Need expertise and experience: quartzite vs. Quartz

11 years ago

After reading countless articles on the web and on houzz about quartzite and Quartz, I'm just as confused as when I started my research.

I'm looking for people with real world experience and expertise. I'm deciding whether to use white macaubas quartzite or a quartz for my kitchen countertops. The quartz products I'm choosing between are Compac Carrera or Caesarstone Frosty Carrina.

I have 2 young kids and I am super bothered by the etching that I have on their bathroom countertops left by the bottoms of containers (marble and limestone countertops, chosen before I had a clue about countertop durability). I currently have a dark speckled granite in my kitchen and no stains or etching show.

The stone yard that I would get my Quartzite from sells their quartzite a with a resin already baked into the quartzite in a special oven. I don't know if this process differs from other stone yards who coat their stone with resin. They do not recommend sealing it after installation because the resin won't allow a sealer to be absorbed.

Do you have any etching or staining on your Quartz or Quartzite counters. Any pictures or stories to share? Any experts with experience working with either material?

Thank you!!!

Featured Answer

PRO

Grout Works of Central NJ

11 years ago

You should try to prevent scratches by insuring nothing abrasive or sharp is dragged on the counter. If it gets scratched you can hire a professional to remove the scratches by honing it with diamonds. Polishing will not prevent or get rid of scratches. If anything scratches are much more noticeable on polished finishes and a honed finish will hide scratches better. You can change the finish to an even lower hone (more matte less shine) which will hide more but you have to see if the stone will look nice with a low hone finish. Another option is a leathered or antiqued finish which will also hide scratches more.
A sealer will not prevent scratches. Here is a before and after of a countertop we did recently in Long Beach Island by the NJ Shore.

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Comments (12)

suzie123
11 years ago
I am not an expert but had quartz counters (silestone which is similar to caesarstone.) I had the counters for approximately 9 years. They were white. There was never one scratch, dent, marking etc. They were great. I have multiple friends who have had a similar experience with caesarstone. I recently looked at a white quartzite. I was told by the stone handler at the store that they would wear similar to a marble. I did not purchase. Good luck.
PRO
Grout Works of Central NJ
11 years ago
Forget all your research. Even of you figured it all out many times stone slabs are not characterized correctly. Just test it yourself on a sample piece with some vinegar to see if it etches. Then scrape with a key and see if it scratches and how easily. Good Luck.
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Glenda Fittz
11 years ago
Suzie123, I'm so glad to hear you still love your white Quartz and that they have not been a maintenance problem for you. I'm in the same dilemma as Rachel. I'm curious, do you have a seam in your white quartz and is it very noticeable? thank you
R S
Original Author
11 years ago
I ended up going with White Macaubus quartzite -- I fell in love with the slabs and decided I wanted a different look. I will be using Ceasarstone in the laundry room though -- Piatra Gray. And also a white quartz on the window sills.
j_stallone
11 years ago
Grout Works of Central NJ- Boy do I wish I read your line before I spent $$$ on 2 slabs of Taj Mahal quartzite (ie: beautiful as marble but hard as granite, so they said) and after 3 weeks, I see lots of little silvery scratches. I am hoping since you are an expert with stone and are clearly aware that slabs are being sold as something they aren't, you can advise a poor soul on what can be done now? I guess am asking firstly on the level of, can we polish the surface to get ride of these scratches? It is currently honed. Or if more sealing may help??

And second, if you care to advise on what some arrangements could be made between me and my fabricator and/or the distributor.

Thank you so much-
R S
Original Author
11 years ago
Btw, the lighter colored Quartz also shows those tiny scratches. The darker may too -- I
Just haven't tested that our. At least with movement in the stone, you won't be able to notice it unless you are looking for it. Nothing remains perfect.
stryker
11 years ago
Maybe nothing is perfect. I have gray Silestone quartz in my kitchen and it etches like you wouldn't believe. Water will etch it! Nothing will get the marks out. As far as I can tell, I'm the only person on the planet who has had quartz do this. No one else on houzz echos this complaint.

Curious to see what answers you get on your quartzite, stallone.
mariejose124
10 years ago
I would warn anyone considering Compac quartz that
the color of what is delivered can deviate quite a lot from the samples.

For
example, I bought a Compac quartz countertop in color Carerra and
although the sample in the shop showed quite a true white background,
what we was delivered was more beige-y gray. A true disappointment after
spending a lot on my dream kitchen.

The company has no technical information available on how different its colors may be so if
you think about getting quartz from Compac you apparently need to go look at the
slabs, as you would for a natural stone. To me, this kind-of defeats
one of the benefits of engineering quartz I'd read, which is what you
see is what you get.

By the way, Compac has been very dismissive of my concerns.
mblues18
9 years ago
I too was disappointed with Compac product. It shows blotches and scratches.
R S
Original Author
9 years ago
For bathrooms, I decided on Silestone Kensho, and I hope it doesn't etch! I am surprised at all the problems I read about with quartz.
suzie123
7 years ago
someone asked me a question ages ago but i think it just popped up on my screen-iso just in case you are still wondering-i had no seem issues at all. they were easy and i liked them. now i have honed marble and i love that also.