Outdoor entertaining: it’s gaining in popularity with today’s homeowners who aren’t satisfied being confined to the square footage of their house. If you love preparing food, serving it, and mingling with guests, and you have a nice backyard that you like to spend time in, an outdoor kitchen is probably on your priority list.
When choosing a countertop for your outdoor kitchen, consult with granite fabricators in Westwood MA to see which type, style and color would be best for your needs.
Check out the top benefits of granite countertops and why they’re ideal for outdoor kitchens.
Granite Withstands Exposure to the Elements
While all natural stone surfaces are porous, granite is perhaps the least porous of all of them when it comes to producing countertops. Granite slabs are sealed by the manufacturer, which involves applying a specialized liquid which penetrates into the stone. Once cured, the granite is then sealed and protected against moisture infiltration.
Because it’s not very porous, you don’t have to re-apply the sealer material as frequently as you do other stones such as marble or quartz.
Sealed granite countertop withstand exposure to rain, snow, splashes from the pool, and other sources of moisture with no damage.
Granite Doesn’t Easily Chip or Crack
When it comes to outdoor kitchens, strength and durability of your countertops are imperative. Your outdoor kitchen will be exposed to lots of hazards, from falling tree limbs and hailstones to impacts and projectiles – no to mention regular wear and tear of daily use.
This is why you want your countertops to be resistant to chips and cracks. Damaged countertops won’t be as efficient, and will allow harmful bacteria to get into those cracks and crevices.
Granite is extremely durable and strong, and won’t crack or chip with normal use. In fact, granite is so durable that it’s used in many commercial kitchens.
Granite Withstands Heat Exposure
You will undoubtedly be using cooking appliances in your outdoor kitchens, such as barbecues, grills, griddles, brick ovens and stove tops. Your countertops must be able to handle exposure to the heat generated from the appliances as well as resist hot pans that may be set directly on them.
Granite is known for retaining its structural integrity even when exposed to high temperatures. That’s because granite is made in environments subjected to extreme temperatures and pressures deep within the Earth’s crust.
This means you can put hot pans and utensils right onto the granite surface without threats of damage such as scorching. Granite also absorbs heat very well, which means that heated dishes will cool faster than other types of surfaces.
Of course, it’s always best to use trivet or pot holders just in case, but overall, you don’t have to worry about heat exposure with granite.
Contact Granite Guy
Looking for “granite installers near me”? Look no further than Granite Guy. Reach us at 508-460-7900 for a free quote and to set up your granite counter consultation.