Quartz vs. Quartzite: How to Tell Which Countertop You Have

The difference in one minute

• Quartz (engineered): factory-made, consistent pattern, sensitive to high heat and harsh chemicals because of its resin. Good slabs need no sealer; lower-cost slabs that stain or etch benefit from a quartz sealer.
• Quartzite (natural): quarried rock, one-of-a-kind veining, very hard, slightly porous. Needs periodic sealing; can be honed and polished.

Four checks you can do at home

• Find the paperwork. The install invoice or slab tag names the product. This is the only check that is certain.
• Look at the sink cutout or an edge. Quartz looks the same all the way through. Quartzite shows sparkly, glassy grains and color that shifts with depth.
• Look for repeats. A pattern that repeats along the run of counter points to quartz. Veins that wander and never repeat point to quartzite.
• Try a water drop. Leave a few drops for 10 minutes near the sink. If one darkens the stone, it is natural stone due for sealing. Well-made quartz should not darken; if yours does, text us a photo.

Some stone sold as "quartzite" is actually marble. If a drop of lemon juice in a hidden spot leaves a dull mark, it is marble and needs marble care.

What California's quartz rule means for your choice

California is moving to ban cutting engineered quartz that contains 1% or more crystalline silica. Quartzite is natural stone and is not part of that draft. If you are choosing a new countertop, that may narrow your quartz options. Quartz you already own is not affected. Read what the ban covers.

Care that matches the material

Quartzite: we seal and polish quartzite countertops when water starts to darken the stone or the shine has worn. Quartz: clean it the right way first, and ask us about sealing if it stains or etches. See why quartz marks.

Not sure which you have? Text a photo of the sink cutout to (209) 239-2906 and we'll tell you what we see and what it likely needs.