Oh stallone, this is disappointing news. Mine isn't installed yet but it's paid for and I think they've templated already and have probably started to cut it.

After Deborah's response I brought up this issue of softness with my fabricator, who seems like a truly wonderful guy. He said that a customer wanted their Taj Mahal leathered and his machines couldn't handle it because it was so much harder than granite. I seriously doubt this guy would lie to me. Your experience has me really concerned, though.

I am anxiously awaiting my conversation with my fabricator to see what he says, stryker . I too, would swear my guy is totally trustworthy (I met his wife and kids and he met my kids, for heavens sakes!) The added element to my situation is we got the slabs from a different distributor. He had taj mahal in his facility but I went with different slabs from another [well known, mind you] stone distributor since it had less flaws. So I don't know how this will work...

I just started a new thread asking/pleading for help from anyone who can maybe tell me ways to fix the scratches...

btw, my slabs are honed.

Can you give me a link to your thread?

My slabs are polished.

Can you feel the scratches? Is it possible that it is simply some kind of coating on top of the stone that scratched and not the stone itself? To have a used staple scratch something even as soft as wood seems weird to me.

I think I'll call my fabricator tomorrow and have him take a knife to the slab and see what happens.

No- I don't believe these scratches are deep so I don't feel them.

The link is here

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/taj-mahal-quartzite-too-good-to-be-true-dsvw-vd~3320038

I thought I was getting a countertop that if silverware accidentally scraped it, I would be safe. Forget about that as an option for me now. But many people would tell me that is unreasonable to expect of most natural stone surfaces...

Your knife experiment should do the trick. I sincerely hope your slabs are resistant! And I will see what I learn from my fabricator this week.

I posted a comment on your thread. Found it while I was reading up on others' experiences, as you were, too, I saw.

It's interesting how wildly different those experiences are. Some people are saying their quartzite is tough and others aren't, even within the same type of quartzite.

Here are a couple pics for reference. They aren't in your face but I have at least a dozen or so of these marks after just 3 weeks- hence my concern.

I agree it is mind boggling how people's experiences are all over the board. And I thought I was going with one of the more known quartzite available.

I had a similar problem with black Silestone. The 'scratches' were actually metal scraped onto the surface - the installer used a plastic scrubbie to remove them.

That looks like the stone I'm getting, stallone. Have you tried anything to "rub out" the scratches, like the plastic scrubbie jkm mentioned?

jkm, I have gray honed Silestone in my current kitchen and water etches it in a way that has been impossible to remove. No one else in the world seems to have had this problem.

I'm certainly no geologist but I have fabricated countertops with just about every stone imaginable including stones listed as quartzite. These are some of the popular stones listed as quartzite from suppliers and they are night and day for durability.
Taj Mahal and quartzite Carrera fall on the side of hard like steel ( we have snapped a few bits on cnc's with these buggers. The Taj Mahal stone itself is hard but it is full of resined cracks and holes making it fragile to manipulate. Furthermore you will see these cracks in your top but should not feel them if done right. These two stones do not etch. Two other quartzite I've worked with a lot is super white and fantasy brown. These two stones are very soft and will etch. Fantasy brown varies with the movement in the slab it's like 2 different materials fused together one part hard the other soft.
All these surfaces will scratch treat them right use cutting boards don't slide pots and pans and make sure what ever you put up there has no debris stuck to it that could scratch ex: a cooler with beach sand stuck to it!!

Stryker-- I had the same issue with Cambria. Circles etched where there was condensation from glasses. Cambria told me to use straight vinegar on them and it worked. They told me to routinely clean with 1 part water to 3 parts vinegar and the rings have never occurred again.

Thanks, tweet! I'll try that!

The only "treatment" I have tried so far, is vigorous sponge cleaning with soap and water. Everybody's helpful personal experiences and tips give me hope that while I may have a top that somehow shows scratches easily, it will also be easily fixed. As soon as I speak to my fabricator, I will post- thanks all!!!

and here is an aerial shot for anyone who wants to see the source of all this pleasure and pain:)

Oops-- I typed the water to vinegar ratio backwards. It's one part vinegar to three parts water for routine cleaning. I keep it in a spray bottle. Good luck!

Your stone is pretty, stallone. I'll bet you'll consider it worth it in the end.

thanks, Stryker-yeah-I'm quickly moving past the sad and anger phase and swiftly moving into rationalization phase!

