If you’re in love with Marble, but can’t get past the amount of maintenance and effort to avoid damages it requires, we’ve put together 7 options of quartzite countertops that look like marble for you to fall in love with.
Marble is classic, a favorite choice! If you love white countertops, after seeing a Carrara Marble in person, it’s hard to desire anything else. Hard, but not impossible. Some alternatives might just do the trick.
We’ve recently talked about Dolomite, a beautiful, cost-effective marble alternative. However, in terms of performance, even though it outperforms marble, there’s still going to be concerns about acid sensitivity and scratches.
All of that is solved if you go for quartzite. A natural stone, that’s also cheaper than marble and performs just as well as granite! It won’t be scratched by knives, it won’t etch if acids are spilled, it requires way less maintenance (sealing) and it’s also found in white and gray varieties that can heal your addiction to marble!
Related: “What is Quartzite? Find out everything about this natural stone”
With no further ado, let’s go straight to presenting 7 options of quartzite countertops that look like marble!
White Fantasy Quartzite
Also known as: Super White, Fantasy White.
White Fantasy quartzite is a great marble alternative. It presents a soft white base and the distinctive gray veining seen in some marble varieties we’ve all come to love.
White Princess Quartzite
Also known as: Princess White.
Another great choice of quartzite that looks like marble, also presenting soft white and grays but with less pronounced veins.
White Macaubas Quartzite
Also known as: Bianco Macaubas, Lune de Luce.
White Macaubas offers a creamier sort of white paired with green and gray veining. This is a heavy contender for replacing marble in your heart.
Calacatta Macaubas Quartzite
This is a heavy contender for the title of ideal Carrara Marble replacement. With an appearance that’s quite similar to that of White Macaubas, but more pronounced veining this quartzite variety is bound to steal your heart away from marble as well.
Taj Mahal Quartzite
Taj Mahal presents a soft white base with pale gold and brown veining. A very distinctive and sought for quartzite variety. Taj Mahal Quartzite does not need to be compared to marble to stand out for himself, nevertheless, it is also a great choice for otherwise marble lovers.
Kalahari Quartzite
Presenting a creamy beige and reddish-brown streak and striations, Kalahari Quartzite is also a great marble replacement. If you’re into Sugar Beige marble, this quartzite might do the trick.
Allure Quartzite
We’re ending this list with Allure Quartzite, which might not suit you if you’re really looking for something super white, however, if you’re in for gray tones, no other option will brighten the room like this one.
Don’t get hung up on the names!!
Actually the naming of these quartzite varieties can vary from supplier to supplier. What is really important here is that you find something you will fall in love with, and the only way to do that is to go see them for yourself.
At Eagle Stones we carry a wide variety of natural stones including quartzite countertops that look like marble, come pay us a visit if you’re in Sarasota, FL.
Now, when visiting suppliers and selecting quartzite stone slabs you must be cautious! Some suppliers will swear that some quartzite is less hard, and acid-sensitive, but that’s not true.
The truth is, a lot of marble and dolomite slabs are labeled quartzite wrongly. In order to ensure you’re buying quartzite, you must test it!
How to ensure you’re buying quartzite?
The best way to make sure you’re buying what you’re paying for is to test the slab of your choice on the stone yard. There are two tests you can do, and they won’t take much trouble.
Scratch test
Actual quartzite won’t be scratched by glass or knives. Additionally, it should easily scratch glass.
So take a glass tile with you, and ask your stone suppliers a sample of the slab for testing, preferably one with a sharp edge.
With the glass tile on a table, try to scratch it with a pointy edge of the quartzite. Press hard.
Inspect the results to see if it is a scratch or just a dust mark. It must be a scratch by the way.
If that’s not possible, you can also try to scratch the slab with a knife. If it is the real thing, it should only scratch lightly or not at all.
Acid sensitivity test
This one will take longer, but it’s worth it. Apply some vinegar or lemon juice to the surface of the slab, and let it there for 20 minutes. Clean it up and search for etching.
Etching looks like a dulled area on the shiny surface of the stone, it can be darker or lighter. Marble will show clear etching, dolomite will show light etching, however, granite and quartzite will show zero etching. That is if you’re testing with lemon juice or vinegar.
That’s it, these two tests will help you make sure you’re getting a really durable and resistant stone.
