Great video and great result. And thanks for the info on honed quartzite. What I found odd in the video was that the contractor went over the heater and didn't put any insulation into the walls before putting the sheetrock on. It seems that if you spend thousands on a kitchen remodel you might as well take care of energy efficiency.

We installed quartzite at the suggestion of the fabricator and it has been a nightmare. We have white quartzite polished. We wanted honed but were talked into polished and it is awful. Every single ring from food or beverage shows. No stain but leaves behind a honed mark!? Our polished countertops look awful! If anyone has any ideas we would appreciate! We had white honed Carrera marble with veining for 11 years prior and never had a problem with staining to the degree people blather about. It was a white, honed statuary veined marble and it was beautiful. Should have stuck with the marble again. Regarding staining on marble, bring it on, it looks 1000 times better than this quartzite which I think is a trend in the stone industry. Not loving it.

useful advice, but probably they figured this out two years ago...

We also have had serious etching issues with superwhite quartzite in a polished finish. We've had the countertop fabricator out twice - our next step is to have them change the finish from polished to honed. I was given a honed sample, and it does not seem to etch, after performing multiple experiments with water / glass ring marks. It will be quite a mess to have them honed in our house, but I'm so frustrated seeing all of the etch marks -- and after seeing a friend's kitchen with honed quartzite, it's really gorgeous. I would recommend the dupont Bulletproof sealer (purchased on Amazon) -- seems to be much better than what the counter fabricator used to seal our counters.

i spoke to my sales guy at the stone yard about this etching and apparently the superwhite is considered a "soft" quartizte and no where near as durable as any other color. sucks bc apparently most places dont tell you that, But beware just in case. Getting it leathered or honed masks this problem much better but still who wants to drop thousands on their kitchen just to have it ruined

Hi Sue, I am wondering if you ended up honing your quartzite and if so are you happy with the look and does the etching show less? I wish I had read this before we installed our superwhite quartzite! Etching everywhere and I am so dissapointed. I will post some pics. The professional who sealed it is coming back and he suggested that we hone it. But before I do this and pay even more money can some one please tell me if the honed quartzite "solved" the issue of the etching at all. I would never install this stone again! If I had the money I would tear it out and replace with granite or quart! Thanks for the help!

Here are some pics! Heartbreaking! I hope honing is the solution! Too late to leather it but honing can be done on site.

Hi Sue, how did you get on with honing your super white quartzite? Has it solved the etching issue? The stone I have selected is super white in a leathered finish, however I am a little concern about the durability of super white now?

Hi Sue, I would also love yo know if the honing helped. C, I have a friend who leathered the super white quartzite and she has no had any issues with etching. Mine on the itherhsnd is getting worse! So if anyone has super white quartzite honed I would love to know if you are experiencing any etching. Thanks

It etched because it's dolomitic. Marble. Nothing prevents etching.

Thanks Franca1966, that is good to know. Does she find the leathered surface easy to clean, assuming it is a kitchen bench?

It's a kitchen counter leathered white quartzite! Very nice and yes easy to clean just has to be sealed!

Thank you franca1966.

hello, just reminding: Super White is not a quartzite, it is a marble.

"quartzite will not fizz on contact with dilute hydrochloric acid" : https://flexiblelearning.auckland.ac.nz/rocks_minerals/rocks/quartzite.html

Thanks Daniel. I am also trying to decide if I should hone my Perla Venata Quatrzite slab countertop, before installing. I believe it is a true quartzite. Is there a bullet proof sealer for that? We are very messy. I am willing to have my stone cleaned and resealed every one or two years, will that be necessary? Thank you for a great post, and any answers.

Super White is Dolomite. They incorrectly market it as a quartzite. Dolomite is a cousin of marble.

And Gery, you can apply a sealer yourself, no need to call someone. Research quality Impregnating Sealers. I've used Aquamix and 511 with good results. Follow the directions exactly. When water no longer sits or beads, its time to reseal. You should always use a cutting board when prepping your food, regardless if the top is granite or anything else.

