What’s the Difference Between Marble and Quartzite?

By: Ann Kent

You don’t have to be a countertop expert to understand the characteristic beauty associated with marble counters, but you may not know that there are natural stones available like quartzite that can mimic the look of marble with half the required maintenance. Mr. Stone has a wide range of products for all types of kitchen countertops from natural stones like marble and quartzite to products that are designed exclusively for engineered stones like quartz.

Fantasy Brown Quartzite Kitchen Countertops from Marble.com

The natural stone industry will always see a strong demand for marble because of its long-term association with rich veiny beauty. Marble is suitable for kitchens, bathroom vanities, and fireplace surrounds but requires frequent sealing and might not be suggested for a high traffic kitchen. All bathroom or kitchen installations of marble should be sealed up to 4 times a year with a quality sealer like Superior Zero Ultimate Stone Sealer. The sealer is incredibly easy to provide and produces incredible results without having to enlist the help of a contractor. It simply wipes on clean marble countertops and any excess should be wiped up with a towel. In between regular sealing, Mr. Stone recommends using AGM Daily Countertop Cleaner. It is a mild but effective product that contains a little bit of sealant. Each time you clean your countertops with AGM countertop cleaner, you are doing your part in sealing the surface. Over time, marble may still chip, but even little chips in marble can be easily repaired without calling in an expert. Our Granite and Marble chip repair kit is easy enough for the average homeowner to use. The product is an epoxy that you can apply directly to the chips in the surface. After it dries, you will have a hard time determining where the chip used to exist.

Marble countertops installed by Marble.com

Although some stones like quartzite can mimic the rich and veiny look of marble, quartzite is a much stronger natural stone. Like granite, quartzite only requires sealing 1-2 times a year and is heat and stain resistant. While granite is widely available in many stone colors, quartzite is mostly available in light colors akin to those of marble. You can use the same products that we offer for marble upkeep – the Superior Zero Ultimate Stone Sealer and AGM Daily Cleaner. The good news is that you will need far less of the sealer if you install quartzite instead of marble.

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that appears as a result of changes in pure quartz sandstone. The sandstone is changed into the form of quartzite by pressure and heat. The resulting surface is smooth and glassy. Marble is also a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is made up of recrystallized carbonate minerals like calcite or dolomite. Heat and pressure transform the sedimentary carbonate rocks into marble. The characteristic veins in marble are because of the existence of other minerals within the stone. Since quartzite does not contain calcite, like marble, it will not etch when exposed to acids like marble will.

We at Mr.Stone provide quality products to stone countertop fabricators and homeowners whether they are looking for machinery equipment and bits, safety equipment, or maintenance products like Superior Zero Ultimate Stone Sealer. Mr.Stone has a wide range of core bits, cutting tools, polishing tools, router bits, power tools or anything else that a fabricator would need. We always recommend that fabricators source their slabs from Slabmarket.com because they have one of the widest selections of natural stone slabs in the region. You will want to have plenty of slabs of marble and quartzite on hand so that your consumers can compare the subtle differences between each slab. Quartzite has seen a surge in popularity because it provides the nuanced beauty of a natural stone without the upkeep of a porous stone like marble.

Countertop fabricators should be able to explain the differences of quartzite and marble to their customers so that they can make the most informed decision when it comes to their kitchen countertops.