Granite

Granite is a hard igneous rock used as flooring stone, kitchen counters, monuments, and architectural cladding. Per IS 3316:1974 (specifications for stones), granite has: (1) Compressive strength 100-250 MPa (very high); (2) Density 2600-2800 kg/m³; (3) Water absorption < 0.5%; (4) Acid-resistant — unaffected by lemon juice, tomato, vinegar; (5) Hard surface — scratch-resistant. Major Indian granite production regions: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan; major cities for finished granite slab supply: Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore.

Varieties popular in Indian construction: (1) Black galaxy — uniform black with reflective specs; ₹2,000-3,500/sqft; premium kitchen and commercial. (2) Tan brown — warm brown, granular pattern; ₹600-1,500/sqft; common kitchen counters. (3) Steel grey — uniform grey with light specks; ₹500-1,200/sqft; commercial flooring. (4) Imperial red — red with black specks; ₹800-1,800/sqft; decorative. (5) Kashmir white — light beige with granular pattern; ₹600-1,300/sqft; residential.

Applications: (1) Kitchen counters — dominant Indian use; ₹600-3,500/sqft installed. (2) Bathroom counters and shower walls. (3) Commercial flooring — entry, lobby, corridors. (4) External cladding — heritage and modern buildings. (5) Memorial and decorative work. (6) Stairs and balusters. The most-overlooked aspect of Indian granite use: thermal expansion. Granite expands more than concrete — when installed adjacent to concrete walls, expansion joints needed at 6-9 m intervals to prevent cracking. Many residential installations skip this, leading to predictable failures.