I have leathered grey granite on my bathroom vanities. The water dries up fine. I'm thinking of getting fantasy brown granite honed for my kitchen. I'm thinking it may tone down the pattern a little - which I want. But, because it's granite and not marble, the honing shouldn't cause it to be stained easier, right?

Not easier, but if it stains w/polished, it will stained when honed. It will also show scratches easier. Just buff on some sealer. It's no big deal. takes 5 mins.

Fantasy Brown is a marble. Not a quartzite.

so, it will stain easier than granite or quartzite?

yes - and etch. Not as bad/quickly as true marble, but it will.

I was trying to choose between white superlative polished quartzite and macaubas fantasy honed. Has anyone used these and are they hard quartzite? I do not want to fool with anything that will etch and stain as I cook a lot.

If you don't want the reality of stone, then don't buy stone. Do something else. Like laminate. You can replace laminate 6x for the cost of ''quartzite''. And break less dishes. With no chips.

I am trying to decide between the honed or leathered fantasy brown marble. I am not sure of the difference. Does anyone prefer one vs the other and explain the difference?

leathered has a bit of texture to it. honed is a matte looking finish. no glossy polish. just go to a stoneyard to see the difference.

Thank you. I find most stone yards have a very pore selection o anything but polished.

If you can't find it to see, then how are you gonna find it to purchase? Never design anything beyond the capabilities of your local people to source or build.

Two different stone sellers have told us conflicting information about quartzite ~ One says that you should never use the polished surface in a kitchen because of etching/staining and the other says it's not a problem because "the stone has been polished" and etching/staining will no longer be a problem, it's the stone itself that will show etching/staining, not the polished finish? Also, Fantasy Brown has always been our "pattern of choice" and have been told it's quartzite. I have just read in other comments on this site that it's marble. We've also been told to not use marble in the kitchen because of how easy it will etch and be damaged by everyday use. Getting very confused by all the information from the internet and 2 respected companies in our area. Can anyone clarify? We found a pattern in marble last weekend that we love even better than Fantasy Brown. Thanks.

Gery - how is your counter holding up? I am thinking to install "Perla Ventana" quartzite in my Shower: for jambs, threshold, corner shelves and a bench. (It will be a little thick, but I just love the color!)

Decisions: Honed, brushed (cost, ability of fabricator for finishes)

Any thoughts - Perla Ventana for SHOWER?

We have a beautiful honed quartzite that we love!

Kate, very nice cabinets/stone. reminds me of this one

Anyone get their polished super white Honed? Same boat here. Wanted marble, was talked into super white (sold as granite but we all know now as quartzite dolomitic marble) etching everywhere in the polished finish I didnt want but was insisted upon. I am so sick with this. 🤮 4300 to replace it all with honed marble. Is it worth it? im In the midst of getting quotes to get this honed to see if that’s going to even be cost effective.

C KN

marble is going to be worse. The upside with super white is although itcan etch, it buys you time to clean it off before it does etch. with marble its immediate. super white, you'll have more time. just be cognizant when using acidic foods, and use a cutting board.

I have it my bathroom and have had very little issues with it.

Have your super white repolished! Call in a qualified marble/stone restoration guy. (I've had my marble shower floor redone and it came out like new) They will use the diff grade sandpaper pads to polish out all of the etching /scratches. will look perfect. the use a really good sealer on it. Tenax is what I've used on my marble floor tiles

the stone looks beautiful in your kitchen. I wouldn't trade it out for marble.

trust me. call in a restoration expert.

I agree. If you still love the stone, but it is damaged, just have it refinished. We had polished marble in our primary bath. Over the years, it became stained and etched from all the different products it was subjected to. When we renovated, I was going to replace with a quartz that looked just like the marble because I liked it so much. The fabricator talked me out of it. He said he would just hone it and it would look as good as new and if sealed well, it should hold up. He said he has a wife and three daughters and had polished marble which he ended up repolishing once a year because of etching. He finally just honed it, sealed it, and has not had to redo it again and it has been 3 years. So I let him hone our marble. It looked as good as new. It has been 5 years, and not a etch or stain to be seen.

Quick update on my kitchen—-we did have a guy come and hone everything and could not be happier. Turned out beautiful! So if you are have quartzite/super white it can be honed in place. Mine was 1k for all of the perimeter and island. I live in NYC/NJ area

Nothing against polished just not for me personally.

