Quartzite & Marble Countertops in Henderson, NV

Quartzite and marble countertops are both natural stone with soft, flowing veins, and they often sit side by side in the slab yard. They are not the same rock. Quartzite is sandstone transformed by heat and pressure into very hard, quartz-rich stone. Marble is metamorphosed limestone, made of calcium carbonate. That difference decides how each holds up in a kitchen, and in Henderson, how each reacts to hard water and the cleaners people use on it.

Marble: beautiful, and it etches

Calcium carbonate reacts with acid. Lemon juice, tomato sauce, wine, vinegar and many household cleaners leave dull etch marks on polished marble, sometimes within minutes. Sealing slows stains but does not stop etching. Many people accept the patina that develops; others are unhappy within a month. Marble works best in a bathroom, a baking station or a kitchen where the owner wants that lived-in look.

The hard water trap

Henderson's water is very hard, about 16 grains per gallon according to the city's water report. The white crust it leaves around faucets tempts people to reach for vinegar or a lime remover. On marble, that is the fastest way to etch the surface. Use a pH-neutral stone cleaner, wipe the area around the sink dry, and, if mineral buildup does form, ask about stone-safe removal rather than an acidic product.

Quartzite: the marble look with more toughness

True quartzite is harder than granite and does not etch from kitchen acids the way marble does. HomeGuide describes it as UV resistant and well suited to outdoor kitchens, which makes it one of the few marble-look materials that can work on a sunny Henderson patio. It is still porous, so HomeGuide recommends yearly sealing. Be aware that some stones sold as quartzite, often labeled soft quartzite, behave more like marble. We test a sample for etching before you commit.

Cost

HomeGuide lists installed quartzite at about $65 to $150 per square foot, or roughly $1,950 to $6,000 for a 30 to 40 square foot kitchen. Marble runs about $40 to $150 per square foot installed, with Carrara at the low end and Calacatta near the top; HomeGuide's average-kitchen marble range is $1,200 to $6,000. Sealing for either stone runs about $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot, or roughly $100 to $300 for an average kitchen.

Fabrication details

Both stones are cut and polished like granite, but quartzite is very hard and marble is soft, so edges and sink cutouts are handled differently. Heavily veined slabs need careful layout so the veins flow across seams and down waterfall ends. We lay out the pattern with you before the slab is cut.

Finishes

HomeGuide notes that honed marble is prone to staining and needs routine sealing; many owners find a honed finish makes etch marks less obvious than a high polish. Quartzite is usually polished or leathered. We show you samples of each finish so you can see how they look in your light.