Just west of downtown Houston, River Oaks sits inside the 610 Loop, under 30 minutes away in Harris County. Buffalo Bayou and Memorial Park lie along its northern side, and Montrose lies to its east.
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.
Choosing your quartzite
Choose quartzite in person, and choose the slab, not the name. Check the whole slab and mark the part you love, since big veins need big pieces and we center the layout on that part. Ask the yard whether the slab is true quartzite or a dolomitic stone, since a dolomitic slab etches like marble. Bring a cabinet door, because yard light flattens color.
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.
What moves the price
Quartzite costs more than granite and most quartz. The slab is most of the price, and a strongly veined slab costs more than a calm one. Quartzite is hard, so cutting it takes longer in our shop, and a mitered edge adds more. If the budget is tight, quartzite can go on the island while the perimeter runs in granite or quartz. Tear-out and the sink install are their own lines on the estimate.
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
Beyond River Oaks, our quartzite work reaches Montrose, West University Place and Midtown, and if quartzite is not the fit, we cut granite and quartz too.
If quartzite feels right for your kitchen in River Oaks, the next step is the free estimate. Use the form below or call us.