hey shannon. still not done w/all the details, but wanted to show u how it looks w/the gold mirrors.

just had the countertop done yesterday. plumbing will go on tmrw. I also have a glass shelf (2) that I'm debating on putting under each mirror or just one in the middle. I have other gold accents here and there

So pretty! Did you end up honing the counters?

I asked the restoration guy who came today (he had to do the black marble on the shower floor). I asked him about it but said he likes to do it before installs. he does this cool leathering technique too. showed me this type of black marble that I've never seen. He does it for Walker-Zanger. 12x24 tiles. absolutely stunning. almost like a zebra pattern. he did hone and clean up the carrara around the shower for me. nice to know someone can come in and 'fix' stuff if you need it.

I can't believe there is so much misinformation out there about Super White. SUPER WHITE IS NOT QUARTZITE!! SUPER WHITE IS NOT GRANITE!! Super white contains calcite (like marble) and dolomite. The inclusion of dolomite makes it a little bit harder than marble, but not near as hard as granite, and certainly way softer than quartzite.

PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE SUPER WHITE THINKING IT WON'T SCRATCH, ETCH, OR STAIN EASILY, BECAUSE IT WILL!!!

Thanks, Keith! There are actually a couple of local yards that will tell you that, and it was a surprise to me. That said, there's still some that's pretty hard, and the samples I saw at the fabricator where I bought my granite (Ornamental White - perfect for my kitchen) said that while it is dolomite, it's still super hard. My experience with the samples was that the more white it had, the more it was likely to etch. The darker, the more resistant it was to the citrus juices I used to test.

WHITE FROST GRANITE FROM SRILANKA

i have shadow storm ..had it one month and a glass fell out of the cabinet and now I have 3 chips. I also hit the edge of the counter with a glass and made a huge chip ....not durable ! shadow storm is quartzite. Not all quartzite is created equal some have more marble properties then others. I would do your homework. I love it..its is beautiful. I don't have children so I am able to give it the extra TLC on the daily. It doesn't seem to etch either. I had a lifetime sealer put on it . I don't know if I would get it again.... Im a bit disappointed as to how soft it is.

I was working quickly putting away dishes a couple weeks ago and hit the edge if my Shadowstorm quartzite with a cast iron skillet. Knocked a small chip off the edge (smaller than I was afraid before I looked at it). My heart sank while my husband said "I'm glad that wasn't me!!" We laughed; I had a couple tears and now we move on. I wondered if other counter tops would have done the same. I made an internal decision to love it for its natural beauty over all the quartz options. I still do.

To add insult to injury, I've been to three different places today and seen the same "Super White" labeled as three different kinds. Global says it's Dolamite (which seems consistent with what Keith Rice advised. Cosmos told me that it's Quartzite and I think Unique said it's granite. Given that durability is the determining factor in my decision, the mistruth that it's Quartzite would have totally screwed me.

So perhaps I should ask, Keith. Are all dolamites porous and softer than granites? I really like this Nuage in the last photo but I'd prefer Carrara so if dolamite is going to stain the same, I might as well get what I want, right?

Dolomite is Marble's first cousin. Some of the super white slabs have a higher concentration of spots of quartzite. some have a higher concentration of calcite (marble) so it just depends. But Super White is a Dolomite by geological definition.

do the lemon test. get a sample of the slab you want and squeeze some lemon juice on it. does it etch? With a sealer you can keep out most stains, or at least give you a chance to clean them before it does set. sealers will not prevent etching.

Dolomite is softer than granite. Some are not as soft as marble, but you still have to treat them with more care

http://vmcstone.com/vmc/natural-marble-slabs/product-information/material-types

http://www.visionlearning.com/blog/2013/12/12/geology-kitchen-mystery-super-white/

What about White Macaubus? Cosmos also promised that it is Quartzite...

MSI says it's a Brazilian granite but it actually is a quartzite.

this is a beautiful stone. it's in the same category as Taj Majal and Sea Pearl quartzite

quartzite is even to or a tad stronger (on the Moh's scale) than granite, but it does etch whereas granite does not.