Updating my kitchen, getting rid of black countertops (black diamond granite.) Thinking of honed Sky Gold quartzite on kitchen counters, continuing up the backsplash. Most important for me, no etching/scratching/marks of any kind. Basically, a durable countertop. Seems like honed is the way to go? Many friends went for the white Italian Carrera marble trend...beautiful (at first) but all that etching?! Not for me. And I don’t want to worry about a red wine spill, rings from glassware. Thoughts?

I love it, especially running up to the backsplash. My two cents—if you can see if you can test a sample before you get your slab. There seems to be a lot of grey area in terms of what’s true quartzite vs dolomitic marble. I love the look and feel of honed vs polished, personal preference. I also find it more forgiving. Good luck!

TY for the idea...I do have a 4x4 sample not from same lot but test outcome should be same! Glad you got your issue resolved. Would love to see a pic of the “new” honed island. Love those colors! Have googled “sky gold” and I do think it’s quartzite vs Dolomites, etc. agree there is lots of confusion, even from the experts, so you can’t be too careful. TY again.

What a helpful thread this has been. Thanks to all contributors over the years. I hoped to revive this and see how everyone is doing with their honed super white dolimitic marble/soft quartzite these days? And a few folks mentioned running it up the backsplash. Would love to see pics. Thx!

Do not go with polished! Etching is horrible and installation company said there is no way to fix it and we have to live with it.

HU-751633340... If you have etching, then you have Marble. Not quartzite. If you think you bought quartzite, the company mislabeled the slab either on purpose or not, and you got marble. Quartzite does not etch.

As for the etching, call in a professional marble restoration pro. they can sand and refinish the top so that it's brand new again. you can keep it honed or go to a polished finish.

Beth-quartzite most certainly can etch. Quartzite is a natural stone and like any natural stone can etch. If properly sealed, it is more resistant to etching but not etching proof.

Beth-quartzite most certainly can etch.

Quartzite is a natural stone and like any natural stone can etch.

Lori, no. you are wrong. etching in stone is from calicite/dolomite.(it's a reaction from acids that that react w/these minerals and break them down) calcite is marble. Any stone can NOT etch unless it has calcite or dolomite. If you understood the chemistry side of this reaction you wouldn't make such an egregious statement.

Quartzite is made up of mostly quartz, a few other minerals. Not calcite. If you have a quartzite slab that etches, then it's really marble, and not quartzite. Stone yards mislabel their slabs all the time.

Marble is a level 3 on the MOHS scale, quartzite an 7-8. marble will scratch w/a piece of glass. Quartzite will not. (Oh, and there is no such thing as a hard or soft quartzite. IT's either quartzite or it's not. period)

If properly sealed, it is more resistant to etching but not etching proof.

Wrong again

Sealing does nothing for etching. Sealing does not prevent acids from reacting w/the stone. (Seal marble and then let lemon juice sit for a few minutes. Etching will occur) Sealing gives stone a slight barrier for staining, but not etching. (there is a factory sealer like azerocare that gives marble a barrier to resist etching. however, it's not foolproof. I know because I have marble w/this factory sealer on it. It does work really well for stains though but etching? nope.)

You're completely wrong on this matter. Do you homework before pointing out 'someone's errors'.

In fact, do us all a favor and don't comment on things you know nothing about.

Please google how marble and quartzite differ, what etching actually is, and other geological facts.

For every thing you post about it not etching, I can post an expert saying the opposite. And I can also go from experience.

For every thing you post about it not etching, I can post an expert saying the opposite.

Uh, no you can't. they aren't experts if they say quartzite etches. Lori, you find me an expert geologist who says true quartzite can etch. I can post you a dozen articles that say the opposite.

And I can also go from experience.

Your experience? Hate to break it to you, but you have marble if you have etching.

If you bought a slab labeled quartzite, and it etches, then you have marble.

Quartzite is made of quartz. Calcite and Dolomite are what reacts to acid causing etching. Neither of those are in quartzite. It's really that simple.

quartzite won't etch because it doesn't have those minerals. I don't know how much simpler can make this for you.

