Granite – An Elegant Natural Stone Upgrade
Granite counter tops in Phoenix homes are always considered an upgrade and a distinguishing characteristic in any kitchen. The Arizona Regional MLS has recently made “granite countertops” a searchable field for those buyers where granite kitchen counter tops are a “must have”. While buyers and sellers alike will attest to the natural beauty of granite, the facts behind this natural igneous upgrade are sometimes unknown.
Igneous crystalline formation of Quartz, Feldspar and Mica 
I was lucky enough to find a Tracy Makowski, the Branch Manager at Interceramic Marble Collection in Tempe who showed me around their warehouse showroom and allowed me to take the pictures featured in this post.
Granite slabs typically come in two thicknesses, 2 cm. and 3 cm., which translates into 3/4 and 1 1/4 inches for those that are metrically challenged. A basic 62″ x 109″ two centimeter thick slab can weigh between 600 – 800 lbs. Granite is an igneous rock formed from magma. The word granite comes from the 
Latin, granum, a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of this crystalline rock. Granite is formed from magma as it cools far beneath the earth’s surface very slowly allowing the crystals to form. Granite is comprised of quartz, feldspar, mica, and to some degree hornblende. Granite kitchen counter tops are a standard among many Phoenix luxury waterfront community homes.
As I walked around the showroom it was interesting to see the country of origin of the granite slabs which included Brazil, India, Italy, Finland, Norway, Madagascar, Africa, and Argentina.
All installed granite slabs that I’ve seen have a polished finish. And most of the slabs in the warehouse also had a polished finish. The other type of finish is a “leathered”, satin or antiqued style. The leathered finish has a rougher texture and more of a matte finish.
Below is a YouTube view explaining the process starting with extraction from the quarry to installation in the kitchen.
If you would like to receive listings that have granite kitchen counter tops in the Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and any Phoenix area city, click on receive e-mails of homes with granite counter tops.
Information for homeowners who need to sell but are underwater with their mortgage can go to Gilbert and Chandler Short Sale information.
