What is the difference between Quartz and Quartzite?

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral on the earth’s surface and has industrial significance. It is an engineered stone (man-made). A slab of Quartz consists of 93% crushed quartz, and 7% includes polymer resins. Amethyst, rose Quartz, smoky Quartz, and citrine are some kinds of Quartz.

The Formation: Quartz countertops are made by crushing natural Quartz, and then crushed Quartz and resins are combined and heated intensively and pressured to produce a solid and durable material. Many other pigments are used to create different colors and styles.

A quartzite is a sandstone found in beaches, rivers, or deserts. Quartzite is an entirely natural stone. It is made up of almost 90% of Quartzite.

The Formation: Quartzites are formed under the earth’s crust by extreme heat and pressure that leads to compressed and durable rocks. It is commonly light-colored, resembles marble, and has veining and wavy patterns.

Quartzite Countertops are manufactured with slabs of natural stones that are quarried, cut precisely, and coated in polyurethanes, wax, or acrylic.

There is a large amount of Quartz in both Quartz and Quartzite. They are dense minerals with a MOHS rating of around 7. In terms of countertop materials, both of them are impressive.

Although they share some similarities and similar sounds in terms of words, they have some notable differences too.

Let us look at some of the differences between Quartz and Quartzite.

• There is the option of customizing the quartz countertop. This means a greater variety of options in terms of appearance. With Quartzite, there are fewer options beyond the stone’s natural appearance.

• The most significant difference is that Quartz is a man-made material, and Quartzite is a natural stone. 

• Quartzite is initially formed as sandstone and forms a quartzite under the natural process of heat and pressure. But Quartz is produced by crushing the quartz crystals, resins, and other pigments.

• Quartzite is generally light in color, That is, white or grey. But Quartz is available in a variety of colors and designs.

• Quartzite looks like marble as they have similar veining to marble or granite, whereas Quartz can resemble any stone and is available in many patterns and tones. 

• Quartz is consistent, and Quartzite is not.

• Another significant difference is that the binding process makes Quartz highly durable and non-porous which is ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.

• Even though Quartzite is a hard stone, it is less dense than Quartz and prone to stain easily when used in high work areas like kitchens.

• Quartzite needs to be sealed atleast twice a year to prevent staining and to be protected. At the same time, Quartz needs zero maintenance and is life-proof.

• Quartz countertops are worry-free when considering cleaning, but Quartzite needs immediate cleaning when there are any spills.

• The most significant advantage of a Quartz countertops is that they are more resilient than Quartzite.

• The price range of both Quartz and Quartzite are similar, but the installation cost of Quartzite is higher as it is a natural stone and requires custom cutting.