Quartzite Natural Stone Countertops
Countertops made from natural quartzite continues to be a popular choice for countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. This natural stone is so popular that many inquire about its popularity, color selection, and what makes it desirable. In this article, we will consider each of those subjects.
Quartzite's Popularity
There are many countertop materials from which one can choose. Among them are engineered stone materials and natural stone surfaces. Quartzite is one of the more popular materials in the natural stone group. Homeowners and designers are beginning to realize that you can own natural stone without the worries of other materials.
Colors of Quartzite
Like other natural stone, quartzite is composed of specific minerals. The substances in a particular stone affect the appearance of that stone. For example, the presence of specific minerals in a quartzite slab result in accent colors. That is why even though quartzite is predominantly light gray to white, it often has other colors in it as well. The color names of quartzite can have places, colors, or even words that describe the stone in some manner. The following is a list of some of the colors of quartzite:
Kitchen Countertops of Quartzite
Quartzite has a number of beneficial properties that make it a desirable countertop surface to many. Why do so many people prefer quartzite? There are many reasons, but we will look at three specific ones. They are:
- Uniqueness
- Resists Scratching
- Heat Resistant
Natural Stone Is Unique
Our first reason people choose quartzite countertops is that they are natural and this fact makes each stone completely unique. As mentioned above, the colors are derived from the minerals in the stone. However, even from the same chunk of rock, the variations differ. Therefore, when a person selects a quartzite slab from a slab yard, no other stone will look exactly like the one chosen. This uniqueness is one of the reasons consumers are drawn to quartzite.
Scratch Resistance
Quartzite is a very hard material. It registers at 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Quartzite is on the hard end of that scale. This makes it scratch and chip resistant; just what many are searching for in a stone countertop. The hardness of the stone is directly related to its scratch resistance. How well a stone resists scratching is important to consumers and is another reason consumers find quartzite an appealing choice.
Heat Resistant
The next reason people like quartzite for kitchen countertops is that it is resistant to heat. Being a natural stone, quartzite has been exposed to intense during its formation. This contributes to the durability of the countertop in addition to the hardness we previously mentioned. However, not every quartzite countertop is heat resistant. Why? Because natural stone is porous and requires sealing. Some of the sealers used on quartzite are topical sealers. This means they are simply a coating that gets applied to the surface of the stone. So a quartzite countertop that has a topical sealer will only be as heat resistant as the sealer that coats its surface.
In summary then, quartzite is a very popular material. This natural stone is available in many colors and variants of colors. Many people select quartzite for many reasons including its durability. So if you have an opportunity to work with quartzite, you will no doubt see that it has many reasons for being so popular.
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