The practicality of granite vs look of quartzite, need advis

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 9:52 am

Remodeling a kitchen
Need to start making final decisions.
It's going to be a galley kitchen with one side pantries and wall ovens, and the other side top and bottom cabinets with counter top, 2 sinks and 2 cooktops.
The counter side will be about 18 feet long.
The cabinets are very modern high gloss white, flat, no pulls.
I want a modern look and love the way quartzite looks.
BUT, I'm really afraid of the maintenance it requires, and I don't want to ruin it.
I love seeing things very clean, but I hate cleaning.
That's why I love the easy maintenance of granite.
BUT

Is granite a very dated look?
I know it's a matter of taste, but would like to know other opinions.

Is quartzite hard to maintain, staining, etching, etc?
I am the type to leave the kitchen a mess and let the house keeper deal with it the next day.
Also-
I do have A LOT of guest, so I do cook A LOT, all the time (I like to cook).

I've been to a few stone yards, and they all tell me that granite is my best choice and the quartzite WILL etch and stain.

I kinda picked a granite called Bacca Bianca, that's grey with speckles of cranberry in random areas. It's ok when I see the slab, but when I see pics of kitchens with it, I'm not loving it.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the look of super white quartzite.

Really would like to hear your views.

reality mom

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 10:21 am

I have quartzite. It's gorgeous. I do not maintain it, as I'm not the type. I let whatever happens to it, happen. Its chipped in some areas around my sink, the polish has worn off, and its got etching/staining in some areas. It's still pretty. If I would redo my kitchen I would probably go with a man-made quartz. There are many great imitations today, mainly calacatta. They are in the same price range as most quartzites, and are maintenance free. It's definitely a more modern look, but if yoire worried about maintenance, then look into quartz, which is known to be more durable.

33055

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 11:35 am

amother wrote:

I have both. I HATE HATE HATE speckled granite. You can get speckled granite very cheap at home depot. My taste is for a higher end granite without the speckles. I like the ones with crystals.

I have had quartz in my last kitchen. It looks plastic-y to me. We also looked at quartz for my current kitchen. Again, I personally like a stone look. It looks richer and warmer. You have 18' of countertop, you should get natural stone because of your modern kitchen. Get your counter cut with a modern edge.

My quartzite has not etched, nor has it chipped. I am reasonably careful. I put something underneath hot pots, hot cups, and hot plates. I did the same on my granite. I don't bang my pots on the side of the sinks. I have deep wide sinks. I never cut directly on my counter, nor do I write on top of paper.

Frankly, the quartzite is more forgiving then the granite if it is not meticulously clean. The fractures inn the surface don't show dirt as much. I can wipe down the quartzite very fast. I can't do the same with the shiney granite. It needs to be cleaned in a circular motion. I had the same problem with the quartz.

The quartzite is as easy to clean as Formica. Both granite and quartzite countertop surfaces get sealed once a year.

You might want to look into leather finishes for the granite. It is very forgiving.

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 12:09 pm

Thanks for the replys

I do prefer real stone to Quartz.
A lot of places and contractors try to push you to use Quartz.
Two people that I know melted/burned the Quartz.

Concerning the higher end granite,
Do you know a name so I can get an idea of what to look for?
Also-
Is there a certain color/type in the quartzite that's more forgiving to staining and or etching. Something in the grey and white family.

Besides the kitchen I'm also doing a built in buffet in the dining room with the same top. So, this is something that going to be all around the house.
Also, I'm doing the backsplash the same as the counter, I just like the continuous look.

33055

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 12:40 pm

amother wrote:

I don't know the name but it has gorgeous wide crystal swarths running through. Quartzite is a show stopper. You won't have the same effect wow effect with quartz.

I am very serious about the deep wide sinks to protect your countertops. I also love to cook, so my kitchen is a real working kitchen. Get the widest deepest sinks you can.

My quartzite is exactly what you are looking for. It is stunning.

You are having white countertops with white backsplashes and white upper and lower cabinets?

What color floor?

What color is your dining room?

So excited for you!

Rebesq

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 12:55 pm

amother wrote:

I fell in love with quartzite. There's nothing like it. BUT I was warned so took my samples from stone yard (which they sealed) and left them out overnight with grape juice, dot sauce, mustard, ketchup etc.. almost all stained. Went back to yard and they said that's what will happen if you don't clean up right away. So mourned that loss (no not reaslly but was very sad) and got a quartz that looks like marble. Not the same but my stepmom tonight I put in marble the first time she saw it.

