Sandstone

Sandstone is a Sedimentary Stone consists of quartz, silica, iron oxide and calcium carbonate. It is correct to say that all over the world, Indian Sandstone varieties have fixed the fancy of architects and actual users. Apart from a very large available selection, the price is reasonably low. Usually, sandstone is usually quarried and cut physically.


Sandstone is strong, weather, acid and thermal resistant and has a high grave strength as well. Sandstone is a very even product and as such can be machined to give several different uses other than natural stone flooring and is favored by most of the architects. Particularly, in India, one can locate a wide range of sandstone.

Radiation From Granite

Any naturally formed rock material has the potential of containing varying amounts of naturally occurring radiation. Natural radioactive elements like uranium, radium, and thorium can be present in a wide number of minerals that appear as crystals in granite from around the world. So, it is not unusual for materials such as granite to have some amount of radioactivity (emissions of alpha or beta particles or gamma rays). Depending on the composition of the molten rock from which they formed, some pieces of granite can exhibit more radioactivity than others.

EPA has not conducted studies on radioactivity in granite countertops. However, based on the limited information available, EPA believes that most types of granite used in countertops and other aspects of home construction are probably not major contributors of radiation and radon in the home. EPA will continue to monitor and analyze the evolving research on this issue and will update its recommendations if appropriate.


When present, certain radioactive elements in granite will decay into radon, a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas which may be released from the granite over time. You can see in the diagram below how the decay of Uranium-238 (a radioactive element) produces Radon-222 gas:

However, since granite is generally not very porous, less radon is likely to escape from it than from a more porous stone such as sandstone. It’s important to know that radon originating in the soil beneath homes is a more common problem and a far larger public health risk than radon from a granite countertop or other building materials. Also, any radon from granite in kitchens or bathrooms is likely to be somewhat diluted in the typical home since those rooms are among the most ventilated. To reduce your risk of lung cancer from exposure to radon you should test the air in your home.

Granite Colors

Granite and marble are equally very popular materials for decorating the home, used for things like flooring, bathrooms, walls, and kitchen counter and table tops. Some of the world's popular granite colors are the following:

Absolute Black - this granite has a sleek black sheen with no color alteration whatsoever all through the stone. It is polished to a mirror brightness and it is good looks is in it's stark quality. This kind of granite is mined mostly in India, Sweden, South Africa, and Australia. It is one of the major sellers in attractive granite compared to other patterns obtainable.

Azul Granite - there are a lot of different colors, patterns and types of azul granite, with their names unreliable depending on their country of origin. Azul is the second major popular color for decorative granite universal. Azul granites are mined in dissimilar locations mostly led by Spain and Brazil. While there are other blue colored granites obtainable, azuls are prized for their excellence and the beauty of their patterns, and the truth that the other colours streaking the blue in azul granites are very complimentary to it.

Whites - this color has numerous shades of white granite, with dozens of variations on the idea which again depends on the stone's country of origin. Some examples of this consist of the Big White Flower granite from Guandong, China. This type of stone is mostly white with gray and black markings. Bianco granite is a disparity on white that leans more towards creature ivory in color. Bianco can be mined in astound quarries in Brazil and Italy.

Gold and Copper - metallic colours in these stones are what make them beautiful to sure enthusiasts. Gold and copper granites are found international, and their behind colours are frequently white, gray, and black. While gold and copper granite can be found all across the globe, the highest attention for granite quarries of these shades is Brazil and South America.



Green Granite - of all the different granite colors, green types are perhaps the most changeable when it comes to their additional colors. As most of the other colors have only small differences in their behind shades no matter the source of the granite, greens tend towards immensely different supporting colors.

Rose - while shades of red like crimson and usual red are also a choice between granite buyers, the rarest type of granite in general to find is rose granite. Rose granite ranges from pink to lavender in it's bottom color, and support colors in the stone are typically equally comforting on the eyes, similar to white and pale gold. Some types of rose granite also have opposing colors in the stone, usually gloomy gray, to offer a marked difference to the pink. Brazil and China are the major sources wherever rose granite can be found.

Characteristics of Granite

Granite is the most popular countertop fabric on the market. Its popularity stems from the worth it adds to homes and its resistance to scratching, warping, chipping, powerful heat and staining. Granite, similar to most stone countertop materials, can be modified in an extensive range of colors and compositions. It is considered to be the second hardest naturally happening substance, subsequently to diamonds. Granite countertops are routinely sealed with special protective coatings created completely for this purpose, but because it has a very low absorption speed, it doesn't require to be sealed as often as most other stones.

Stone Names

At present, there are many companies around the world that use generic names to recognize different types of stone. This has produced a problem for the stone maintenance industry. The creative names were in Italian. Generally the name consists of two parts. The initial part describes the color and the next part describes the name from where the stone was quarried.

Italian Name	English Name
Azzuro	Blue
Brecci	Broken Pieces
Dorato/D'oro	Gold
Fiore	Flowe
Giallo	Yellow
Negro/Nero	Black
Perla/Perlato	Pearl
Rosa	Pink
Rosso	Red
Verde	Green
Bianco	White

Advantages of Granite

One of the major reasons people select granite is because of its natural beauty. The coloration will never change so it will forever be as bright and vibrant as when it is first installed.

• Granite is very competitively priced and a plan of your countertops is all that's required for estimation. Quarter-inch beveled and round edges are considered standard and the price increases with more physical edges such as a bull nose or ogee.

• Some advantages of choosing granite are that only another piece of granite or diamonds can cut it so it won't scratch with ordinary use. Also, it's heat resistant so items from the oven can be located right on the counter without a problem.

• Another advantage about granite is that every slab is different so every kitchen is unique with its own good looks.

Options of Marble Countertop:

One of the best kitchen countertop materials is marble countertops. The marble countertops are available in many colors, designs, tile patterns and edge options.
Marble countertops design & colors:

Marble countertops are available in many designs and colors. The metamorphism of pure limestone called the pure white marble countertops. The high magnesium limestone or dolostone content that contain silica impurities is serpentine by the green color in green marble. In the use of heat and pressure, the above impurities re-crystallized from metamorphism; this process affects the marble countertops outcome of pattern and countertops color. The marble countertop of fossiliferous comes many colors for shades of grey, maroon, white and pink. Some of other marble countertops colors are as follows black, blue, green, yellow, and the marble countertops colors are depending on maker or manufacturer. You want your kitchen in livelier with Latin flair or an Italian means select the bright colors like green, yellow or red. Want your kitchen as professional look means select black or off-white beige.

Edge options of marble countertops:

The marble countertops are having more type of edges. The edge options based on the preferences and safety concerns. You choose the marble countertops edge as per your need and your preference. Some of the edge options of marble countertops are bevel, Bullnose, round and straight edge. The marble countertops edges are differ from the properties of angle, round, sharpness.