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I don't have quartzite but can tell you I did extensive research into all countertop materials before selecting quartz. If you compare material characteristics, you'll have the information you need to make your decision. Of course, cost varies, as does the appearance of different products, so you have to incorporate those dimensions into your decision-making. Quartz is engineered, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. It is especially popular in more modern kitchens; other materials may suit other styles better. You can and should select your product based on how you want it to perform, what it costs, and whether you like the look.
If you prefer granite, marble, or quartzite, those would be valid choices, too. Just be sure you know the pros and cons of each so you make an informed decision. |
| Granite 4eva! |
You have dings! That's a problem for a lot of people. Glad it isn't for you! We have quartzite and actually have not had problems. No dings, no stains, no etching. |
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We have both quartz and quartzite in our kitchen (the island is the latter). I would do it again. We have had it for twelve years and it has held up fine. Red wine drips left very faint stains that pretty much are inobservable now. The only thing i have had an issue with was things with turmeric, but a lot of scrubbing got that off. We have never sealed them.
So it has been pretty low maintenance, though obviously not as easy as the quartz. |
| I have granite and never want anything else. I don’t have to worry about it at all. |
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About two years ago, we went a bit nuts looking for material for our kitchen counters in a new build. We went to 10+ places, some multiple times, to look at materials. We started on quartz, but wanted something more alive. We wanted light color, which ruled out granite. We almost went with marble, but we tried some samples and the staining/etching was too great.
Near the end, we found a lot of this Bianco Superiore at Gramaco: https://www.gramaco.com/product/bianco-superiore-b4645/ (And despite the similar name, Gramaco and others swear that "Super White" and "Bianco Superiore" are very different products.) Our fabricator, while recognizing a risk that quartzite can have large marble quantity, guessed that this was likely real quartzite. We took a chance. Our fabricator later told us that it was one of the hardest stones they had cut in some time, and the guys in the shop were convinced it wasn't marble at all and true quartzite. We've been living in our house now for 18 months, with little kids. No staining, no etching. It's been absolutely wonderful. To be sure, we try hard to clean up spills quickly, but wine rings have no doubt been on the counter for an hour or more before we notice/clean--no observable damage. I put a very small chip in one edge by the sink when I wasn't careful and caught the edge hard with a pan. You have to look to see it, and it was entirely my fault. That is the only observable damage thus far. I'd absolutely make the same choice again. I think this board steered me to quartzite. Not budget friendly, but it was the only option we found that offered both the aesthetic and performance we wanted. |
| True quartzite is the hardest stone you can find. It doesn’t etch but can stain. But no worries, over time the stain just disappears. |
| True quartzite like Taj Mahal is beautiful and durable. |
Super white is actually a marble or Dolomite. It is not quartzite. Quartzite doesn’t etch and is a hard stone. |
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I regret Taj Mahal quartzite by my farmhouse sink.
A few chips in 5 years where i need to always wipe off the water. Other areas are fine and love natural pattern. It seemed like the dealer did a lot of filler and finishing to our slabs before install. But it seems fine except at the sink.i can see fill on the edges of the counters |
| I have Cambria and LOVE it. Most of the time, I just use a microfiber cloth and water. |
I read something about this previously and chose to get an under mount sink. I think it’s only the farmhouse install that is a problem. |
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np. You truly can't imagine that there could possibly be a spill on your counters that went uncleaned for 6-8 hours, or more? |
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We've had Silestone Lagoon in our kitchen for 7+ years. No etching, super low maintenance... there is a little bit of yellowing underneath one spot that always has a cannister over it (whereas the rest of that area gets sun exposure, this one spot doesn't).
We had a dark granite before this and it got that cloudy look despite sealing regularly. 100% would do quartz again. |