granite. If required, more gloss can be added by using brush number 500 and 1000.

Antique finish: In this type of finish, a high temperature flame is applied to the surface of granite by using a blow torch. The application of flame removes the soft parts of granite and converts the surface into rough textured finish. This happens because high temperature of the flame cracks the crystals on the surface of granite. Now, the rough surface of granite is cleaned of loose particles with a steel brush. Next operation is to smoothen the rough surface by application of brushes. Brush number 36 is used for this purpose. Thereafter, brush number 60 and 80 are used to remove any scratches caused by brush number 36. Brush number 120 and 240 are now applied to make surface more smooth and to add color and sharpness to it. There are more stone brushes like 320, 500 and 1000 to make the surface look timeless and antique as we find in old European courtyards and walkways.

The flamed surface granite itself can also be used in walkways as it becomes highly textured and non slippery. It is used on surfaces of fireplaces and even on inner surface of hearths. As the granite surface is already tempered by use of high temperature blow torch, the heat no more troubles such surfaces.

Honed finish: Honed finish of granite is produced by applying grit material to granite surface in a similar way as is done for polished finish. The only difference is that in achieving honed finish of granite, buffing of surface is not done. The end result is a smooth surface that doesn’t reflect like polished surfaces. It is, however, ensured that there are no scratch marks on the honed finish granite. Honed finish granite is a substitute for polished finish granite when it is feared that polished granite shall become slippery when wet. Therefore, some people prefer honed finish granite instead of polished finish granite for stair steps and kitchen counter tops.

Lappato finish: The word Lappato has been derived from some Italian words. To produce Lappato finish, granite surface is first grinded by using an abrasive and all the polish on the granite surface is removed. Next, scratches on granite are removed by using more stone abrasives. Now, various stone brushes of numbers 26, 60, 80, 120, 240, 320 and 500 are applied in a way similar to leather finish. While in Leather finish granite, the process stops here, in case of lappato finish, three more special stones of number 800, 1500 and 3000 are applied to achieve final finish which is a combination of matt and gloss, less reflective and has a granular worn-out but highly elegant look. The surface is non slippery and easy to clean.

Leather finish: Leather finish granite was almost unknown till a few years back but now, it is becoming a favourite choice of landscape consultants for landscaping work. In addition, leather finish granite is now frequently provided in pathways and courtyards. A combination of red and black leather finish granite is commonly used. The final appearance of granite provided with leather finish is granular and not plain like that of the polished surfaces. The closeness of grains in granular surface depends on the natural composition and density of granite. Leather finish can conceal the stains on granite surfaces more effectively than polished finish. This finish is not as reflective and shiny as the polished surface but has a soft sheen coupled with a granular finish that can be felt with fingers.

Methodology: While stone discs and abrasives are used to provide polished finish to granite, brush like abrasives are used for providing leather finish to granite. The bristles of these brushes are not of wire but of stone that continue to reduce in length on repeated applications on granite. (See photograph). The granite surface is first made rough by applying 36 number abrasive to it. The roughing has to be done very well to achieve good leather finish. Thereafter, 46 and 60 number abrasives are applied to clear all the scratches produced by 36 number stone. Next in line are the stone-bristle-brushes that are applied in sequence on the granite surface. These are of 80, 120 and 240 numbers. On their application, all the scratches fade away, surface becomes smoother and color of the surface increases. Stone brush number 320 is now applied to add mild gloss to the granular surface of granite. If required, more gloss can be added by using brush number 500 and 1000.   

(This column is published fortnightly)