The Quartzite Buying Guide
Welcome to the Quartzite Buying Guide – your gateway to understanding the beauty, durability, and versatility of quartzite stones. Whether you’re enhancing your home or embarking on a commercial project, this guide will help you navigate the world of quartzite, offering insights into its beauty, durability and versatile applications. Discover the factors to consider before making your purchase and make an informed choice that suits your needs and style.
A beautiful stone, resembling marble but with a much less expensive price point, quartzite is fast becoming the go-to natural material for contemporary kitchen worktops or bathroom vanities. Quartzite stone slabs are strong, making them incredibly durable for high traffic areas in your home. Their unique veining and shading – white, cream, brown and black – also makes for a striking appearance. More unusually, iron oxide can result in beautiful pink and red quartzite slabs.
What is Quartzite?
Quartzite, like marble, is a form of non-foliated metamorphic rock, formed by pressure or heat over millions of years. The sand grains and silica in the rock are recrystalised and mixed with other minerals to form patterns (known as ‘veining’).
This wonderful stone is mined from quarries in blocks. These are then cut into quartzite slabs for transporting. The patterns in each block of quartzite give every slab has its own unique veining, but the texture and colour are the same. In this sense quartzite mirrors marble.
But in reality, quartzite is far tougher than marble (at least, hard quartzite is). That makes the harder-wearing quartzite better suited than marble to high traffic areas in the home, such as the kitchen, and particularly worktops. In fact, the stone’s strength makes it resistant to heat, UV light and even scratching. All quartzite stone is porous and should be sealed to protect the surface; the softer version being much more liable to staining.
What is Quartzite used for?
Quartzite countertops are a fantastic choice for the kitchen. Not only are they stunning to look at, but also extremely hard-wearing. In this sense they can brighten up, and add practical elegance to, any kitchen. Solid quartzite stone slabs can form a beautiful kitchen island, while smaller quartzite tiles look terrific as backsplash.
Perfect as it is for kitchen countertops, quartzite slabs can be used in other rooms and makes for a striking finish throughout the home. This natural and gleaming stone sits beautifully in a bathroom as the top of a vanity, for instance. It can also be used to create shelving or to zone off a shower area – large quartzite slab tiles give a spa-type feel. Quartzite slabs and tiles also look amazing on a hallway floor, for instance, while they can add grandeur and character to an outdoor patio area.
How much does Quartzite cost?
⛔⛔ If you need a quote for a particular brand of Quartzite for your business or project, please contact us on 020 3409 6253, email us or send a WhatsApp message. ⛔⛔
Quartzite versus Quartz, what’s the difference?
Quartz is a mix of 90 per cent ground quartz, pigments, polymers and resin. These are poured into a mould and burned at 300 degrees. The end result is a tough material with a glass-like shine.
Like hard quartzite, quartz doesn’t stain, burn or scratch, but it doesn’t have the strength, toughness and beauty of the natural stone.
What are the different types of Quartzite?
The most popular quartzite stone slabs have a white, beige or grey background. Veining comes in a wider range of colours, from charcoal grey to tan, blue and even gold. The quartzite slab you choose will depend on how you want your look to work – dramatic and exotic or elegant and sophisticated.
Our range of quartzite includes ‘true’ quartzite as well as ‘softer’ versions that contain dolomite. These softer versions are stronger than marble and are therefore still suitable for use as kitchen countertops.
Our range of true Quartzite stone includes Taj Mahal, Cristallo, Patagonia, Bianco Superiore and Macaubas. ‘Softer’ versions of the quartzite that we tend to stock includes Bianco Eclipse, Statuario Brazil, Matarazzo, Blue Roma and San Simone.
Bianco Eclipse
Ideal for kitchen countertops, floors and walls, the gleaming Bianco Eclipse quartzite stone is light grey to white in colour. Veining can vary between small and large on each stunning quartzite slab. Quarried in Brazil, the lovely Bianco Eclipse is an excellent example of a hard quartzite stone. We hold a large range of this stone so please ensure you check all the variations we have in stock by checking our quartzite slabs page.
Calacatta Macaubas
Another hard quartzite stone suitable for high traffic areas such as kitchen countertops, flooring and walls, Calacatta Macaubas has smoky grey veins running through soft white shading. This natural quartzite stone is quarried in Brazil and guaranteed to bring a touch of sophistication and character wherever it’s used in the home.
Mont Blanc
An elegant creamy white quartzite slab with thin veins of both grey and gold, Mont Blanc provides a striking-looking surface for any home. Use it for kitchen worktops, bathroom vanities, flooring and walls. This lovely Brazilian-mined natural stone can also be found with a dark grey and pale tan background.
Blue Roma
One of the more artistic varieties of the stone, Blue Roma quartzite, as the name suggests, has a blue background. But it’s the eye-catching and unusual veining that gives it its immediate appeal. The bold gold and brown swirl together to form striking patterns. Another quartzite stone excellent for high-traffic areas..
Taj Mahal
Another natural stone perfect for introducing warm and neutral tones into any room, Taj Mahal Quartzite has a subtle white background and light, yet distinct, veining, usually in beige or tan. This takes the form of large swirl patterns, giving a room a soft appeal. Perfect for kitchen worktops and bathroom vanity areas.
