Quartzite is a natural stone that is mined, cut into slabs, polished, and sealed for use as kitchen and bathroom countertops. Its patterns resemble marble countertops and add beauty to your kitchen. Here’s everything you should know about quartzite countertops.
Don’t Confuse It With Quartz
Quartz and quartzite are two different materials used as kitchen countertops. Many people confuse them due to their similar names. However, quartz is an engineered stone whereas quartzite is a naturally occurring stone.
Quartzite is formed when sandstone quartz experiences high pressure and heat naturally under the Earth’s surface. It forms a crystalline stone that’s then used for countertops after going through cutting and polishing processes. The natural veining and patterns make it a beautiful countertop material.
Quartz, on the other hand, is made from mined quartz but it’s manufactured in factories with a ratio of 90% crushed quartz and 10% resins and pigments. As it’s a manufactured item, the design and patterns for quartz are limitless. It can also be made to resemble any natural stone like granite, marble, soapstone, and quartzite.
Quartzite Looks Like Marble With More Benefits
Some people will go on to say that quartzite is marble 2.0 because it has the natural veining and patterns similar to marble, but its durability is almost double than marble’s.
Due to this reason, you should be careful when buying marble or quartzite kitchen countertops as some stores may label marble or dolomite marble as soft quartzite. If you’re trying to avoid marble, then also avoid soft quartzite and look for quartzite.
Durability Of Quartzite
Quartzite is considered one of the most durable natural stone materials for countertops. It leaves popular stones like marble and even granite behind in durability. It can chip and etch with time, but it’s much slower in comparison to marble and granite.
As we told in the previous point that quartzite looks like marble, it’s favored by people who want a marble-like material but with more durability.
Some people who don’t like the dark flecks on granite, also prefer quartzite because its slabs rarely have dark spots.
Density And Porosity Of Quartzite Countertops
Density plays a huge factor when it comes to countertops. Granite and quartzite are both natural stones and hence porous. However, due to the higher density of quartzite, it has fewer than granite. This is why quartzite countertops won’t take damage as much as granite if they are not sealed.
On the other hand, many installers and contractors say that quartzite doesn’t need sealing. But you should still consider sealing when buying quartzite countertops to sustain their appearance and luster for a longer period.
Scratches and stains are less likely on quartzite without sealing but sealing it will only strengthen its resistance against spills, scratches, and stains. However, never leave a spill for hours or days because it will damage the countertop.
Quartzite Cost
The cost of quartzite is interesting for homeowners because if we look at its features and comparison to other natural stone materials it should be costlier than them, but the fact is the opposite. Quartzite is more affordable than marble. However, the price of quartzite is similar to granite and quartz which are considered the best countertop materials.
Other than its appearance, when you look at it with cost in mind, you should prefer quartzite over marble because it’s more affordable and yet stronger than marble. However, if you’re choosing between quartz and quartzite, both have some compelling attributes and similar pricing.
The cost of quartzite increases only if you are looking for rare and exotic colors and patterns of quartzite.
Colors Of Quartzite
The colors of quartzite are limited by what’s found in nature similar to granite and other natural stone. The majority of quartzite colors will be grey and white, but some will also have a darker tone. Similar to other natural stones, due to its natural occurrence, each quartzite pattern will be unique from the other one.
Conclusion
Quartzite is a smart countertop replacement Raleigh NC choice if you want a natural stone and eco-friendly material. Its color variations are enough that can match any cabinets and kitchen theme. When selecting beware that some marble countertops are also labeled as soft quartzite.
