Granite

Granite is a natural igneous rock of volcanic origin, formed as magma cooled slowly deep in the Earth's crust. It is one of the most widespread and hardest types of natural stone. Granite consists mainly of feldspars, quartz and various coloured minerals, which determine its unique colour and pattern. Granite can be red, pink, grey or white with dark mineral grains, and sometimes small quartz crystals are visible in the stone.

Granite has a massive, granular and comparatively even texture, yet every granite slab is unique. The material absorbs very little water or other liquid and is highly resistant to frost, weathering, temperature swings and all kinds of weather. It is fireproof, resistant to scratches, impacts, heavy loads and abrasion, and easy to look after. These properties make granite an excellent fit for both interior and exterior work, and it is particularly well suited to Latvia's changeable climate.

Granite is easy to cut, shape, machine, grind and polish, so it can be made into thin or thick high-strength surfaces and constructions of various forms. Granite slabs can be up to 3.40 m long, so even long worktops can often be made without a seam. When choosing granite it is worth viewing the whole slab rather than deciding from a small sample: in a small sample the veining and mineral pattern may cover only a fraction of the slab, and the rest of it can look quite different.

Several varieties of granite are distinguished, including normal granite, plagiogranite and alkaline granite. The minerals in the stone determine not only its colour and visual pattern but also various physical properties of the material.

The natural granite used by VIA Akmens apstrāde is sourced from Italy, India, Brazil, China and other countries around the world. Following each client's individual wishes, the company makes a wide range of granite products and constructions, including granite kitchen and bathroom surfaces, bar counters, window sills, walls, façades, stairs, columns, slabs, mosaic tiles and fountains. Granite paving stones and kerbs in various colours are also available, as are granite posts and several styles of refined granite fireplace surrounds.

Thanks to granite's durability, longevity, easy care and wide fabrication possibilities, it is a dependable and handsome material for private, public and commercial projects alike — from kitchen worktops and window sills to façades, stairs and outdoor work.