Tips on Spotting Fake and Real Granite

Granite is one of the most common and recognisable igneous rocks. These days, you’ll see it everywhere—from elegant houses to sky-high commercial buildings.

However, no matter how ubiquitous this natural stone is, it can still be difficult to determine if you’re looking at authentic granite or not. It doesn’t help that new technology has made it that much easier to manufacture genuine-looking imitation stone. 

If you want to know how to spot fake granite, here are our tips:

1. Tap the Surface and Listen to the Sound

If you have a small hammer, lightly tap the back of the granite surface. You should hear a ringing sound if you’re handling genuine granite stone. 

Otherwise, if you’re tapping on an engineered stone, you’ll hear a dull click. The synthetic resin makeup gives the artificial granite that differing click sound, pretty easy to tell from genuine granite if you know what you’re looking for.  

2. Review the Pattern and Colour

Look at the overall pattern and colour of the granite slab. If you notice repetitive patterns with no natural variations, then it’s likely that you’re looking at an engineered version of the stone.

Since granite is a natural stone, every slab of it is unique in its own way. The colour, veins and texture on one section of the surface will be different to any other section. Natural granite will have visible nuisances here and there. On the other hand, you’ll notice that man-made granite has no imperfections. 

3. Check for Porosity

This test will only work for slabs that aren’t well-sealed. Let’s say you’re visiting a manufacturing site and you’re selecting raw materials…you can pour a few drops of water on granite and the surface should darken momentarily. While the material is durable and hard, it still absorbs water.

Engineered granite stone is highly non-porous. Stone chips and resins are manufactured to absorb no water. So, if you do the water test, the liquid won’t absorb and you can tell this by the lack of darkening and colour change on the surface of the stone. 

4. Check the Seams

Are you planning to buy a property with a beautiful kitchen with the highlight of that kitchen being its granite countertops? If you want to check the authenticity of the stone, try checking the seams. As we’ve said, there should be nuances in the texture and pattern. If there’s almost no change, then you’re looking at man-made granite. 

Do You Prefer Genuine Granite?

There are several good reasons why people prefer genuine granite as the surface covering for their counters and tables. This material adds value to a home while giving it a natural and unique look.

We’ve already taught you that spotting a genuine granite slab isn’t too hard. If you’re looking for a trusted supplier, don’t hesitate to contact Aurora Stone. We are one of the largest stone production companies in Western Australia and source all of our products from suppliers of authentic natural stone.  We’re confident our genuine granite slabs will impress you.

If you’re ready to learn more about stunning and durable granite stone slabs, give Aurora Stone a call today.