Other popular Quartzite
Other quartzite stone slabs gripping the imagination of designers and architects these days include Patagonia, Bianco Superiore, Avocatus, Fusion Blue and Fusion Wow.
Bianco Superiore, a beautiful soft white quartzite slab with charcoal grey veins in a large sweeping pattern, is used mainly in kitchens and bathrooms.
In contrast, Avocatus, Fusion Blue and Fusion Wow are three quartzite stone slabs placed to bring instant colour and vibrancy to a room. Avocatus is an overlapping of vivid dark and light green shades, intertwined with black and white veining and spots. Fusion Blue introduces reds, bronze, browns and oranges to a blue background, while Fusion Wow resembles an abstract multi-shaded painting, with blues, greens, peach, gold and burnt orange all weaving together to create a stunning finish.
But you may prefer another choice from our unbelievably large range of beautiful quartzite stone. See our quartzite slab range here.
⛔⛔ If you need assistance choosing the right Quartzite for your business or project, speak to us today. Call 020 3409 6253, email us or send a WhatsApp message. ⛔⛔
Dos and Don’ts with a Quartzite countertop
Quartzite slab countertops are incredibly durable and strong, and will not etch. The softer versions may be prone to etching so we would recommend the following:
Do:
- wipe up any spills as soon as they occur
- make sure you regularly seal a soft quartzite countertop in particular
- quickly wipe clean your countertop on a daily basis with a microfibre cloth or kitchen paper
- have your friends round so you can show off your fabulous new natural stone asset
Don’t:
- cut directly on your quartzite stone countertop without a wooden board
- use bleach, vinegar or citrus-based cleaners on quartzite stone
- put hot, warm teapots etc onto a trivet sitting on your countertop and place coasters under mugs and cups
⛔⛔ If you need assistance choosing the right Quartzite for your business or project speak to us today. Call 020 3409 6253, email us or send a WhatsApp message. ⛔⛔
Care of Quartzite countertops
Keep clean on a daily basis by using a low pH cleaner on a soft cloth or sponge. Wipe up a spillage immediately using a cloth dipped in soapy water.
Choosing a good quality Quartzite
Always look for a balanced pattern or colour when choosing your quartzite slabs. The colours and pattern should be clear and blotch-free. Ideally the veining should be long, and take on a swirling effect.
You’ll want a smooth stone – one on which your touch glides easily across the surface. Avoid a slab with an open fissure, since this can lead to food particles falling in and hygiene problems.
Feel confident about your choice by buying from an authority in the stone industry – a well-known supplier you can trust like ourselves here at Imperial Stone Group.
⛔⛔ For assistance choosing the right Quartzite for your business or project speak to us today. Call 020 3409 6253, email us or send a WhatsApp message.
Where do I buy Quartzite from?
Imperial Stone Group is a natural stone wholesaler, mainly selling to fabricators, architects and interior designers. We also work with retail customers who choose a stone and ask their fabricator or designer to work with us.
If you already know the type of quartzite you would like then you can call us, send a Whatsapp message or an email outlining how much marble you believe you need, along with your measurements. We can then provide you with a quote. If you’d like advice on how much marble you may need or what type would be best for your project then call us and we can help.
We hold all our quartzite stone in-house so it’s possible to come and take a look by arranging an appointment with us. We are open from 7.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday (by appointment only). We can work with your fabricator or installer, or we are happy to recommend a trusted professional for you to work with as we have relationships with companies all over the country.
We’re a friendly, down-to-earth team, and keen to make sure you get the right stone for your project. You won’t find any nicer and more exquisite hand-picked quartzite than we can offer you here at Imperial Stone Group.
What is the buying process?
Imperial Stone Group is a natural stone wholesaler, mainly selling to fabricators, architects and interior designers. We also work with retail customers who choose a stone and ask their fabricator to work with us.
If you already know the type of quartzite you would like then you can call us, send a Whatsapp message or an email outlining how much marble you believe you need, along with your measurements. We can then provide you with a quote. If you’d like advice on how much marble you may need or what type would be best for your project then call us and we can help.
We hold all our quartzite stone in-house so it’s possible to come and take a look by arranging an appointment with us. We are open from 7.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday (by appointment only). We can work with your fabricator or installer, or we are happy to recommend a trusted professional for you to work with as we have relationships with companies all over the country.
We’re a friendly, down-to-earth team, and keen to make sure you get the right stone for your project. You won’t find any nicer and more exquisite hand-picked quartzite than we can offer you here at Imperial Stone Group.
About Imperial Stone Group
With 25 years experience of sourcing and selling high quality stone and marble in particular, Imperial Stone Group is the leading supplier of natural stone in the UK.
We specialise in natural stone and marble and quartzite slabs in particular. We also stock a beautiful range of granite slabs and porcelain slabs. Speak to us today to discuss your requirements. Call 020 3409 6253, send an email or you can also reach us via WhatsApp.
Other Guides
We want to help our customers make informed decisions so that they buy a stone that suits their needs and which they are happy with it. That is why we have produced this Quartzite buying guide.
In addition to this guide we have produced a comprehensive buying guide on Calacatta marble. We have also produced a guide on marble care that covers all you need to know on preserving your stone which includes cleaning recommendations, products/tools, stain removal and best practice.