I’ve had quartzite for 4 years now - no issues through toddler years of being messy and banging pots/cups. Yes, it got dinged a couple of times when the keys were used to bang on the counter but you really have to be looking to find the marks. No staining with red wine, coffee, pancake batter, ketchup, grease, oil, or hot cast iron skillets resting directly on the stone.

Just doublechecked…..we have super white! I know a lot of folks say don’t get it because it’s softer but we really haven’t had any problems.

Quartzite was installed in our new home when we purchased. I noticed a couple etched spots and the stone company came out and repaired a few spots but not all. He then came out again when I complained. He has now washed his hands and states I did not seal the counter tops which is not true.
The etching is getting worse and I do not know what to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we built our house, I tested quartzite (Super White), because we are messy people. The builder had an off cut, so I poured red wine, spread ketchup, mustard, crayon, pen, marker, spaghetti sauce, etc. It both etched and stained. I had had quartz in my old kitchen and know it is so durable, that when the Martians land on Earth in 3 million year, it will be the only evidence of civilization remaining. So we went with quartz - Cambria - Ella:
https://www.cambriausa.com/quartz-colors/#!/design/Ella

Very happy with it already 4 years.

After how long did it stain and etch? Did you clean up the spills immediately? After 5 min? Longer? We are building now and really like quartzite but am concerned about durability, especially with young kids. We haven’t found a quartz we like.

I left them overnight - mimicking a good sloppy party or a dinner on a hectic night that didn’t quite get cleaned up alright. Oh, there was also lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil. It was a good spread. Looked atrocious afterwards, unfortunately. I still love the look of Super White but it is not for us.

Check out all the Cambria designs - there is a lot of variety. But not cheap.

Thanks. Overnight is a pretty long time! I can't really imagine ever leaving a significant (or insignificant) liquid spill on a countertop made of any material for that long.

Anonymous wrote:omg the snobbiness on this thread is hilarious.

Quartz is basically terrazzo. It is fine. Terrazzo has been around since Ancient Egyptian times.

People have been making stuff out of chips of stone for thousands of years.

OP get what you like. If you like quartzite then get that. I have quartz (came with the house) but I love love love the look of honed granite, but it does take more often resealing. My house also has a polished granite countertop in a bathroom that desperately needs to be resealed. For that reason I am glad my kitchen came with quartz and I don't have to worry about stains or sealing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we built our house, I tested quartzite (Super White), because we are messy people. The builder had an off cut, so I poured red wine, spread ketchup, mustard, crayon, pen, marker, spaghetti sauce, etc. It both etched and stained. I had had quartz in my old kitchen and know it is so durable, that when the Martians land on Earth in 3 million year, it will be the only evidence of civilization remaining. So we went with quartz - Cambria - Ella:
https://www.cambriausa.com/quartz-colors/#!/design/Ella

Very happy with it already 4 years.

After how long did it stain and etch? Did you clean up the spills immediately? After 5 min? Longer? We are building now and really like quartzite but am concerned about durability, especially with young kids. We haven’t found a quartz we like.

I left them overnight - mimicking a good sloppy party or a dinner on a hectic night that didn’t quite get cleaned up alright. Oh, there was also lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil. It was a good spread. Looked atrocious afterwards, unfortunately. I still love the look of Super White but it is not for us.

Check out all the Cambria designs - there is a lot of variety. But not cheap.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we built our house, I tested quartzite (Super White), because we are messy people. The builder had an off cut, so I poured red wine, spread ketchup, mustard, crayon, pen, marker, spaghetti sauce, etc. It both etched and stained. I had had quartz in my old kitchen and know it is so durable, that when the Martians land on Earth in 3 million year, it will be the only evidence of civilization remaining. So we went with quartz - Cambria - Ella:
https://www.cambriausa.com/quartz-colors/#!/design/Ella

Very happy with it already 4 years.

After how long did it stain and etch? Did you clean up the spills immediately? After 5 min? Longer? We are building now and really like quartzite but am concerned about durability, especially with young kids. We haven’t found a quartz we like.

Lol. You really can't find any quartz you like? I'm guessing you have enough money then to replace your quartzite in a decade...

Anonymous wrote:When we built our house, I tested quartzite (Super White), because we are messy people. The builder had an off cut, so I poured red wine, spread ketchup, mustard, crayon, pen, marker, spaghetti sauce, etc. It both etched and stained. I had had quartz in my old kitchen and know it is so durable, that when the Martians land on Earth in 3 million year, it will be the only evidence of civilization remaining. So we went with quartz - Cambria - Ella:
https://www.cambriausa.com/quartz-colors/#!/design/Ella

Very happy with it already 4 years.