Agagin, it all depends on the properties in each specific stone.

read this link for explanation.

http://usenaturalstone.com/meet-macaubas-harder-than-marble-but-just-as-gorgeous/

Still putting the finishing touches on our kitchen but the super white quartzite is installed. It's really beautiful. We love it. We have been very careful with it and almost a little paranoid to scratch or stain it. We are finding that it is not as sensitive as the Carrara in our bathrooms and it's actually pretty durable. It has been sealed and so far everything just wipes right up. Pasta sauce, balsamic dressing, etc. no problems. We've only been living with it a couple weeks so time will tell but so far so good.

Shannonj - How are you liking your Super White countertops?

beautiful Shannon. I love the black island, the black trim around the doors, and the flooring. great choices. I also have Super white in my bathroom and find that it's not as sensitive as I thought!

When you select natural stone counters, it is important to work with your fabricator/cutter to have the best parts of the slab placed where they can be seen, and have the less preferred part where the sink will be installed. Every slab is slightly different, so if you need more than one slab, arrange to see them next to each other to make sure they aren't too different. The fabricator can make very good "seams" if your counter is longer than a single slab, and the seam may be placed where the sink goes so very little is seen. If you discuss the way the slab will be cut, you can usually avoid having a less attractive section (if there is one) in the most visible part of the counter.

Yes I love my super white. I have been living with it for 3 months and so far so good. And we get tons of compliments on the stone.

shannonj - I just purchased Super White for my kitchen countertops and am looking for a good sealer. Was wondering if you have any recommendations?

Lydia, i have super white. I used a good impregnating sealer. 511, aqua mix, TEC, are good ones.

You should always request a sample and test it for staining and etching . Super white is quartzite . It may contain properties like marble Dolomite and calcite . I have shadow storm quartzite and parts are soft and chip easily !

Lydia, our fabricator sealed our slabs. I think they used the 511 Porous Plus. But Dry Treat impregnating sealer is what the yard recommended. I took a picture of the test they did for me. This was limestone.

I agree with Rosie always test your material. I beat the snot out my samples and put every possible stain offender I could think of on my samples. I wanted to make sure I could live with it. And as I have said I was still super careful after we installed it. Now we have loosened up a lot. I’m obsessive about wiping up and my husband is not and so far no problems. The only thing that has happened is my son left a banana on the counter that looked normal. But when I went to move it I realized it was completely liquid. He had left it in his car and instead of tossing it put it on the new countertop of course! There is the faintest banana shaped etch (it had sat there overnight) but it is nearly impossible to find. Really not a big deal. We have had no issues with chipping.

One more thing, I think the best advice given to me is really think about how you live , are you hard on things etc. and how much you are willing to put up with: cleaning, maintaining, chippy, etching.
We put leathered and honed Virginia black granite in our laundry room. It is gorgeous and it is indestructible but does show some water spots and dust. Nothing is perfect!

Hi guys, going to post in a few places because I’m feeling a little confused/unsure. I got 2 samples of super white “quartzite” and tried testing them. The one that was sealed etched like crazy and the one that was unsealed looks totally fine. Is it just that they are different slabs? Or is it possible that it’s the sealer that got etched? Is that even a thing? Did any stone fabricators allow you to get a sample of your specific slab to test it before you 100% committing to it? Not sure where to go from here.

I have shadow storm quartzite ! I love the look but it’s a soft stone and I have 3 chips in it ! If you hit it with glass it chips! I wish I went with quartz !

Jenny,, that's very odd. the part that etched may have a high concentration of calcite. super white is a dolomite, not a quartzite. dolomite is marble's first cousin. Sometimes different slabs have different concentrations of these minerals. you may have tested the actual marble or calcite portion.

i have super white in my bathroom, sealed it w/ Sealers Gold, and haven't had one issue w/it.

RevitaStone,,, super white is a dolomite. Quartzite is not based on density. Quartzite is a metamorphic rock made almost entirely of the mineral quartz. (sand particles that have had great pressure and heat applied to it over millions of years, if you want to get geologically nerdy about it) This OP has a piece that etches. True quartzite, will not etch. Now there is Super White that may have some quartz deposits in it, but geologically speaking, it's classified as a Dolomite.

