Quartzite is a stone that customers ask for again and again. It could be due to its hardness and durability. Or maybe the elegance of the white background with swirls of grey, sometimes blue, or even a hint of green or red. Or, it could be because it doesn’t etch when it comes in contact with lemon juice or vinegar. But, regardless of the reason quartzite is a beautiful stone which is worth the extra wear it puts on tools during the fabricating process. It can also cost a little more as a result, especially if it’s one of the rarer varieties of Quartzite.
Is it really quartzite?
One of the things that happens with quartzite is that other types of stone are sometimes labeled as quartzite. Marble, for example, is a softer stone, so if marble is marked as quartzite, people become confused when they think they have quartzite, but it scratches and can be etched. While marble and quartzite can look similar in appearance, they are very different stones with different hardnesses. The problem is labeling--or, mislabeling.
Look for expertise and information
For the homeowner, this means choosing a fabricator with a solid reputation is essential. It’s reasonable to want the stone to be factually represented. Quartzite will definitely scratch glass, making it an easy way to detect if a stone is marble or quartzite. Most people who own Quartzite are careful to use a cutting board on the surface. Not because the knife blade will scratch it, but because the Quartzite will dull the edge of the knife.
It’s a chemical thing
While Quartzite is similar in appearance to marble, it has chemical properties which more closely resemble that of granite. They’re both siliceous-based, although they form differently. Quartzite starts out as sandstone which changes under pressure and temperature.
Even though it’s made with heat, that doesn’t mean that a homeowner should be careless with Quartzite, because the stone can be a mixture of more than one kind of stone, such as Fantasy Brown, which is a mixture of Quartzite and marble.
Bottom line, don’t just look at the color or trust a fabricator who doesn’t have a solid reputation. If you’re in the market for Quartzite, it’s reasonable to ask for it to be tested, or test it with the fabricator. Don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions, and fully expect to get your questions answered before you put your hard earned money into a countertop. Quality and integrity are essential, both in stone and in the businesses that deal in them.
If you have a home, business or rental property in the Metro Phoenix area and are considering upgrading with granite countertops or other stonework features, call us here at JDM Countertops at 602-461-7559.
