Choosing between Alabama quartzite and marble countertops can be hard. The two stones are beautiful, exquisite, utilitarian, and can enhance your property value.

With countless similarities, it’s good to know their notable highlights before buying quartzite or marble countertops in Alabama. In this manner you need to figure out which is best for your kitchen.

Here, we compare and assess these famous stone surfaces.    

Quartzite or Marble Countertops: Which Is Best for Your Kitchen?

Here are the benefits and disadvantages of quartzite and marble countertops to help you settle on a more educated decision.

Hardness

Quartzite is harder than any marble. On the Mohs hardness scale, quartzite rates a 7; marble, 2 to 3. This immense difference is because of the minerals that they are made out of. Quartzite is formed from quartz which is quite possibly the hardest material. Marble is gentler.

Strength

Since quartzite is harder, this makes it an impressive and tough kitchen countertop material. Since it is sturdier, it is less inclined to wear and more resistant to chipping and stains.

Other than being solid, quartzite countertops are also impervious to heat. Subsequently, keeping any hot skillet or dish on it won’t damage it. It also doesn’t scratch, regardless of whether you use a knife on its surface.

Quartzite is an incredible choice for open air kitchen countertops since it is impervious to bright sun beams. Therefore, these countertops won’t ever blur or stain when directly presented to sunlight.

Still, the delicateness of marble means it’s less solid than quartzite and is more powerless to engravings and stains.

Colors and Textures

Both marble and quartzite are available in different tones due to the minerals or contaminants present in them.

Most quartzite slabs have dark hues. Pink and red quartzite stones are rich in iron oxide. Other available varieties include yellow, dark, green, brown, and blue.

Marble is a light-hued stone. The most widely recognized shade of marble is white but you may also find it in green, brown, blue, yellow, and, surprisingly, black colors.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Apart from kitchen countertops, marble is broadly used for floors and backsplashes. It is, however, profoundly permeable. This makes it more inclined to staining and damage except if it is sealed consistently. Marble kitchen countertops ought to be appropriately cared for. Make a point to use non leaching cleaning products to try not to cause surface damage.

Quartzite is also non-permeable. Although a top notch sealer is suggested, quartzite countertops need to be sealed less regularly than their marble partners. For day to day cleaning, use a gentle cleaning product like dishwashing soap.

Value

Due to its luxurious appearance, most homeowners imagine that a marble countertop is more exorbitant than a quartzite one. However, this value differs generally based on factors like the type of marble, its origin, and its quality.

For instance, Calacatta Vagli marble is one of the costliest marbles as a result of its unique colors. But since Carrara marble is easily available and common, you can find it at a much lower price. For instance, Calacatta Vagli marble costs roughly $180 per square foot while Carrara marble is around $40 per square foot.

Quartzite countertops cost somewhere in the range of $60 and $100 per square foot, but this might be higher if you pick a more exotic kind of stone or design.

With regards to buying quartzite or marble countertops in Alabama, consider that each has their own properties. Which is better and more suitable for your kitchen? Ideally, this guide is meant to help you make that choice. If you are still stuck trying to decide the most ideal choice for your space, reach out to Stone Interiors Alabama Countertops Company.