Fixing into granite
Much of Dalbeattie was built from grey granite quarried on its doorstep at Craignair, and it’s one of the hardest building stones there is to drill. Wall units, towel radiators and heavy mirrors all need fixings that hold. On a granite wall we drill with the right bits, set fixings in sound stone rather than a crumbling mortar joint, and take the time it needs. Rushing it cracks the stone or leaves a fixing gripping nothing but plaster.
Cold walls and condensation
Solid granite walls are cold on the inside. In a bathroom on an outside wall, that’s where condensation settles first: behind the toilet and in the corners of the shower. Good extraction does most of the work. Behind tiles, an insulated tile backer board on the outside wall raises the surface temperature enough to cut down the condensation that forms there. We suggest it where the wall is cold enough to need it.
Deep reveals
Thick walls mean deep window reveals. A sink under a window in a granite cottage often sits in front of a reveal deep enough to need its own window board, and the worktop height has to be planned round the sill. We sort those details at the measure, not on the day.
Some of our recent work
Questions from Dalbeattie
Can you hang wall units on a granite wall?
Yes. It takes longer and needs the right drill and fixings, but once a fixing is in, granite holds it very well.
Is insulated backer board worth it in a bathroom?
On a cold outside wall of granite or other solid stone, usually yes. It’s thicker than standard board, so it has to be planned before the tray and fittings are positioned.