After how long did it stain and etch? Did you clean up the spills immediately? After 5 min? Longer? We are building now and really like quartzite but am concerned about durability, especially with young kids. We haven’t found a quartz we like.

When we built our house, I tested quartzite (Super White), because we are messy people. The builder had an off cut, so I poured red wine, spread ketchup, mustard, crayon, pen, marker, spaghetti sauce, etc. It both etched and stained. I had had quartz in my old kitchen and know it is so durable, that when the Martians land on Earth in 3 million year, it will be the only evidence of civilization remaining. So we went with quartz - Cambria - Ella:
https://www.cambriausa.com/quartz-colors/#!/design/Ella

Very happy with it already 4 years.

^^ super white is a hybrid, not a quartzite. Fantasy brown is a marble.

We have fairly white Fantasy Brown counters (7 years now) and it is sometimes labeled quartzite, granite, or marble in stone yards. It is actually a marble, but quite durable. Ours has a finish somewhere between honed and leathered (closer to honed). It has not stained, etched, or chipped during use. I had tested a piece prior to installation. I scratched it with utensils and knives, let staining and acidic foods sit on it for days, banged it with pots. It will etch if you leave lime slices on it for many hours. just as they did the day they were installed. My Fantasy Brown sample was definitely softer than a granite sample I also tested, but I determined that I could live with it. I have not resealed on used any special cleaners. Kids get food coloring, paint, and slime on them and I am able to clean them with either a damp cloth, soft scrub, or a scotchbright pad. They look just like they did when first installed.

a lot of people are mixing up quartzite with quartz.

We have super white quartzite. I absolutely love it and is has not stained. I am careful to wipe up spills quickly.

It has however etched in several places. This prompted me to do some research, and I learned that some quartzites are actually marble or marble-like. It's possible we got marble that was billed as quartzite or maybe it's a quartzite slab that has more marble characteristics. It really does look like marble.

I still love it but would be a little happier without the etching.

Anonymous wrote:Nobody has answered your questions, op.

I've done quartzite in two kitchens - white macaubus. I'm about to do it in a third. I love it. Its durability and beauty are second to none. It does not stain, it does not etch. It doesn't need to be sealed but we do it once a year anyway. Sealing involves spraying sealer and wiping it off, it takes no time or effort. You can put a screaming hot pan on quartzite and nothing happens (quartz would be ruined). It is timeless.

Do not get super white, which is not a quartzite. (It's a hybrid with some softer areas that are basically marble and will etch). Do not get marble. But quartzite is fabulous.

This. I love quartzite.

omg the snobbiness on this thread is hilarious.

Quartz is basically terrazzo. It is fine. Terrazzo has been around since Ancient Egyptian times.

People have been making stuff out of chips of stone for thousands of years.

OP get what you like. If you like quartzite then get that. I have quartz (came with the house) but I love love love the look of honed granite, but it does take more often resealing. My house also has a polished granite countertop in a bathroom that desperately needs to be resealed. For that reason I am glad my kitchen came with quartz and I don't have to worry about stains or sealing.

Anonymous wrote:Nobody has answered your questions, op.

I've done quartzite in two kitchens - white macaubus. I'm about to do it in a third. I love it. Its durability and beauty are second to none. It does not stain, it does not etch. It doesn't need to be sealed but we do it once a year anyway. Sealing involves spraying sealer and wiping it off, it takes no time or effort. You can put a screaming hot pan on quartzite and nothing happens (quartz would be ruined). It is timeless.

Do not get super white, which is not a quartzite. (It's a hybrid with some softer areas that are basically marble and will etch). Do not get marble. But quartzite is fabulous.

I just looked this one up -- super pretty! Thanks for sharing.

Nobody has answered your questions, op.

I've done quartzite in two kitchens - white macaubus. I'm about to do it in a third. I love it. Its durability and beauty are second to none. It does not stain, it does not etch. It doesn't need to be sealed but we do it once a year anyway. Sealing involves spraying sealer and wiping it off, it takes no time or effort. You can put a screaming hot pan on quartzite and nothing happens (quartz would be ruined). It is timeless.

Do not get super white, which is not a quartzite. (It's a hybrid with some softer areas that are basically marble and will etch). Do not get marble. But quartzite is fabulous.