What Level of the Mohs Scale of Hardness is Granite?
The use of materials falls in place wherever there is a consideration of construction or design solutions, in such cases, the hardness of the materials plays a vital role. A popular choice for countertops, floors, and other architectural features, granite is probably best known for its durability. To help understand how hard granite is, we look to the Mohs Scale of Hardness, which compares scratch resistance of minerals by seeing which material can scratch another material granite on mohs scale.
What is the Mohs Scale of Hardness?
The Mohs Scale of Hardness was created in 1812 by a German geologist named Friedrich Mohs. The method is a qualitative ordinal scale covering from 1 (very soft) to 10 (very hard) the table below summarizes the test criteria. Talc, for example, has a hardness of 1; a diamond scores the highest possible 10.
What is Granite Made Of and How Hard of a Stone is Granite
Hardness —Granite is an igneous rock made up of mainly quartz, feldspar, and mica, each noted to contribute to its hardness. Another feature that adds to granite's scratch resistance is the quartz found in the stone, which has a Mohs hardness of 7.
Scale of Hardness: Generally 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It is also one of the toughest materials to break and RESIST such as a large amount of wear and tear it will not easily scratch.
What the hardness of granite means
Granite has a very high Mohs hardness rating, which means that it can be put to a number of uses because of this hardness:
Since granite is also scratch and abrasion resistant, it has unmatched durability for areas subject to continuous heavy use. That durability makes it a favorite for kitchen countertops.
Less Wear: Because granite is so resistant to scratching, it retains its polished look for a longer period of time even if used daily. This property makes it a low maintenance material which defers expensive repairs when properly maintained, thus becomes cost effective in the long term.
Granite Selection for your Work
If you plan to use the granite in any project then keep in mind that the granite varies in composition and hence the hardness of the granite also varies so choose an appropriate type of granite. Granites with more common-quartz content may be denser and darker may be more abrasively resistant.
Installation Considerations
Strong, durable, and resilient as it is, granite requires professional tools and skills for cutting and designing. Granite is difficult to install without the right equipment
Its position in the Mohs scale suggests that people can effectively apply granite whether in residential or commercial situations where stamina and permanence are high-priority. Read this blog to get a detailed idea: Is Granite on the Mohs scale suitable to be used for various applications, particularly in high wear applications?