I have heard Granite work tops are not a good idea as they are porous?

Question

Does anyone have any thoughts or info they would like to share regarding this i have heard they are alot worse than other work tops with germs and things

Answer 1

Granite is fine as long as you seal it every so often . It is prone to staining,so be careful when resting hot pots on it and if you make any curries,if its light coloured granite and not sealed properly it can leave markings..I recently renovated and chose to put Cesar stone ,because of these reasons..

Answer 2

It has been very interesting reading some of these answers, and as some have correctly said Granite is less porous than marble which should NEVER be used in a kitchen if you are going to use the worktops as a prep. area. Forget what you read in magazines, some of the air-head advisiors are still living at home with mum and have no real experience - and i have met a lot of them !! Granite when correctly sealed will last a life-time with maintenance. You would be well advised to buy your granite tops from a local stone-mason who will also offer you a service every 3-5 years if required or who should certainly supply you with a maintenance kit. Marble on the other hand is porous and although it can be sealed will chip and abraid (powder) if it is cut on in a kitchen and you do not want to get marble dust or chippings into your food. Marble is better used on walls, floors and as bathroom surfaces but even there you have to be very careful about the cleaning agents you use and also your own lotions and potions for your body or it may discolour. My recommendation for cleaning granite is to use spray dettol and an e-cloth pack - look at the instructions and you will have gleaming germ-free tops without any trouble. Also use this on your tiiles etc.

Answer 3

Granite is beautiful and strong and is a great work surface. Since it is somewhat porous, it needs to be maintained by sealing it every 6 months or so. Marble is much softer and much more porous than granite. Sealing is easy-- just wipe sealer on, then wipe sealer off. (sealers are available at Home Depot, etc. ) Actually, now Home Depot and Expo Design Centers sell granite that is pre-sealed with a patented process and the sealer is guaranteed for 15 years.
Another option for counters is Silestone, or any brand of natural quartz counters. They are man-made of natural quartz and contain "MicroBan" which inhibits bacterial growth. They never have to be sealed, you can cut on them, etc. They look like stone and have many colors, patterns and finishes.
Check out these 2 websites for more info.

Answer 4

Nooo.... real granite is a wonderful, extremely dense and marble like choice for countertops.
Not only it's the most hygienic of all materials, but it's also very very hard wearing and long lasting.
Whoever advised you against it, either didn't know, or had an ulterior motive.
It's not cheap, but go for it - it's the best!

P.S.: I just saw the answer above: Wrong, granite is harder than marble!

Answer 5

they are not pouous they are igneous. Granite (IPA: /ˈgranɪt/) is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granites are usually medium to coarsely crystalline, occasionally with some individual crystals larger than the groundmass forming a rock known as porphyry. Igneous rocks form when rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks.They would make fantastic worktops. the thing that should put you off is the price.

Answer 6

no granite is a very solid and dense material ..it will clean easily and there are not many places for germs to hide ..would think it is on a par with laminate to stay germ free ..now wooden worktops is a different story

Answer 7

One thing I do know is that granite is more radioactive than other stone used in buildings.Ever heard of Radon?

Answer 8

I prefer wood worktops. Warm to the touch, hygienic, hard wearing and looks better with a patina of wear and tear.
Granite and marble always remind me of gravestones. You are making a cup of coffee on top of ' In loving memory......'

Answer 9

They would be porous,I would go for marble myself,how about the granite look ones,they are very popular.

Answer 10

These sites may help you.

http://www.interiordesignersuk.co.uk/graniteworktoprestoration.html

http://www.yesgranite.com/fitting.html