Hi stryker, I just found this thread because I was looking for pics of your house after seeing it discussed on Zaz's thread. How do you like your quartzite? I've got quartzite and have been very pleased with it. I also read above about getting quartzite leathered. I did have my polished slab leathered and it worked, but quartzite does seem to be a bit resistant to leathering because it's so hard. But the result is very nice - subtle and nice. The only problem I've had with my quartzite in several years is that because it seems to be a bit brittle, a little piece broke off the corner when my husband put a bunch of pressure on the corner. It was intact and easily repaired by the granite guys. I've never had a stain or etch of any type on my quartzite.

I'll continue to look for pics of your house:)

I love my quartz! cambria. I did a ton of research and absolutely love the result. 3 months in. So incredibly clean, spotless. No damage done and I never have to seal it or do any maintenance. I realize 3 months is nothing, but my kitchen takes a beating. Good luck!

We have Mother of Pearl quartzite on our island for two years and no problems at all. Before installing I managed to grab a few samples and tried knives, vinegar, wine, ketchup and lemon. No stains, no scratches. So perhaps it depends on the slab.

Hi Ann, sorry I didn't respond here before now. Glad you found my thread.

I LOVE my quartzite!

I've read all the comments above regarding the issues with quartzite (taj mahal) Will sealing it help to prevent all these issues? I love the color and am hoping to use it in my kitchen.

Brick wood builders and I probably have the same supplier and experience.

We have installed this - and taken it out. No substitute for a hard granite or a poured Quartz.

Cambria Quartz is not the same as quartzite. It's man made and it's fabulous with an amazing warranty. Quartzite from my understanding is a natural stone, but my fabricator advised me not to use it, even though it's so lovely. He said it is very brittle and flakes far too easily. We absolutely love our Cambria Quartz and will install It again in future homes, even though it seems to be at the top end for pricing.

Cambria is Probably the best on the market. But not for the budget challenged.

I've had my quartzite for five months now and still love it. It's super hard, doesn't mark, and has subtle, beautiful veining and crystals. I have Cambria quartz in one of my bathrooms. It's nice in its own right, in a flat uniform way that works well with the contemporary vibe in that room, but let me tell you that I have no regrets putting Taj Mahal quartzite in kitchen. It's sturdy and beautiful at the same time.

I have had my (Taj mahal) quartzite almost 9 months now and after my initial dismay I think I can pass on a little insight for others.

My tops haven't flaked or chipped or dinged. I don't see etching or staining. I still get the occasional metal marks (which are easily removed with a very fine grit sandpaper which my fabricator showed me how to do, ie: very gently!). I get the sense that had I gone with polished rather than honed, I wouldn't have the issue of metal marking. So I would advise others who love Taj Mahal to go with polished, not honed.

I am careful with my tops in a way I didn't plan on being but I do love the look and, so far, as long as I clean up my messes, I don't have any critical issues to report!

Hope this helps!

Maria- you asked about sealing, I did have a 'bullet-proof' sealant applied after my first two weeks and it did make a difference in how the counter wiped down. I saw streaking before it and afterwards, I didn't! Again though, if you go with polished tops, I have heard others not even needing a sealant! Good luck with your decision-making!

One other concern I have is about the size of Quartz slabs. My island is 57" by 96". I see that some brands of Quartz does not come that wide. I didn't want a seam in my island. I may need two slabs, how would you suggest it gets put together? Thank you

Quartzite for Shower: jambs, threshold, corner shelves, bench.

Color: light creamy color - Taj Mahal, mother of pearl, (something like this)

Need decision for finish: Honed, brushed, polished

Any thoughts of using this material that will be exposed to water and water droplets left behind on shelves etc..?

I never saw your comments before, Maria. Did everything work out ok for you?

Blondina, given how hard quartzite is, I doubt that water droplets would do anything bad. My kitchen counter has remained unmarked.

I favor polished. In a shower, the areas where slipping is a concern should have a rougher surface, though. I can't wrap my mind around using quartzite for a door jamb. What is the overall design for this shower?

I'm still loving mine, too, Kate!

Stone will outline the walls, jambs, threshold, bench, (3) corner shelves

I see. That will be beautiful. I hope to see it finished. Have you considered niches instead of shelves? What will the floor and walls be done in?

