Granite

Gris Perla

Gris Perla is a classic Spanish granodiorite from the Meis quarry district in the province of Pontevedra (Galicia), with a light silver-grey base tone evenly interspersed with creamy white feldspar crystals and black biotite mica clusters. Internationally also listed as Grey Pearl Granite, Pearl Grey Granite, Granito Gris Perla and Gris Perla Crema; used for kitchen worktops, bar counters, floor areas, wall claddings, stairs, façades, pool coping and prestige interior and exterior surfaces with a classic Spanish character.

Gris Perla ist petrographisch ein Granodiorit (plutonisches Magmagestein zwischen Granit und Tonalit, mit hohem Plagioklas-Anteil), wird im Handel jedoch als Granit geführt (DNSA #1069 und #2822 für die Crema-Variante).

Granite Spain Frostbeständig Säurebeständig 2.645 kg/m³

Available as: Tiles and flooring slabs

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About Gris Perla

Gris Perla lives from a calm, elegant silver-grey material effect with a classic “Pearl Grey” character — the trade name “Gris Perla” means “pearl grey” in Spanish and describes the light silvery tone precisely. The base tone is a light to medium silver grey, interspersed with creamy white plagioclase feldspar crystals that stand out from the grey groundmass as lighter accents. Black biotite mica minerals are distributed in loose clouds and clusters — they give the slab image its characteristic “pepper” character without forming dramatic bands or veins. The medium- to coarse-grained structure and the almost isotropic (non-directional) arrangement make Gris Perla a calm, elegant stone that does not polarise but works as a timelessly classic background. The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.

Geologically, Gris Perla is a classic granodiorite from the quarries around Meis in the province of Pontevedra in north-west Spain (Galicia region). The German natural stone database documents the rock in two separate entries: DNSA #1069 (Gris Perla, granodiorite, very frequently used in Germany) and DNSA #2822 (Gris Perla Crema, a warmer-toned selection variant with a granite classification). Both come from the same quarry region and are handled in the trade as one family — Gris Perla Crema is the warmer-toned selection with creamy feldspar accents. Granodiorite is an igneous plutonic rock between classic granite and tonalite — with a high plagioclase content (responsible for the light tone), quartz and biotite. On the international market the material runs under several synonyms: Gris Perla, Gris Perla Granite, Gris Perla Crema, Grey Pearl Granite, Gray Pearl Granite, Pearl Grey Granite, Granito Gris Perla, Granito No.8, PZ and Perl Gray Granite. At ROSSITTIS we classify Gris Perla, as is customary in the trade, as a granite. Important for identification: there are further stones with similar trade names — Gris Perla Salto (DNSA #3514, Argentina), Gran Perla Granite (Madrid, Spain) and Grigio Perla Marble (Italy) are independent stones that are not identical with the Galician Gris Perla. Galicia has for centuries been one of the most important European granite regions — many classic grey Spanish granites used throughout European architecture come from the Pontevedra quarries.

Technically, Gris Perla shows solid values for a Galician granodiorite. The bulk density is 2,645 kg/m³, the compressive strength 127 MPa, the flexural strength 13.65 MPa and the water absorption a low 0.29 %. The Mohs hardness is 6-7. DNSA explicitly confirms frost resistance and acid resistance for both DNSA variants. The Crema selection variant (DNSA #2822) shows somewhat higher values (144.1 MPa compressive strength, 16.3 MPa flexural strength) — the technical range of the Gris Perla family lies overall in the classic premium granite bracket. The stone is therefore acid-resistant, cut- and scratch-resistant, frost-resistant and well suited to heavily used applications — wine, lemon juice, vinegar or acidic bathroom cleaners leave no etch marks. DNSA classifies Gris Perla as “very frequently used in Germany” — it is among the most widely used Spanish granites in the German-speaking market.

At ROSSITTIS we carry Gris Perla as a raw slab for kitchen and bathroom worktops, bar counters, wall claddings, fireplace surrounds and floor areas, in tiles for floor and wall applications, as a tread and riser for stairs, as well as a window sill, skirting, fountain element, pool coping and for project-specific cutting to size. It is also outstandingly suited to external façades, external terraces and classic Spanish architecture — Gris Perla has for decades been a standard material for European public buildings, façades and prestige external applications. The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.

Compared with classic Brazilian grey granites such as Cinza Grey, Gris Perla brings the Spanish provenance and the Galician granite tradition — a choice for architectural projects with European aspirations and a cultural reference. Against Portuguese grey granites, the selection tradition from Pontevedra is particularly well proven for consistent delivery quality. For architectural projects with a classic, restrained grey character — modern kitchens with a white-and-grey colour scheme, public buildings, office façades, floor areas in prestige rooms, pool areas and classic European external façades — Gris Perla is a very widespread and readily available choice in the classic mid segment of the Spanish granites.

