I wanted to share my latest experience with quartzite.  Why?  Because quartzite is all the rage!  The properties of quartzite give you the look of marble with the durability of granite in an authentic natural stone…or so it is marketed as such.  I do agree, it is gorgeous material that makes for lovely countertops and backsplashes and even furniture.  I am being asked to specify it in kitchens and in baths but mostly kitchens.  And, I do love it when it is installed.

Quartzite SlabKitchen Island

A bit of advice I would offer when considering quartzite…test it!  First, I would recommend you ask your fabricator to test your selection for etching.   My experience recently has revealed that many of the quartzite slabs are etching like marble with certain acidity tests.  This is definitely a problem in kitchens when dealing with tomatoes and fruits with high amounts of acidity.  Additionally, I would ask the fabricator to perform a cutting test on the material.  What I am finding is that the material is, in fact, so hard that it is adding to the time and cost of fabrication.  This sometimes influences the edging and seeming details as well.  The quartzite slabs that have more deposits like the one in the image below can totally disintegrate when the fabricator goes to cut the material.  I’ve seen it  just fall apart in chunks!

 

Opal Quartzite 2

Since I have had some successes and some learning lessons with this type of natural stone, I wanted to share the caution one should take in selecting this gorgeous material!

 

DIXIE_SIG

 

 

 

photo credits:  image 1:  Viera Tischljar Interiors // image 2:  Decorpad.com // image 3:  Dixie Stark