I wanted niches, but can't because (2) outside walls and there is no space on the walls with the plumbing. We put the controls on the "mini wall" to turn on the water as soon as you enter - which for me is better than having the niches there. The shelves will be good :)

Floor - small marble squares

Walls - elongated subway (same color as sink)

Maria - Some colors of Silestone Quartz come in JUMBO sizing.

Jumbo format : 63x128 inches

Stallone. I am a fabricator and we have problems like you are showing come up in the shop quite often and are easily cleaned. It the "scratch" looks silver and can't be felt it most likely is what we call a "metal mark." And is actually metal rubbed off onto the stone. They can be very hard to clean which makes you think nothing can be done but we have found that using a little "bar keepers friend" ( a powder cleaner found at any store that has cleaning supplies) and some water will buff it right away. Manmade quartz is very guilty of getting metal marks that won't go away and we mostly use that technique on them. But it should work for you as well. Make sure to rinse and clean off afterward. Try on a small area in a spot not seen very well to make sure it doesn't discolor or etch any. But I don't think it will. Good luck! I know this is way after the original thread but I hope to hear about it.

Thank you Libera203! It has been awhile since the post and while I am happy to say that with a bit of care (and placemats) the countertop is holding up very nicely!! But your tip is greatly appreciated for those pesky marks!

Hey, I'm no expert and have yet to get quartzite but we are considering it and so I've done some research. What I've found is that when it first came out some of the suppliers were mislabeling some stones as quartzite when they were actually marble. The reputable stone suppliers are probably more aware of the problem though and are making sure that it is actually quartzite. One site I read said to give it a test with a knife at an inconspicuous corner or to bring a piece of glass and rub the face of the glass on the sorner of a stone labeled quartzite and if it is truly quartzite it should significantly scratch the glass. Compare it with other stones to see the difference.

However, I would like to ask the fabricator (libera203) if he or she has ever experienced quartzite, that have lots of veins, to "blow out" while cutting it during the fabrication process. I learned from one supplier that there has been this problem with their fabricators. I was wondering how much of a problem it actually is and what implications this has for stones that are successfully fabricated to still have problems breaking in the future due to foundation shifts or settling.

Looking into Taj Mahal Quartzite... So gorgeous... What type of maintenance does it require? And, does it truly etch and scratch? :(

Hi Rivkymusic, I have to say, after the initial fear and scare I had, 3 years on, I am quite happy with the Taj Mahal. In my experience, it has been very resilient. And, as previously stated, while mine can get superficially scratched (which can then be remedied) it hasn’t stained at all or etched. I don’t batter it they way I would or could a corian countertop but it is a kitchen that is used and stands up to normal wear and tear....but we still use placemats!;)
And I still think it’s as pretty as the day I first laid eyes on it
good luck with the decision!

No scratches or etches with mine, riv, 2.5 years in and it hasn't been babied. I have no regrets.

Trying to make final decision on counter tops. Wanted granite originally for duribility. Had it for 16 years with 0 issues but not finding anything I like. Ruled out quartzite due to marble qualities but then was told about the range in hardness. Fell in love with taj mahal and was told this is the hardest of the quartzites. But reading this long thread of comments questioning that decision again . Old kitchen is out and I still haven’t finalized counter tops. Not sleeping over this!!!! Help!!!!

I have not regretted getting the Taj Mahal. It looks as good as when it was installed, completely beautiful. I don't seal it or anything.

Newly installed Taj Mahal! Island slab was nearly perfect - - even after it slammed down and moved the entire island a quarter inch. Hope it is tougher than I'm afraid I'm reading about!

Looks great! Perfect choice for your pretty kitchen. Don't worry. It's tough.

There are different grades of quartzite quality and your fabricator should be familiar with that. Quartzite is a metamorphic rock just like marble but much harder. Pure quartzite stone is naturally stain-proof, and etching it with water or anything acidic is impossible. Make sure to ask your fabricator about the quartzite slab you want and he should be able to get you the answers.

I’m seeing some very tiny little chips in my newly installed Taj Mahal. Barely noticeable but they feel like little chips. Is this normal? I’m sure my fabricator can fix, I just worry about having issues long term. Also some areas of the top are not completely smooth.

Hi DV, I have had mine for a few years now and only have one little chip that was where the sharp point of an ogee edge must have caught a glass or bottle (we had the eased edge for the main worktop area to avoid this possibility and it was good advice! The ogee edge is pretty but more vulnerable for any material). Anyway, I would say it isn’t typical of Taj Mahal to chip and the surface is smooth with very little variation. I hope this helps-