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 2.645 kg/m³

Druckfestigkeit 127,1 MPa

Biegezugfestigkeit 13,7 MPa

Wasseraufnahme 0,29 %

Frostbeständig Ja

Säurebeständig Ja

Suitability by application

Finishes

Gris Perla 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 Spanish granodiorite, Gris Perla is a robust hard stone with low water absorption (0.29 %), DNSA-confirmed acid resistance and frost resistance, and a Mohs hardness of 6-7. Wine, lemon juice, vinegar, cola, bathroom cleaners or descalers leave no etch marks as they would on marble or limestone — the stone is considerably easier to maintain and well suited to intensive everyday use.

For interior applications we recommend a silane- or polysiloxane-based sealer at first installation. On polished surfaces, 5-10 years can pass between sealer refreshes depending on use; on heavily used kitchen worktops or external applications, check every 2-3 years. A sealer protects against deep penetration by oil, grease and pigments — otherwise discolouration can show up visibly on the light silver-grey groundmass, which matters particularly with Gris Perla because of its relatively light base tone.

Daily care is done with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft cloth or microfibre mop. Clear warm water is usually enough. The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down. Acidic cleaners are fundamentally unproblematic, but should nevertheless not be used, because they can attack the sealer.

For kitchen worktops, Gris Perla is very well suited: cut- and scratch-resistant, insensitive to heat (hot pots and pans can be set down directly for short periods, though longer heat exposure above 200 °C should still be avoided), DNSA-confirmed acid-resistant and with good stain repellency. The medium grey base tone conceals small crumbs and wipe streaks moderately well — on kitchen surfaces we recommend consistent daily cleaning. For external applications, Gris Perla has for decades been a proven external standard in Spanish and European architecture — DNSA confirms frost resistance and long-term weathering stability. Outstandingly suited to external façades, terraces, stairs and pool areas. The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down.

For pool surrounds, external terraces and fountain surrounds, a slip-resistant textured surface is mandatory — on smooth external surfaces there is a high risk of slipping when wet. In areas with frequent salt contact (de-icing salt, pool chlorine) we recommend an additional annual sealer refresh.

Frequently asked questions

What does “Gris Perla” mean?

Gris Perla literally means “pearl grey” in Spanish — the trade name describes the material's light silvery tone directly. Internationally the stone also runs under Grey Pearl Granite, Pearl Grey Granite, Granito Gris Perla and Granito No.8. The selection variant “Gris Perla Crema” denotes a warmer-toned variant with creamy feldspar accents.

What is Gris Perla geologically?

Gris Perla is a Precambrian granodiorite from the quarries around Meis in the province of Pontevedra in north-west Spain (Galicia) — DNSA-confirmed under entry #1069. Granodiorite is an igneous plutonic rock between classic granite and tonalite, with a high plagioclase content and portions of quartz and biotite. In the trade and at ROSSITTIS the stone is handled within the granite family, because it offers the same technical properties and is fabricated in a similar way.

Is Gris Perla suitable for a kitchen worktop?

Very well suited. With a Mohs hardness of 6-7, low water absorption (0.29 %), a compressive strength of 127 MPa and DNSA-confirmed acid resistance, Gris Perla is cut-, scratch- and heat-resistant and absorbs no wine, lemon or vinegar acids. The balanced silver-grey base tone suits classic white-and-grey kitchens with an elegant European character. On polished surfaces, fingerprints and water marks are visible — for especially low-maintenance kitchen worktops we recommend a more matt surface finish rather than a polish.

Which surfaces are available for Gris Perla?

The surface finishes available in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.

Where does Gris Perla come from?

Gris Perla comes from the quarries around Meis in the province of Pontevedra in north-west Spain (Galicia region) — one of the most tradition-rich natural stone regions in Europe. DNSA documents the stone under entry #1069 (and the Crema variant under #2822). Important: there are further stones with similar trade names — Gris Perla Salto (Argentina), Gran Perla Granite (Madrid), Grigio Perla Marble (Italy) — which are not identical with the Galician Gris Perla. At ROSSITTIS it is the classic Galician granodiorite.

How do I clean and care for Gris Perla?

As a granite, Gris Perla is very easy to maintain: daily care with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a microfibre cloth is sufficient. We recommend sealing at first installation; for interior applications a refresh interval of 5-10 years depending on use, on heavily used kitchen worktops or outdoors check every 2-3 years. Acidic cleaners are fundamentally unproblematic, but should nevertheless not be used. Dry cleaning with a soft microfibre cloth after damp wiping is advisable.

Is Gris Perla frost-resistant and suitable for outdoor use?

Yes, very well suited. DNSA explicitly confirms frost resistance and acid resistance; with a low water absorption of 0.29 % the stone is fully weather-stable. Gris Perla has for decades been a standard material for Spanish and European architecture — from external façades through stairs to pool areas. For external applications we recommend flamed surfaces — they show the stone considerably lighter and cooler and are the classic external version in Spanish architecture.