Uses of Granite

The United States won its first-ever Olympic Gold Medal in the sport of curling at the 2018 Winter Olympics. This brought a lot of attention to the sport of curling, and to granite - the rock used to manufacture the curling stones, also known as "rocks," used to play this sport.

Curling stones weigh between 38 and 44 pounds and are made from granites with special physical properties. The granite must be able to absorb repeated impacts without chipping and maintain a smooth running surface to glide smoothly across the ice. Curling stones made from the right granite can last through many years of regular use. Learn more about curling stones. Image copyright by iStockphoto / bukharova.

One of the most familiar uses of granite in the United States is in kitchen countertops. The countertop pictured above was made from a solid slab of granite that was cut to custom shape and edge-finished. Increased demand for granite countertops has inspired a large number of kitchen contractors to acquire the expertise and equipment to install them. As a result they can usually be ordered from and installed by a local dealer instead of a company located hundreds of miles away. For this product, increased demand has actually reduced the installed price to a level that is within reach of the average homeowner. Pictured above is a pink granite kitchen countertop. (Image copyright iStockphoto / North Georgia Media.)

Black Granite	White Granite	Green Granite	Blue Granite
Grey Granite	Red Granite	Pink Granite	Brown Granite

Colors of Granite: Rocks sold under the trade name "granite" are produced from many quarries located throughout the world. This yields a huge color palette for mixing and matching stone. Here are a few samples.

Granite tiles are often used as flooring and wall panels to produce an elegant, high-luster space. The stone used for these tiles might be called "black granite" by the company selling the tiles; however, the rock might be called "gabbro" or "diabase" by a geologist - depending upon its grain size. See the second section of this article titled "What is Granite?" for definitions of granite used by geologists and people who sell architectural stone products. (Image copyright iStockphoto / Maciej Noskowski.)

In large construction projects, granite can be used in two different ways: 1) as a structural element, and 2) as decorative facing or veneer. Both of these are shown in the Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River at Washington, D.C. above. Visible immediately above the water line in this photo are the large rectangular granite blocks that were used in the piers of the bridge. These blocks are a structural use of granite. The visible surface of the bridge above the piers is covered with a thin veneer of facing stone to provide an attractive appearance. (Image copyright iStockphoto / Klaas Lingbeek-van Kranen.)

Granite is often used as a street curbing. Curbs made from granite are more durable than those made of concrete. They also provide a more decorative appearance. (Image copyright iStockphoto / Arkady Mazor.)

Granite does not need to be quarried to be used. Mount Rushmore, a granite monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota, is a tribute to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln that is carved directly into the mountain. (Image copyright iStockphoto / Jonathan Larsen.)

One of the most interesting types of granite ever found has been named "K2" after the second-tallest peak in the world. At the base of the mountain is found a limited exposure of granite with bright blue azurite orbs that are typically about 1 centimeter across. Most people can't believe that azurite actually occurs within granite. The material is being cut into gems and has made its way into the U.S. gem market. Learn more about K2 Azurite Granite.