Acapulco Red is a Brazilian gneiss with a dark grey to anthracite-black ground matrix, a lively, fluidly folded mineral texture and strong red garnet accents. Listed as a granite in the trade — suitable for facades, floor areas, stairs, external paving, pool surrounds, kitchen worktops and prestige wall claddings.
Petrographisch ein Gneis, im Handel als Granit geführt.
Other trade names: Acapulco Red Granite, Red Acapulco Granite
About Acapulco Red
Acapulco Red is one of the most expressive Brazilian movement stones: a dark grey to anthracite-black ground matrix is crossed by pale grey quartz seams, between which strong red garnet accents and small moss-green mineral clusters shine. Characteristic are the clearly visible, fluidly folded lines of movement that give the slab an almost painterly depth. At ROSSITTIS we carry Acapulco Red for facades, floor areas, stairs, external paving, pool surrounds, kitchen worktops, bar counters, vanity tops, fireplace surrounds, wall claddings and fountain architecture.
Geologically, Acapulco Red is a gneiss from Brazil — petrographically correctly assigned to the gneisses (in part characterised as a migmatite), but consistently listed as a granite in international stone trading. The strong fold texture running through pale and dark mineral seams is its geological hallmark: it arose through high-pressure, high-temperature metamorphism over hundreds of millions of years, in the course of which the existing minerals were reorganised and pressed into thin layered seams. The red accents are garnets, the pale grey areas consist of quartz and feldspar, and the black seams of biotite, hornblende and other mafic minerals. On the market the material also runs under the trade names Red Acapulco Granite and Acapulco Red Granite.
The technical values assign Acapulco Red unambiguously to the robust hard rocks: bulk density 2,604 kg/m³, compressive strength 168.4–172.4 MPa, flexural strength 21.9 MPa, water absorption 0.135 per cent. The high flexural strength of 21.9 MPa in particular is remarkable — it lies well above the average of many standard granites and makes Acapulco Red especially interesting for heavily loaded floor and stair schemes. With water absorption of only 0.135 per cent, the material is clearly frost-resistant to DIN EN 12407 and suitable without restriction for permanent external use — including in regions with de-icing salt exposure. Compared with Indian multicolour gneisses such as Kashmir Gold or Juparana Colombo, Acapulco Red reads as darker and more contrasty, with a markedly stronger movement signature and redder garnet accents.
At ROSSITTIS, Acapulco Red is available as a raw slab (random size), as a floor tile, as treads and risers, as window sills, as skirtings, as paving setts, as facade elements, as pool surrounds and for project-specific cutting; likewise as a kitchen worktop, bar counter and vanity top. The finishes currently available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down this page.
Our frank assessment: Acapulco Red is not a restrained background stone — it is an architectural statement with a strong signature of its own. For projects seeking an unmistakable, expressive floor or facade stone with the full robustness of a hard rock, Acapulco Red is a very strong choice. Anyone who needs a calm, neutral surface is better served by a classic granite such as Padang Dark, Steel Grey or Star Galaxy. The high flexural strength and the low water absorption make the material interesting above all for external applications, stairs and floor areas under heavy loading.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
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Technical data
Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.
Rohdichte
2.604 kg/m³
Druckfestigkeit
170,4 MPa
Biegezugfestigkeit
21,9 MPa
Wasseraufnahme
0,14 %
Finishes
Acapulco Red is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Poliert
Politur ist die klassischste Veredelung im Hartgesteinsegment — eine spiegelglatte, hochglänzende Oberfläche mit höchstmöglicher Farbintensität und maximaler Tiefenwirkung der Mineralstruktur. Als säurebeständiges Silikatgestein ist polierter Granit pflegeleicht und für Küchenarbeitsplatten, Wandverkleidungen und repräsentative Sichtflächen erste Wahl.
Care & fabrication
As a Brazilian gneiss of the granite family, Acapulco Red can be cleaned and cared for over the long term without difficulty. With water absorption of only 0.135 per cent, the material is among the densest hard rocks — it takes up hardly any liquid, and stains accordingly form rarely. For kitchen worktops, external paving and heavily frequented floor areas we nevertheless recommend a sealer on a silane or polysiloxane basis as additional protection against red wine, coffee, oil and tomato sauce. Ongoing cleaning is with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth or mop; clear water alone is almost always sufficient for daily care. You should avoid strongly alkaline deep cleaners, acidic products such as vinegar or lemon cleaners and abrasive scouring pads. Outdoors, Acapulco Red is frost-resistant and tolerant of de-icing salt — road salt residues should be rinsed off with water in spring. We recommend refreshing the sealer every three to five years depending on loading.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acapulco Red a granite or a gneiss?
Petrographically, Acapulco Red is a gneiss (in part also characterised as a migmatite) — recognisable by the clearly visible, fluidly folded lines of movement created by high-pressure metamorphism. In international and German stone trading, however, the material is consistently listed as a granite, since it behaves technically like a classic hard rock: high compressive strength, low water absorption, frost-resistant, acid-resistant in everyday use.
What colours and minerals does Acapulco Red show?
Acapulco Red has a dark grey to anthracite-black ground matrix of biotite and hornblende, crossed by pale grey quartz and feldspar seams, strong red garnet accents and occasionally small moss-green mineral clusters. Characteristic are the clearly visible, fluidly folded lines of movement that make the slab lively and give it depth.
What finishes are available in Acapulco Red?
The finishes currently available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.
Is Acapulco Red suitable for kitchen worktops?
Very much so. The high flexural strength of 21.9 MPa, the low water absorption of 0.135 per cent and its robust hard rock behaviour make Acapulco Red capable in everyday cooking, water contact and heavily frequented kitchen surfaces. Wine, lemon juice or vinegar leave no etch marks. A silane-based sealer gives additional protection against strongly colouring substances such as red wine and oil.
Is Acapulco Red frost-resistant?
Yes, clearly. With water absorption of only 0.135 per cent, Acapulco Red lies well below the frost limits of DIN EN 12407 and is suitable without restriction for permanent external use — including in regions with hard winters and de-icing salt exposure. External paving, stairs, facades and pool surrounds in Acapulco Red last for decades.
Acapulco Red or a classic granite — which suits better?
Acapulco Red is an expressive movement stone with a strong character of its own — strong red garnet accents, a fluidly folded mineral texture, a dark ground matrix. Anyone seeking an architectural statement stone for facades, entrance areas, floor areas or bar counters is right with Acapulco Red. For calmer, more neutral surfaces, classic single-colour granites such as Padang Dark, Steel Grey or Star Galaxy are the better choice.
How do I clean and care for Acapulco Red?
Ongoing care is with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth — avoid acidic or strongly alkaline cleaners as well as abrasive pads. A sealer on a silane or polysiloxane basis after installation gives additional protection against stains; we recommend refreshing it every three to five years. Outdoors, rinse off road salt residues in spring.
