Granite worktops’ supply and demand have greatly increased in recent years, allowing for a newfound perspective or interior decoration. However you shouldn’t just go along with everyone else for the sake of it, you should know what it is you are investing in and learn to appreciate its values and qualities for itself.

Here is some information that should tell you most things you could ever need to know about granite:

Granite is a natural rock, and quarried all over the globe, basically falling under the category of ‘igneous rock’, produced via hot molten lava under layers of metamorphic rocks.

The various categories of these are ‘sedimentary rocks’ ‘metamorphic rocks’, ‘igneous (Intrusive) rocks’ and ‘igneous (extrusive) rocks’, these all have individual chemical composition. These rocks are also named because of the nature of their occurrence. There are other natural rocks that can also be used as a worktop, and these are marble and quartz, these along with granite are by far the most trusted by home owners; however you can also consider synthetic worktops such as corian or silestone.

The price range of these granite worktops generally encompass the area of 45 pounds a square foot to 300 pounds a square foot, depending on a number of things, for example the colour, edge profiling, installation and transportation etc. If you are looking for some cheap options for granite you can either visit a granite warehouse or order prefabricated granite kitchen tops. On another note quartz is the cheapest option but if you are thinking of marble, you must bear in mind that its price is the same of that of granite. Overall, there is no stone as sturdy and pleasing to look upon as granite, and for this reason 80% of construction areas and kitchen interiors use it.

Here at RubyGranite we offer a wide variety of products from Natural Granite to Man Made Quartz materials which are manufactured by a number of different companies. Silestone, which is fabricated by Cosentino, are one of the leading quartz materials on the market and offer a wide range of colours to suit everyone’s needs!

‘Silestone is a compound made up of 94% natural quartz, which make it extraordinarily hard and resilient. This is the one and only worktop made of quartz with anti-bacterial protection, giving it hygienic properties that are not to be found anywhere else on the market. It is an excellent surface for kitchen worktops, bathrooms, floors and wall cladding using the minimum number of joints. In addition, it comes in a variety of different shades of quartz colour, offering a number of decorative possibilities from a mere kitchen top to a project for a complete set of furniture. Silestone is an investment for the future. Silestone is forever.’ www.silestone.co.uk, 2012

Cosentino, the fabricators of the ever popular Silestone quartz worktops have invited RubyGranite to visit their main manufacturing plant in Almeria, Spain (see image below)!

We are delighted to accept the invitation and Ceri flies out there on Tuesday 10th July so watch this space, and follow us on Twitter @RubyGranite for updates whilst she is away!

Quartz is an engineered stone that serves fantastically well as solid, stylish kitchen worktops. It is a popular choice due to these factors, as well as being available at a fair price, making it a great idea for anybody thinking about redesigning or renovating their kitchens or bathrooms. Companies such as Ruby Granite will often review their sales to see which types of worktops are most desired and what style is ‘in’ at the moment as far as fashion trends are concerned.

This year has seen a rise in demand for black quartz worktops, with many people constantly placing orders and having black quartz installed within their kitchen. This could be put down to a range of factors, including the clean, modern stylish effect the black quartz kitchen worktop has, as well as it being of economical friendliness for what it is. Black quartz tops are great value for money considering how strong and stylish they are once installed.

Grey quartz has seen a rise as the year has progressed, with grey quart becoming very fashionable. As opposed to last year, there are more grey quartzs being sold over cream quartzs, which were much more predominant last year. The grey quartzs are beautifully finished with a silky feel and look, making it very popular during the spring and early summer months.

Another popular choice for kitchen worktops is the installation of whites and extra pure whites. A lot of people like the idea of white on white kitchen fittings as it create a great simple and stylish canvas for brighter colored and more distinct kitchen accessories. These are becoming more popular in the present time. These three or four different worktops seem to be the most popular color and style as of this year, with great value for money being found if you use the right firm.

If you need assistance with choosing the right worktop contact Ruby Granite for a free no obligation quote.

