Hi all, this is the OP again. Just thought I'd update here again since we are still light-colored quarzite counter owners! (I get email notices when this thread becomes active, which it has this week...). So after the white macaubus staining problems we had 6 years ago when I first started this thread, we happened to move to a new house two years ago -- and we again bought a light quartzite countertop (after MUCH debate b/c I was nervous for the same issue to occur of course). We bought Perla Bianca this time. And we only agreed to do it b/c we used a very professional new fabricator who guaranteed/warranted the new counter (they did not expect there to be any issues). A year later, SAME PROBLEM happened. Staining around the edges. Fabricator was shocked. We were not worried b/c they said all along if they could not get the stains out, they would give us a new counter. (GREAT COMPANY!!) They looked into the issue for us, spoke with distributors, reps, etc., and reassured us that they would get to the bottom of whatever was going on... ***So they said they learned through their research that it is becoming an unfortunate trend to inject the stone with some kind of lightening/bleaching agent since so many people are requesting LIGHT colored quartzite. And that this compromises the stone (makes it more pourous I think he said?). I'm not sure when this happens or who does this -- at the quarry, or once it gets to the distributor? Disclaimer: I'm no expert on this part, just passing along what I was told! ;) So our fabricator was able to work with the distributor (who agreed their batch must have been compromised) and we selected a new slab from a new batch of Perla Bianca. The fabricator then did all kinds of treatments to it when they cut it, and even delayed install here twice to ensure it was 100% dried out before sealing and delivering it, etc. We told them to take as long as they needed, ha. We have now had the NEW counter (so, our third quartzite between the two houses) for another year and are having zero issues with it. No staining at all. The fabricator did say they had one other install last year with the same issues we'd had, but that otherwise they install quartzite all the time with no problems. So... maybe we were just vey unlucky and got two slabs that had been compromised with a lightener? I would just say buyer beware for sure -- and if you are working without a warrantied slab or do not have an ethical and professional fabricator who is willing to work with you if problems arise, I would definitely NOT choose a light quartzite. It's a happy ending here for us, but also a lot of drama and effort and stress along the way. Hope this is helpful!

You're an odd duck Joe 😅 But I have to say I do agree with the sentiment of a lack of standards within the industry has soiled it. Many overpromised and underdelivered jobs which is unfortunate... but I'd argue this is due to a large portion of the industry lacking general required skills & knowledge. With wholesalers willing to sell to anyone with a wet saw, many "fabricators" seek a quick buck leaving the client in a lurch. I work in the wholesale business while previously on the front line for a fabricator. I find it interesting that some of my fabricators rarely if ever bring these problems my way, and yet others are putting one fire out after another before saying they won't work with certain materials. This leads me to the conclusion that knowing what you're doing might have something to do with it. However as mentioned this is a wholesaler issue as well as many stones are passed off as something they are not. Calling a dolomite a granite, or a marble a quartzite for example. While quartzites like Taj Mahal or Cristalo are a much stronger, less porous materials, but many of the stones in this thread like Do Brasil, Macubas, Aria, etc.. I have sold over a hundred times easily (annual wholesale sales $8,000,000-$10,000,000 which also includes quartz, granite, marble, dolomite, limestone, onyx, porcelain, etc...). In fact I've recently had customers come back after 4 years because they were building a new home only to put Aria in again because they loved their last counters so much. That said I have seen these issues crop up many times, and in quite a few cases I've had to link up a quality fabricator to rescue a sus fabricators job. I always say "I have 40 clients, but I don't have 40 I'd let into my house". I'm sure the same goes for your business 😉 Now just to respond to a couple of your points "Some of these quartzites have had your recommended procedures followed to the letter and have still failed miserably." - How do you know? You hovering over them? You know the disiccants that you find packaged in products occasionally? Well the same stuff occurs naturally in some of these stones. These stones will suck up moisture, oil, and anything else; you're not sealing your way out of them. It's the nature of the beast; they are unsuitable for use as countertops. - You know everything on earth has a saturation point. Science! But many stones have a higher cement content that binds the quartzite leading to these more porous qualities. However many stones are marketed as "soft quartzites" which is a misnomer, and some stones that are not quartzite at all which is on the entity that sold the material to them. What is more unsuitable is the industry's lack of self-policing. Every time there's an unhappy customer, the natural stone industry suffers. I hate what these irresponsible hacks, importers, trade associations, and fabricators are doing to my industry. - Agreed When I click on your link I get this: "This content isn't available right now. When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted." I'll be happy to debate this with you and your fellow stoners on your Facethingie page. Or bring it over to All Slab Fabricators, unlike the SFA, where everyone is welcome. - I know for someone of your age the internet can be difficult; I don't mind showing you how to do it: https://gprivate.com/69fzy once you're there just ask to join. It's hardly exclusive with 18k+ members, 5K more than your group 😘 I sense a bias Joe, certainly it could be argued that I have one as well, but my goal when selling product is not to be an evangelist for any one product. You on the other hand wrote this: We Corian fabricators were telling consumers over a decade ago about the problems inherent in natural stone. But no, like a wayward daughter in love with the bad boy biker at the bar, you wanted hard and shiny and turned deaf ears to our pleas. We told you Corian never, ever, bled at built up edges. We told you it was virtually stainproof and repairable. No. You were warned repeatedly. Now own up. It's all we can do to hold our "I-told-you-sos" inside. We don't wanna hear it. I provide the pro's and con's for a product and let the customer decide. I always say no news is good news. Unfortunately; as you pointed out many in my business do not approach it with the same tact.

@julzieclaire, it may just be leftover water from the fabrication process. One of my counters had some water marks that were there on installation, but evaporated within three days or so.

no clue… I had quartzite counters installed, mysterious wet looking staining never resolved, had to have them ripped out 3 weeks after install. Never gor an answer as to what it was or what caused it.Fabricator took full responisbilty and Replaced them with our choice we chose honed marble. Zero issues