Quartzite Countertops

6 years ago

Okay, I was leaning towards soapstone for my countertops until..I saw quartzite! I haven't seen it in person yet, I'm heading out to the slab warehouse this week. Please share with me experience and thoughts. my cabinet colour will likely be oyster, and walls similar the style.

i would say my style is called transitional, somewhat traditional in a home that is built 60's contemporary. I like classic contemporary. Im thinking this stone will look lovely, not sure about the cost compared to soapstone. Looking forward to everyones thoughts and advice!

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My3dogs ME zone 5A

6 years ago

Everyone is entitled to their opinions.

From this site http://usenaturalstone.com/definitive-guide-quartzite/

"Fantasy Brown - This is another stone that can be a bit confusing. Fantasy Brown is
made of layers that have been folded and squeezed together. Some of the
layers are marble, and some are quartzite. It’s best to treat this rock
as marble. Do the glass or acid tests on each layer individually and you
will be able to tell which layers are marble and which are quartzite.'

I did the scratch test, and it scratched glass, but glass and a knife blade didn't scratch it. Lemon juice, ketchup, grape juice, anything I put on my sample piece overnight did not stain it, and has not stained my counter tops. The Stone Center where I purchased it called it quartzite as did the supplier's site where they buy this stone. Happily there isn't a single scratch or stain on my counters in over two years.

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Comments (12)

Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
6 years ago
Great material. Probably more expensive than soapstone. Once you find a slab you like, be sure to look up Karin_mt's threads here about how to test to ensure you are not being sold marble instead of quartzite (quartzite is more expensive than marble too.)
Sandra Martin thanked Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
My3dogs ME zone 5A
6 years ago
I had it put in my kitchen in January 2017. I used Fantasy Brown in a leathered finish, as was recommended by the stone center where I bought it, and LOVE it. Not one stain, etch or any issues. If you go to the kitchen forum, you'll see many posts about quartzite.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath
Sandra Martin thanked My3dogs ME zone 5A
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(I know this topic is 5 years old, but I know old topics get read every day} I think the OP is incorrect in his belief that the dullness of the surface is the problem. Instead, what catches the eye is the 3 dimensional BOTTOM surface at the interface between the stone and the filler resin. That interface is visible because of the difference in refractive index between the stone and the filler resin. The resin should be matched to the chemistry of the stone. Lapidaries use Opticon when filling cracks in quartz-chemistry stones like agate and jasper for that reason. Standard 2-part resins won't optically merge with the stone and the joint will be visible. The UV-cure resins were created to join glass-fiber cables so may or may not be right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tj2KMZhfoc If you want the resin to look like it's part of the stone, the refractive index needs to match. Slab sellers and installers should know this and should know which resin filler to use for different stones. (if you're filling a crack, a trick lapidaries use is to put the uncatalized resin on the stone then heat it with a lamp to let the resin get into the crack. Later they put the catalyst on the outside. I suspect it doesn't catalyze all the way through, but the job is done and the crack is sealed (and not visible).) I hope this helps someone.
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It is very smart that you are vetting the fabricators. Definitely seal the inside of all holes. A true quartzite will not etch but some are more porous and benefit from sealing. If you do a search above on 'quartzite staining' you will pull up numerous threads from posters that have had issues. Our quartzite was installed two years ago. We have two sinks each with three holes. One soap dispenser hole was accidentally not sealed and it developed a shadow around the hole about a month after installation. We removed the pump head immediately and when it dried out our fabricator came back and sealed the inside of the hole. Since then we have had no problems. Before choosing a stone I would read karin_mt's threads on here and the helpful articles that she has written. I would follow her recommendation and test the stone that you plan to purchase. In the tests that I did at home some samples that were marked as quartzite failed miserably with etching and staining. https://usenaturalstone.org/properties-of-quartzite/?utm_source=related-articles/ https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2438427/countertop-geology-part-5-marble-quartzite-and-other-favorites#n=165
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Ricki - I assume you’re talking about kitchen countertops. I’d go for 3cm for countertops. We replaced 3cm granite with quartz. If we’d used 2cm a plywood base would have been needed to raise the countertops so we didn’t wind up with lower tops than the granite. We weren’t replacing cabs. For the 2cm an edge has to be made & attached to give it the depth. That’s a seam. We didn’t want that. My understanding of uses for 2 & 3 thickness is the same as yours. You can confirm or disapprove what designer is telling you by walking into a tile / stone store & just ask which is generally preferred. As for the Home Depot prices - they’re getting a huge volume discount on patterns provided exclusively to them. You cannot buy a pattern they have from an independent stone yard or another dealer who sells that specific brand. I tried with the Cambria brand quartz I wanted. Home Depot carried it & I couldn’t buy it from them & have my own chosen fabricator cut & install it. Home Depot explained their pricing includes all the fabrication & install & they can’t break up the cost. It’s also a contractual deal between them & their suppliers. ETA - remind your designer who the customer is…..
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An installation company most likely recommends a short backsplash because it allows them to be less precise and more lazy with the fit of the counter against the wall. If they are really sloppy, you might also have too large a gap between the counter and wall that a regular tile backsplash might not cover. The short backsplash with tile above is a dated look. Either have a short backsplash with painted wall above or just tile on the whole backsplash. Of course, if you like the look of both, it is your house and your choice. Taj Mahal is a great stone. I've used it in a kitchen I remodeled and the one I built. Also used it on a fireplace and an outdoor kitchen!
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User
6 years ago
FB is a marble. Not a quartzite. It does have some harder grins in the mix, but it can be etched by acidic substances. It’s not bulletproof like a true quartzite.
Sandra Martin thanked User
Sandra Martin
Original Author
6 years ago
So I sent my schematic in to get an estimation, but was told its almost twice as much as quartz..is it worth that? it sure is beautiful, I wish I had never seen it..
My3dogs ME zone 5A
6 years ago
You may want to read the kitchen forum posts, looking for quartz and quartzite. I prefer a natural material over man made, but many people just love their quartz! If you find a quartz that you like, and need to save some money, it's a good way to save.
Sandra Martin thanked My3dogs ME zone 5A
dragonflywings42
6 years ago
My3dogs...do you mind sharing the name of your stone center? It sounds like you are happy with your experience and we live in Southern Maine. TIA
athomeeileen
6 years ago
We just installed Madre Perola quartzite. It's amazing. And expensive.
Sandra Martin thanked athomeeileen
Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
6 years ago
I prefer natural stone as well. If this is not an area where you feel you can or should stretch your budget, by all means don't give it a second thought. Soapstone, which you mentioned, is a fantastic choice as well.

Personally, I find quartz much too expensive for what it is. I would go with a plain white Corian countertop and a pretty marble subway tile backsplash over quartz any day.
Sandra Martin thanked Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
My3dogs ME zone 5A
6 years ago
Hi, dragonflywings42, Sure! I used Blue Rock Stone Center at 737 Spring St, Westbrook. There is a larger Blue Rock shop in Kennebunk at 92 York St, but I haven't been to that one. Here's the website with info; Good luck! http://www.bluerockmaine.com/
prepmom
6 years ago
We used a slab of quartzite for our kitchen island. It's absolutely beautiful & really makes an elegant statement IMHO. We've had it for 2 years, and although we wipe up spills pretty quickly, I find it to be no more difficult to maintain than the granite on our perimeter counters.
Sandra Martin thanked prepmom
rdy2retire
6 years ago
Dragonflywings42 - we also live in Southern Maine and recently used Morning Star Stone and Tile in Topsham. We have Taj Mahal Quartzite and Quartz in our kitchen. They also did a piece of Black Marinace with a brushed finish and live edge that is fantastic. Plus leathered granite and Curava recycled glass counter tops. Very happy with the customer service.

Quartzite Countertops

My3dogs ME zone 5A

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Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real

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