In the Greater Katy area, Grand Lakes, Seven Meadows, Firethorne and Grayson Lakes are master-planned communities. A newer house in one of them may have a kitchen open to the family room, with an island long enough to need a slab plan of its own.
What quartzite is and how it performs
Quartzite is natural metamorphic stone: quartz sandstone fused by heat and pressure. It is harder than granite, handles normal pan heat and resists scratching, and it carries veining that reads like marble. It needs a sealer, which we apply at install. One caution comes with the name. Some stones sold as quartzite, Fantasy Brown and Super White among them, are dolomitic marble and etch from lemon, vinegar and wine, so it pays to know which kind a slab is before you buy it.
Colors and looks
Quartzite leans toward whites, grays and soft taupes with long veins, and some slabs carry a crystal sheen. Warmer slabs run toward gold, cooler ones toward blue or green. Every slab is different, so you choose yours in person, and we lay the template out on it so the veins land where you want them. When the veining is strong, a mitered edge carries it down the front of an island.
Quartzite next to granite and quartz
Next to granite, quartzite is harder and costs more, and it looks like marble where granite looks like granite. Both take heat. Next to quartz, quartzite is natural stone whose veins never repeat, and it takes heat and sun. Next to marble, true quartzite resists the etching and scratching that give marble its patina.
Where quartzite fits
Quartzite works on an island, a perimeter, a vanity, a fireplace surround and outside. It takes sun and rain on a patio where quartz cannot go. Islands show it off, since long veins need a large surface. Kitchens use 3 cm stone, and an overhang deeper than 10 inches needs support brackets.
Sinks and cutouts in quartzite
Quartzite takes undermount, drop-in, farmhouse and vessel sinks, and an undermount sink shows off the polished cut edge. The sink and cooktop openings are cut in our shop from the template. On a veined slab, we plan the openings so the strongest veins run clear of them where the layout allows.
Caring for quartzite
Quartzite care is close to granite care. Clean with warm water and a pH-neutral soap, wipe spills before they sit and reseal when a few drops of water darken the stone. Denser slabs need resealing less often than porous ones. If your slab is one of the dolomitic kind, treat acids as you would on marble and wipe lemon and wine quickly.
From estimate to install
You will see our crew three times. First comes the free estimate, with samples and a written price that lists the quartzite, the edges, the cutouts, tear-out and the sink install. Quartzite is picked slab by slab at any stone yard: a photo of the slab tag tells us which one, and the slab is confirmed at template. Second is the template, once the cabinets are set and level. The digital template catches walls that are out of square. Between the visits, our shop cuts the quartzite and its sink and cooktop openings. Third is the install: old tops out, quartzite in, seams filled with tinted epoxy and the sink set, with the faucet holes drilled on site at install.
Where we work and how to start
We also cut quartzite for kitchens in Cinco Ranch, Brookshire and Fulshear, and for Katy we cut granite and quartz as well.
If quartzite feels right for your kitchen in Katy, the next step is the free estimate. Use the form below or call us.