Granite, Marble, Quartzite, Quartz and Soapstone Counter-tops are Natural Stone Countertop Materials.
What are the Differences in 2024?
Quartz
Quartz has matured in quality, appearance and market share, which is bringing down the price. In the past 4 years it seems as if quartz manufacturers have outdone themselves each quarter with better colors and patterns.
During that same time, quartz market share has gone up and that has enabled the “economies of scale” to lower the price of quartz.
Significant appearance enhancements have made quartz a popular choice for customers seeking the marble look.
Marble
Both Marble and Dolomite are soft and vulnerable to etching and scratching. Quartz colors that look like real marble do not suffer either of those drawbacks.
Granite
Granite does not etch or scratch easily. This makes it a great counter-top choice, but it doesn’t look like marble.
Soapstone
Soapstone is the softest of all stones, but is also the most resistant to heat, etching and staining. It is completely nonporous and any small scratches are easy to repair by yourself.
Quartzite
Quartzite is even harder than granite. It doesn’t etch or scratch easily. Quartzite can etch if a strong enough agent is left on it long enough. It is pricey by comparison to granite. This is due to how much energy and tooling are required to cut it. Because it is so hard, the process of slabbing, cutting and polishing takes more time and energy to process it by comparison to granite. This drives up the cost. Light colored quartzites may stain.
Marbles Or Dolomite
The big problem in the counter-top industry is bad and misleading information. There are numerous importers and fabricators that claim that certain stones are a quartzite when they are really a marble. They can sell marble to unwitting consumers who are anxious to believe that since it is a quartzite it cannot etch or scratch easily. Stones are frequently misrepresented and presented as a quartzite when they are in fact marbles or dolomite. Buyer beware! Natural Stone Countertop Materials are beautiful, durable but need to be understood before choosing the best one for your application and use.
- Brown Fantasy
- White Princess (Also Known As)
- Super White Super White (AKA) White Princess
- Dolce Vita
- Lumen
- Iceberg
- Iceberg Blue
- Avalanche
- Antartide
Know for Certain
The really good news here is it is very easy to tell what you are buying with a pair of simple tests. Lemon juice left on the sample will show you within an hour or two if the material being considered will etch easily or not. A steel razor blade will not scratch quartzite or granite, but will scratch Marble and Dolomite.
Design & Select
Stone not only makes a elegant statement in the design of a room, but it can transform a space into an inviting and warm entertainment spot. Our stunning collections of marble, granite, quartzite, quartz and soapstone allow you and our designer to plan your kitchen, bath, tile back-splash or custom project. It has never been more affordable or easier to add the warmth and natural beauty of stone to your home. Each stone is unique as it comes directly from nature. You will own a one of a kind piece of functional art.
Process
Quarrying stone from the earth is an elaborate and exciting process. Rock is cut out of the earths surface. Large cranes extract this rock and bring its natural beauty to light. After the stone blocks are freed, they are cut into slabs. In some cases resined and netted and then face polished. Finally, it is shipped directly to us for fabrication. It is exciting to receive these beautiful slabs into the Stone Master’s warehouse.
Variety
Stone Masters offer a wide variety of material selections. We welcome you to visit our showroom for your selections as every piece is very unique. Additionally, our design team can help you with your requests.
Technology
In our state-of-the-art fabrication facility, we use a blend of old world craftsmanship and new age technology. Using this old world knowledge blended with modern technology, the natural beauty of your selections emerge into the shapes and design just for you.