Commercial Granite

• The first myth or misconception about granite counters is the fact that these stones are actually made of granite. In fact, there are very few stones sold for countertops that are made of true granite. Real granite is gray and pink, made up of silica, mica and feldspar.
  
  The rest of the stones being marketed as granite, are what is known as "commercial" granite. This means stones like migmatites, gabbros and gneiss are labeled and sold as granite. Most contain some degree of quartz, silica, mica and feldspar, but many contain other minerals that make them completely different from real granite.
  
  

Granite Maintenance

• Another myth most frequently heard about granite counters refers to their maintenance. Because not all stones labeled granite are alike, either in characteristics or in mineral makeup, not all stones need equal treatment.
  
  Dark-colored stones are much denser than light-colored stones, and in some cases do not need to be sealed. Stones like Absolute Black, a gabbro, are so hard and dense they cannot be scratched and never stain, regardless of sealing. Other stones are extremely porous and will stain and scratch easily. Test your piece of stone by leaving small amount of liquid and acid on a sample to see how durable it is.
  
  

Granite Releases Radon

• A myth that has gained a lot of traction following an erroneous study published in a newspaper, is that granite countertops produce harmful amounts of radon gas. In fact, granite countertops are incapable of producing enough radon gas to be harmful, and there may be more radon coming from your basement walls than your counter.
  
  In order for a granite countertop to release enough radon gas to be harmful, it would need to be structurally unsound. In other words, there would need to be multiple fissures and large pores in the stone. Such a stone would be incapable of being cut and polished into a slab and installed in your home.
  
  

Heat Can Harm the Granite

• Many homeowners worry about placing a pan, hot from the stove directly onto their granite countertop. They may have been warned, erroneously, that the extreme heat from the pan could lead to a fissure, or crack in the granite.
  
  In fact, granite can withstand heat up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, much, much hotter than the pan from the stove. While it is true that a naturally occurring fissure in the granite may become more apparent over time if subjected to enough heat and chemicals, the likelihood of this happening because of a hot pan is extremely negligible.