If you happen to get a slab w/a large majority of these quartz deposits, you will have a slab that leans toward the hardiness of quartzite. A super white slab that looks like this, prob has more quartz deposits and will act like quartzite,
as opposed to a slab that looks like this, which most likely is your dolomite.

What's confusing is that some may lean toward quartzite, but the majority are classified as a dolomite. But to flat out say that Super White is a quartzite, is absolutely false.

Not all Super Whites are dolomitic marble. Some are likely to be calcitic marble, and others may be quartzite, which would indeed wear like granite. All are confusingly lumped under the same name. So if you go to buy stone countertops, bring along a glass tile and see if the rock can scratch it.

In fact, RevitaSTone, try this with your "super white "quartzite" and see if it passes this test.

Geologists use diluted hydrochloric acid to identify the mineral calcite, which is the primary ingredient in marble. A single drop of acid on calcite will yield faint bubbles as the mineral dissolves and gives off carbon dioxide gas. Alas, when acid is put on Super White it does not bubble at first. But, if the surface of the rock is scratched up, then the bubbles appear. This is the classic test for dolomite, which is a close cousin to calcite. Dolomite is slightly more resistant to acid than calcite, but it will still dissolve over time.

What about Super White?

Super White is one of the stones that is frequently caught in the quartzite vs. marble mystery. Most commonly, Super White is dolomitic marble. That means it won’t scratch glass and it will etch with acids. Some Super White has minor amounts of quartz mixed in with the marble. But the rock is still marble and will act like marble. When doing the glass test with Super White, be sure to test a few different areas to get a sense for the overall rock. Is it all the same? Or are there some parts that are harder or softer?

Hardness can be determined by seeing if the rock scratches glass. Granite will scratch glass easily but no matter how hard you press, marble simply cannot put a dent into glass. When put to the test, Super White does not scratch glass.

RevittaStone, perhaps you have similar looking quartzite, or slabs with more quartzite deposits, but the main make up of this Super White is dolomite.

Please, don't be one of these companies that misinform customers as to the make up of this stone. Is Super White quartzite? Not 100% of the time. But it is 100% of the time made up of dolomite.

Thank you for the very informative explanation Beth. As our multiple suppliers all label it as a quartzite; I would normally trust their judgement - as they are the ones who source the blocks, cut them into bundles and finish the surface of each slab but they may not be doing the research you have done on this type of rock.

Marble.com lists it as a quartzite:

https://marble.com/material/quartzite/465/super-white-quartzite

& here, Stone Contact lists it as a marble but under the description notes it also a quartzite.

http://www.stonecontact.com/products-424810/super-white-brazilian-arabescato-3cm-slabs

I did find the publication that you reference here:

http://pubs.naturalstoneinstitute.org/pub/ec94553e-ee1a-cfa9-9bf8-485a20cb83cb

Which will be great for future explanations.

Thanks, that was super helpful.

Found a fantastic deal on a remnant that is large enough for my island. Got a piece to test and put lemon juice, ketchup, grape juice and a cold glass of water on it- looks to be great. Can’t find anything that I like as much as this. Should I do it?!

absolutely. that's a nice looking piece. what do they want for just that slab? (cash is king!)

$2400 installed for my (basically) 10x3ft island.

And that's a leftover piece? If so, that's a bit high. If it's a solid slab, then it's ok.

this was my leftover piece.

he cut a 6' vanity top w/a 10"x6' back splash for my bathroom, and cut a 3'X12" piece for a makeup area. I think everything total came to 800 or so?? I know the slab itself was only a few hundred.

However, your 10' is pretty large, but it's an easy fabrication.

Wow! That sounds super cheap. Another place I called said it would be $3800 so this sounded like a great deal.

Is there any Quartz that looks similar to Super white Quartzite?

I would say use Danby marble. I used the super white quartzite in my kitchen. It looks amazing but it chips super easy. The Danby marble I used in my bathroom is quite strong.

