Slabs

Svara på: Beth-quartzite most certainly can etch. Quartzite is a natural stone and like any natural stone can etch. Lori, no. you are wrong. etching in stone is from calicite/dolomite.(it's a reaction from acids that that react w/these minerals and break them down) calcite is marble. Any stone can NOT etch unless it has calcite or dolomite. If you understood the chemistry side of this reaction you wouldn't make such an egregious statement. Quartzite is made up of mostly quartz, a few other minerals. Not calcite. If you have a quartzite slab that etches, then it's really marble, and not quartzite. Stone yards mislabel their slabs all the time. Marble is a level 3 on the MOHS scale, quartzite an 7-8. marble will scratch w/a piece of glass. Quartzite will not. (Oh, and there is no such thing as a hard or soft quartzite. IT's either quartzite or it's not. period) If properly sealed, it is more resistant to etching but not etching proof. Wrong again Sealing does nothing for etching. Sealing does not prevent acids from reacting w/the stone. (Seal marble and then let lemon juice sit for a few minutes. Etching will occur) Sealing gives stone a slight barrier for staining, but not etching. (there is a factory sealer like azerocare that gives marble a barrier to resist etching. however, it's not foolproof. I know because I have marble w/this factory sealer on it. It does work really well for stains though but etching? nope.) You're completely wrong on this matter. Do you homework before pointing out 'someone's errors'. In fact, do us all a favor and don't comment on things you know nothing about. Please google how marble and quartzite differ, what etching actually is, and other geological facts.

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Svara på: Super White is Dolomite. They incorrectly market it as a quartzite. Dolomite is a cousin of marble. And Gery, you can apply a sealer yourself, no need to call someone. Research quality Impregnating Sealers. I've used Aquamix and 511 with good results. Follow the directions exactly. When water no longer sits or beads, its time to reseal. You should always use a cutting board when prepping your food, regardless if the top is granite or anything else.

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Svara på: Alyssa, I can tell you that we went through a very tough time trying to decide. We had our hearts set on a beautiful calacutta gold and were having trouble finding slabs nearby treated with Azerocare. We were able to find some that were decent that were already treated and they were honestly about the same price in some cases a bit less. The trick is finding the one that you really want. We found some that had the look that we wanted but they were very far away. Those were typically around $40/sq ft more but then you have the logistics of getting it delivered from far away. We also looked at some ceramics and quartz but they are honestly just nowhere near as pretty. Ultimately we just chose the calacutta gold that we loved and we had tuffskins applied to it. I can honestly say was the best decision. We've had no problems with ours. It's been almost two years and they are still gorgeous. I don't think twice about spills or having anything on our counters. Good luck!

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Svara på: If you have the money anything is possible. Quartz brands like Cambria have jumbo slabs available that can be up to 132"x65" but they are expensive! If you want a natural stone you are going to have a seam. Invest in the MORE sealer for $299. its a 20 year sealer for natural stones and has a warranty. If you can not remove a stain, they will come out and try to remove it. If they cant, they will replace your counters. If you look at granite, you have to seal it once a year anyway, so you should invest in the 20 year sealer and be done with it. It also works on Marbles and Quartzites.

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Svara på: Karin_mt if you're still around, can you give me your thoughts on this stone? Dal Tile calls it Tahitian Cream quartzite but I think it may also be known as Nuage which I know is an intermediate/grainy quartzite. Others here on the forum have had good luck with it but I'm just trying to make sure I do all my homework before I make a final decision. I couldn't do an etch test but I did try to scratch it with a screwdriver and it did not scratch. What are the things I should be concerned with considering it is intermediate and grainy?

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Svara på: I don't know when I last commented in this thread, but I'll again share my experience with Macaubus White quartzite, in case it helps anyone. After installation, I watched as my installer properly and thoroughly sealed all surfaces of the tops, to include side edges, any exposed undersides and inside the holes drilled for faucet and R/O dispenser. Because I'd experimented with a stone sample and two different sealers, I knew my porous tops would require two coats (Tenax Proseal). I waited 48 hours and reapplied the second coat myself. My heart absolutely breaks for those homeowners who are experiencing staining/bleeding issues, but I have experienced none (knock wood). Our tops were sealed March 2016; and even around the heavy use areas (sink and prep), I've not yet resealed. HTH.

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