Why is a Granite Fountain such a Great Choice?

Few things can add as much beauty and natural appeal as a granite fountain in your yard, no matter where you happen to live in this country. Whether you’ve been in a hot climate like Arizona your whole life, or one of the cooler climates of the Northeast, the charm of today’s contemporary outdoor water fountains can bring a touch of magic to any setting, warm or cold. Estates, in particular, have the kind of spaciousness that can make large garden fountains the centerpiece for an entire section on the premises.

In such settings, all eyes are instantly riveted to the charming, mesmerizing spectacle of earth’s most abundant natural resource flowing in a seemingly limitless issue of fresh water, splashing over the exquisite curves of a custom water fountain. If you’ve been of the opinion that this kind of picturesque scene might only be possible in a warm-weather setting, that simply isn’t so. In fact, there are several very significant benefits provided by granite fountains in the colder regions of this country, and in this article, we’ll explore a few of those benefits, so you can understand why a granite fountain would be as appropriate in Vermont as it might be in Nevada.

Granite is Extremely Durable

This may not exactly be a revelation since probably most people are well aware that granite is a very hard stone, and can only be cracked with great difficulty. This is a critical factor to any area in the country which is routinely exposed to seasonal cycles of freezing and thawing. Under these conditions, many kinds of stone will crack, and if you’ve ever driven over roads in the Northeast, you’ll have seen first-hand the kind of damage that can be done to hard road surfaces by these same cycles of freezing and thawing. Granite on the other hand, even if left completely natural, will last for centuries, as long as you avoid letting water freeze inside your fountain, which would eventually cause it to break apart.

It’s a fairly common practice for owners to clean their granite fountains with a solution of either muriatic acid/water or ferrous acid/water, which are effective at cleaning away calcium scale and iron stains. Many stone structures will not hold up well under this kind of cleaning, but granite resists it very well, just as it does most chemicals. It is highly resistant to a whole variety of different chemicals, just as it is to extremes of temperature and strong winds. It is one of the very most durable kinds of stone found on earth, and that makes it a great choice for your custom water fountain, no matter which state you live in.

The Natural Beauty of Granite

The word ‘granite’ comes from a Latin word which means ‘grain’, and the interlocking crystalline textures which are evident in each piece of this stone were formed as molten rock cooled down and solidified. Every custom water fountain made of granite is hand-carved by an artisan who has spent years at his/her craft and has the knowledge and skill to persuade the very best out of an original block of stone. There is an endless variety of patterns and features which are inside every block of granite, just waiting for the master craftsman to expose them to the world, where they can be seen and appreciated by everyone.

This special quality means that every single granite fountain is a unique expression of the artist’s hand, with no two pieces ever being alike. That same principle extends to the coloring of any granite fountain you have custom-made for your estate or home setting. There are a number of different shades of granite, each of which depends on the quantity of feldspar which is present in the block you’re working with. Some feldspars are a kind of milky white shade, while others can lend to the granite a coloring of emerald green, brick red, pink, gray, or even pale yellow. Nature’s artistry has provided a wonderful color palette for the estate owner or homeowner to choose from, in having a custom granite fountain prepared.

Low Moisture Absorption Rate

For a water fountain, absorption would not be a desirable quality to have, since that could quickly lead to cracking, and eventually to a slow disintegration. This scenario would be exacerbated and hastened in a cold climate where freezing and thawing are a part of seasonal life. This is another characteristic which granite has that is head and shoulders above the competition – having a very low absorption rate, which allows it to remain highly resistant to the effects of running water.

Granite is one of the least porous stones in existence because its grains are so tightly interwoven that there is almost no opportunity for water (or any other material) to penetrate that solid face. Since granite is a crystalline rock that has less than 1% porosity, it simply allows for almost zero absorption of water which might otherwise cause it harm. Some stones like sandstone or Cantera are far more porous and have a porosity that can be anywhere between 10% and 22%, which would make it a completely undesirable building material for an outdoor fountain.

A Few More Advantages

If you have your custom granite fountain sealed with a quality sealant, you can expect it to last indefinitely, since its own natural close-grained texture will combine with the sealant to repel all moisture, and provide long-lasting beauty and functionality wherever you have it installed. Granite is also virtually impervious to any kind of scratches or cuts, so if you happen to be gardening in the area of your fountain, there’s no danger of you causing damage to it.

And there’s one more thing to keep in mind about this cold weather champion – when the seasons change, and things start to heat up again outdoors, granite is also immune to the effects of high temperatures, even if they get extremely hot. In fact, once you have your dream vision of a custom granite fountain converted into reality, you can almost forget about maintaining it – just sit or stand somewhere nearby, and enjoy the sublime expression of its natural beauty.