When it comes to giving your kitchen a transformative refresh, few upgrades are as impactful as new countertops. Two of the most popular materials, quartz and quartzite, are great options when considering an update to your kitchen. Although their names are similar, these two surfaces are quite different — in origin, performance, and personality. There are advantages to both, but one may be better for your home depending on budget and lifestyle.
What’s the Difference?
Quartzite is a natural stone quarried from the earth. Quartz is an engineered material, made from crushed natural quartz combined with resin and pigments. Quartzite is pure, raw geology — formed over time by intense heat and pressure acting on sandstone deep within the earth. Quartz, on the other hand, is a mix of about 90 percent crushed quartz and 10 percent binding materials, giving it strength, consistency, and a wide variety of colors and patterns.