Quartz vs. Quartzite

I have been wanting to write about this for quite some time, as many clients come to me confused and don’t know that there is a distinct difference between Quartz and Quartzite. I am here to tell you that they are NOT the same.

QUARTZ

Quartz is man made and contains quartz particles and resins.

It is durable, heat resistant, scratch resistant, non-porous, and does not need to be sealed making this a VERY good choice for someone who does not want any maintenance!  There are various companies that make quartz countertops and often mimic each others color options.  I find that the less expensive brands make their quartz without the purest quartz particles, making it cloudy and pixelated when you get real close. So if you decide to go this route, choose wisely.

My top picks for QUARTZ are Silestone - Eternal Statuario and Eternal Calacatta Gold.

QUARTZITE

Quartzite is a natural stone, and there lies its beauty!

The clarity, the movement and the elegance of natural stone that comes directly out of the earth STILL amazes me.

It is durable and withstands heat very well, but it does NEED to be sealed and maintained.  It is possible for stains to still penetrate the sealer if left on long enough, so make sure to talk to your fabricator about which sealer is right for your particular stone.  From there, be sure to come up with an on-going maintenance plan.

Quartzite is found in a wide variety of shades and movements. Here are a few I commonly use.

Photography by Public 311 Design