The Work
Similar names, different materials. One is quarried, one is made. Side by side:
See all the work →| Quartzite | Quartz | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Natural stone, quarried and cut from slabs — every one different. | Engineered: ground quartz bound in resin. Consistent, non-porous. |
| Heat | Takes hot pans. | Use a trivet — the resin can scorch. |
| Sealing | Sealed at install, resealed periodically. | Never. |
| Scratching | One of the hardest natural stones we fabricate. | Strong scratch resistance. |
| Etching | Far less prone than marble. | None. |
| Outdoors | Yes. | Most lines, no — UV can discolor the resin. A few are made for outdoor use. |
| The look | Marble's movement, harder wearing. Taj Mahal, White Macaubas, Ocean Green. | Engineered pattern, consistent from slab to slab; newer lines carry the veining through the body. Cambria, Caesarstone, MSI. |
| Installed | Naperville, Hinsdale, Glenview, Northbrook, Glen Ellyn, Riverwoods. | Naperville, Burr Ridge, Lake Forest, Chicago, New Berlin. |
The full comparison is in the Journal: Quartz or quartzite?
Granite sits between the two. Like quartzite, it is natural stone: it takes hot pans, does not etch, and is sealed at install, though it typically needs resealing only every few years. Like quartz, it handles hard daily use without asking much. Where they differ is the look: granite leans toward speckle, depth and dark solid tones, quartzite toward the long, flowing veining of marble, and quartz toward an even, engineered pattern. More on granite countertops and quartzite countertops.
Choose quartzite if you want natural stone with marble's movement that takes hot pans and can go outdoors; it is sealed at install and resealed periodically. Choose quartz if you want a consistent pattern and a surface that never needs sealing, and you are happy to use a trivet.
Granite is our first recommendation outdoors: it handles Chicago winters, sun and the grill. Quartzite also works outside. Most quartz lines do not, because UV can discolor the resin; a few are made for outdoor use.