Maybe if you actually read ?

Here are 3 articles. I can get you more, geological-wise if this isn't good enough for you.

https://www.sandatlas.org/quartzite/

Quartzite may resemble marble at first. You may try to scratch the surface with a needle. If you can do it, then it is probably marble. Another and even better test is to use acid. Calcite, the main constituent of most marbles, reacts vigorously with dilute hydrochloric acid but there is no reaction with quartz.

https://www.tenax4you.com/quartzite-marble-compared-s/2230.htm

The other kind of test that you can do to differentiate quartzite from marble is the acid test. An acid test works because of the minerals that compose these stones. As previously mentioned, marble is made up of calcite and quartzite is composed of quartz. As it turns out, calcite reacts with acid and the stone will 'etch'. On the other hand, quartz does not react and will not etch. This means that you can expose the stone to acid and see if the reaction happens

Karin Kirk (a geologist and stone expert) is often on this site setting the story straight. She's on Houzz as karin_mt. look up her comments on the subject.

want to read her article?

http://usenaturalstone.org/definitive-guide-quartzite/

Quartzite will not etch from acids like lemon juice or vinegar. If a rock labeled as quartzite becomes etched from acid, then it’s been mislabeled. Marble and dolomitic marble, on the other hand, will etch from these acids. Dolomitic marble etches slightly more slowly than regular marble. But quartzite will not etch at all from normal kitchen acids. Not one little bit!

We just installed honed Mont Blanc, and the fabricator botched the sealing: instead of applying it in a smooth manner along the ’grain’, he was all over the place. We had him come back to try to recrify it - it still looks awful. Any advice for removing that sealer mess? There are also some splotches of what feels like dried glue. Is our beautiful stone ruined?

We recently had honed Mont Blanc quartzite installed, and the fabricator botched the sealing: instead of applying it evenly along the ’grain’, he applied it sloppily & unevenly. We had him return to rectify it, but it’s still a mess. Is there anything I can do to improve the surface?

Try another coat of sealer to dissolve the first; wipe it up right away. If that doesn't work try acetone please. Careful, it's flammable.

We just bought Calacatta Lux Quartzite polished, which was labeled a level 7 at the stone yard. Does anyone know anything about this one, or if the slab yard might have had it labeled wrong? From what I am understanding from this thread I can possibly have it changed to a hone finish at a later date? We also bought a Infiniti Blue quartzite slab which was also labeled a level 7. We are having quartzite put through the entire house. Polished was the cheaper way to go for real stone. I might have found a honed if I had more time, but most slab yards had polished. These are my two slab choices. The slab yard lighting was bad. I am hoping the Calacatta Lux goes well with my Greek Villa uppers and darker wood lowers in my kitchen. We have a Mediterranean style home. The marbling is not as pretty on one side of my slab but fabricator told me not to worry about it because he will be strategic how he installs it around the house.

Jacinda,

Take a door of the cabinets and take it to the stone yard to see how the Greek Villa look. that color has a very yellowish tint to it.

these are Greek Villa. However, the lighting used in this kitchen is also on the warmer side. make sure to use 3500-4000K bulbs in your kitchen

the quartzite you've chosen leans towards a cooler gray hue. I'm not sure it's the best match, so I'd take some paint samples (doors) in to the stone place just to make sure.

As for honing it. That should be done PRIOR to Install. you do not want that done inside a house. Can't imagine why the stone place or fabricator is telling you differently. They can hone a polished slab at their warehouse prior to fabrication.

Honestly, I'd check around w/some other places.

When you fabricate the countertop, they should ask you which part of the slab you want to use. When I had my slab for my island they asked. I mapped out the portion I wanted a picture of my slab. ( the remnants I used for other things like my vanity top and a small cabinet top. make sure you take the remnants!)

Also, make sure you're getting quartzite and not marble. quarzite will NEVER etch. try the lemon juice test on a small corner

Quartzite will not scratch w/a shard of glass run across it. marble will. You can try this too. take a glass tile (sharp part) and run it across the surface of the stone. it should turn the glass to powder. if it scratches the stone, you've got marble, not quarztite)