33055

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 1:21 pm

Rebesq wrote:

Maybe it was not sealed so good, or maybe that slab was inferior. I never had any problems with any staining. OTOH I never left grape juice spilled on something overnight. I couldn't. I have normal cooking stains - mostly oil which does come off even overnight.

Why would they sell quartzite for kitchen application if it was so impractical?

Some people will detect quartz instantly no matter how nice. Some quartz is more expensive than quartzite depending on the installer, but it simply isn't for me. It jars my eyes.

I looked a few sites comparing the two. This might answer Rebesq's comment.It is from MSI.

It is important to note when making these comparisons that, overall, quartzite and granite are quite durable and are lower maintenance than marble, though higher maintenance than engineered quartz. It is equally important to note that slabs of natural stones are unique; therefore, depending on their ages, regional origins and compositions, they can vary in terms of both appearance and durability. Some quartzite selections, for example, can be softer than others – the best way to determine the stone that is the right fit for you is to visit a stone yard or showroom and test a sample piece at home (scratch test, stain test, and etch test). Quartzite stones will pass your tests easily if they are 100% pure, as quartzite is generally harder than glass, and quartzite samples that are not will demonstrate for you the limitations of your piece. It is critical to understand the limitations of the specific slab you will be bringing into your home prior to installation.

amother

Burlywood

Sun, Sep 17 2017, 11:06 pm

Squishy wrote:

We are re-doing an entire apartment
The floor will be light grey porcelain tile, same tile throughout the entire apartment.
The quartzite slab I saw was more grey than white, although it's called super white
The cabinets glossy acrylic white.
Still need to pick dining room and living room furniture.
BTW, the apartment is in Miami , that's why I'm picking light airy colors.

libbas

Mon, Sep 18 2017, 12:05 am

Granite is dated and the new look is quartz. Not to be mixed up with quartzite which is more of a porous stone and not as strong. It will chip quicker and stain. Quartz today is very similar to marble. They lately started making the quartz slabs looks exactly like marble. Very clean white with grey grains running through. It is absolutely stunning, you can use the slab as a backsplash as well if it the grains line up nicely.
Until recently you were only able to get quartz with the speckles, check out this link http://www.citiquartz.com/.

33055

Mon, Sep 18 2017, 12:08 am

amother wrote:

I just put in granite counters in absolute black with a leather "honed",not shiny finish. I think some granite does look dated if it's a shiny finish.

They look amazing and feel great. I love running my hand along the counter.

My mother in law found some amazing granite that's mostly white with purple, grey and green running through it. Looks amazing!!!!

I don't know if you can do a honed finish in a lighter color.

OP,

You may want to do research between honed and leather. They are different finishes. Honed is better for low trafficked areas. It is very pretty just like marble is pretty, but I wouldn't put it in a kitchen. It need frequent sealing.

The leather finish is gorgeous and very little dirt shows, but it is used on darker granites, so it may not work for you. We first used it outside and were pleased with how it held up against the elements.

I went to a larger quarry and they had 4 different shades of quartzite. All were white with a different tint. You can get it one very white with gray shadows. That might be lovely with us gray tile floor.

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Sep 18 2017, 12:12 am

Squishy wrote:

Who do I call to seal my granite? We need to do it.

33055

Mon, Sep 18 2017, 12:25 am

libbas wrote:

As OP stated, it is a personal taste. I don't like the plastic look of quartz. It is too artificial for me. For sure, it doesn't look exactly like marble. It looks similar and strikes the wrong cord with me.

Stone will warm up a modern kitchen. Quartz will break the warm flow of a more traditional kitchen with wood cabinets.

OOTBubby

Mon, Sep 18 2017, 8:56 am

I've only skimmed the thread, but, to OP, I don't think you understand Quartzite. If you buy real Quartzite it is more durable than granite, harder and less likely to scratch, etch, etc. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous sellers sell things labeled as Quartzite which are not really Quartzite and are lower quality and softer with problems. If you have an honest stone yard and buy Quartzite, you will note have any of these worrys as it is harder and sturdier than granite (plus of course, much nicer looking). I've got Quartzite and it is gorgeous and I love it.

33055

Mon, Sep 18 2017, 11:21 am

rachel6543 wrote:

I don't think granite looks dated. I remodeled part of my kitchen a few years ago and put in granite and it looks beautiful. I get compliments on it all the time.

These plastic looking solid surfaces date a kitchen while stone is timeless. And to MY eye they feel the same as Formica.

Natural stone continues to be the best seller in upscale kitchens. Some of the newer surfaces like cements and solid glass are lovely in model kitchens but not practical for hard working Jewish kitchens. I LOVE woodblock but the problems with that are obvious.