Granite is a durable material that has the ability to be cut and polished into a beautiful worktop. It is a perfect way to finish off a kitchen, with stain resistant, scratch resistant, heat resistant, stylish and beautiful surface. This makes it a great choice for worktops in kitchens, bathrooms, tables and even flooring.

Granite worktops in Cheshire and other parts of the UK have become  more and more popular, with architects and designers using the material extensively in new build hotels and developments. The increasing popularity is due to its flexibility to be able to accommodate a wide range of personal tastes, with a great array of different colors and patterns being available for the customer. Not only this, but the durability of granite is a great selling point, as it is guaranteed to last a great amount of time, meaning you won’t have to shell out for a replacement any time soon.

Over the past few years, the popular choice has generally been plain black granite, as well as many other darker colored granite. This seems to have been in relation to the fact that many people have been going for light wood kitchens, like birch and maple. The plain black granite work tops look good in a kitchen like this meaning that both the style of kitchen and style of worktop has been a good choice of combination, and very popular amongst customers. There has been a recent shift from these black, darker granites, to more patterned granites with people who are looking for something a bit more different. This is why different shades of browns have recently been a lot more sought after, as the look great with real wood kitchen fittings.

The time has finally come, its been a long hard slog but we can proudly say that the grand opening of our fabulous new showroom is happening TOMORROW!!!

We are open all week to showcase the fantastic new showroom which includes 12 worktop displays so why not pop along and see for yourselves!

The raffle officially starts tomorrow although a few tickets have already gone!! Prizes are now confirmed…

1st Prize – Worktops to the job value of £2500+VAT
2nd Prize – Silestone worktops to the job value of £2000+VAT
3rd Prize – £1000 worth of holiday vouchers

Monies raised will go to community causes
Closing date for tickets is 31st August with the winner to be announced 3rd September.
Terms and conditions apply, see in store for details

We all look forward to seeing you this week, opening times are as follows

Tuesday 5th – 10am – 2pm
Wednesday 6th to Friday 8th – 8.30am – 5.30pm
Saturday 9th – 9am – 2pm

Well the big day is nearly here, we are on the official countdown….8 days to go!!

Watch this space for news and updates on events taking place next week!

Don’t forget our fantastic raffle that is taking place £10 per ticket with proceeds going towards good causes in the community.

1st Prize – £2500 woth of granite worktops
2nd Prize – £1250 worth of Silestone worktops
3rd Prize – TBC

We look forward to seeing you all next week!!

RubyGranite are pleased to announce that we have the official Opening Week of Phase 1 of our fantastic new showroom coming up in just 4 weeks!

The countdown is on as we near the date, we currently have our joiner in today putting the finishing touches to our stunning island unit (see image)

As a massive thank you for your continued support RubyGranite will be holding a raffle with 3 fantastic prizes*, each one just as equally good as the other…

1st Prize – Granite Worktops to the value of £2500+VAT

2nd Prize – Silestone Worktops to the value of £ 1215+VAT

integrated sink

3rd Prize – To be announced!

*Terms and conditions apply, see in store for details

Samsung Radianz Quartz Worktops are a proud addition to the existing range of radianz quartz worktops and bathroom countertops. These quality worktops are produced in Korea at the Samsung production site. They go through a series of tests again and again making sure the product is of the highest quality and worth of the Samsung brand.

These quality Samsung Radianz Quartz Worktops are non-porous and long lasting making them the premier choice.  They come in a range of colours with many being truly unique with a polished finish.

Dear Ross, I wanted to drop you a line to say a MASSIVE thank you for supplying granite worktops for our recent programme in Dolgarrog.  It is no understatement to say that without the generosity of companies like yours we really couldn’t hve done the job and we can’t thank you enough.

Your good will has helped a truly deserving family out of a very difficult period in their lives and we are truly grateful.

The family are absolutely delighted with their new home.  Living in a house that is safe and warm will dramatically change their lives and the part you played in the transformation was integral to its success.

We will be in touch as soon as we hear what date this espisode will be broadcast but in the meantime of behalf of the entire DIY SOS team, thank you.  With all the very best wishes.  Lucy, DIY SOS: The Big Build.   August 2011