Old thread with so much good info! Just got off phone with a slabyard I’ve visited before. He said that they personally classify Super White as a marble because it contains calcium carbonate and WILL be prone to etch. I thought I’d solved my selection dilemma but I guess not. I love the look of it but I just don’t think it would hold up well to my family. Sigh. He suggested Sequel Super White quartz (photo below) which is pretty, but it’s not Super White quartzite/marble, which just has that natural and soft and dreamy look. Starting to think we’ll be stuck with no countertops forever!

It’s quartizte but has marble properties. I have shadow storm quartzite and it chips like crazy!!! Each stone is different when it comes to its properties you need to test a piece of your stone prior to purchase. Look on YouTube! Mine does not etch but I also paid a lot of money for a lifetime sealer. It was a mistake using this stone in an active kitchen. I would go with quartz next time there are some beautiful marble like quartz counters now!

Our fabricator warned us for Super White quartzite. He said SWQ is only for people who don’t cook and use kitchen to showoff or to resale house. SWQ looks good, but not meant for kitchen daily use. Now, we’re stuck with either go with granite or quartz. Personally, I don’t like quartz. Granite don’t have much choices in white colour. In quartz, some what like the Viatera Karis. Anyone, who can tell us, how is LG Viatera ?

180mik,,,Super White is a dolomite. some slabs act like a hard quartzite, and do not etch or stain. I have it and mine has held up beautifully.

if you want a white granite, look at Princess White or Shadow Storm

Thanks Beth. They both look nice, where I can look at actual slab.

go to a stone yard (A company/seller of large slabs of natural stone, not a yard that carries bricks/stone for building materials) in your area. try and go to one of the larger yards since they will carry more of a selection. visit multiple yards for variation.

they'll have slabs lined up and may even have pre-fab countertops (the smaller, pre-cut pieces)

We had mystery gold quartzite installed..So far super durable (red wine left overnight and kids hitting barstools on it) and no problems.

I want to give some feedback after almost four years with Super White in my elderly mother’s kitchen, and in my daughter’s kitchen for about three years now.

After some initial worries, my daughter who has two small children says “No worries. It’s kinda indestructible”. She and her husband are avid cooks and the counters get a lot of use. They don’t baby the counters but they do try to wipe things up as they go. So far no etching or issues. Same for my elderly mothers counters....and she doesn’t see that well to wipe up spills anyway.

Here is my daughter’s kitchen:

I would say that based on this experience , Super White is an excellent choice for those who want a marble look without the worry.

great feedback businesswomen440

I'm late to the party, but is the super white quartzite acceptable for kitchens? I'm looking for something similar. Everything I love (white with veins is marble and is a no by my husband) I love the super white, and i love anything that looks carrara inspired. My kitchen is all white so the countertops can have some movement. Any suggestions? Also, any suggestions as far as where to look for stones in NJ?

Leana we have Mystery White Quartzite and it's been amazing. Even with small kids (egg coloring....markers...juice). We seal it every so often (it's due) but so far so good. Even red wine left over night removed with magic eraser.

Hello Leana Giannios, Cambria is made of natural quartz. It is stain-resistant and nonabsorbent. Quartzite requires sealing while Cambria is low-maintenance for life. We have a number of stunning designs in our Marble Collection and our dealers can be found by visiting our dealer locator. Hope this helps!

Featured below: Cambria Brittanicca

Cambria I tried every piece of marble look you have. We have actual marble floors and the fakeness of the material was very sad. The veining seems very artificial and like spider veins. Also you should tell the person what else is mixed with the quartz.... (plastics). For your prices a natural stone is the better choice. Otherwise felt like good old formica would have worked if not wanting a natural stone.

Rachel Nye, we're sorry you were unable to find a design for you space. Cambria is made of natural quartz, pigment, and a binder, which is what makes our surfaces nonabsorbent. Cambria uses a Declare® label, which discloses a variety of details about our product. We are also listed as Health Product Declaration (HPD) v2.1 in the Public Repository. Unlike like other stone surfaces, we are NSF 51 certified safe for use as a food preparation surface. That's the same certification as stainless steel, there is no safer countertop for food preparation.

Kim DiSpirito, What was the "lifetime sealer" you used on your Shadow Storm?