Quartzite vs Quartz: A Customer-Friendly Script for Showroom Closes

If you've ever had a customer say "I want quartz" and pull up a Pinterest board full of Taj Mahal quartzite, you know the problem. Here's how to clear it up without being condescending.

The 30-second explainer

"Quartz is engineered — about 90% ground stone bound by resin. It's manufactured, totally consistent, and very low-maintenance. Quartzite is 100% natural stone — a metamorphic rock that's harder than granite. Each slab is unique. Quartzite needs to be sealed about once a year. Quartz never needs sealing. Both are fantastic, but they're different products at different price points."

When to recommend quartz

Busy families with red wine, turmeric, and toddlers. Rentals. Resale flips. Anyone who values consistency and won't tolerate any maintenance ritual.

When to recommend quartzite

Showpiece kitchens. Customers who fell in love with the veining of a specific slab. Buyers willing to do annual sealing. Higher budgets ($90-160/sqft installed).

The slab-yard close

Get them to the yard. Walk them past three quartz slabs first (Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone) to anchor the consistency. Then walk them past three quartzite (Taj Mahal, Mont Blanc, Sea Pearl). Watch their eyes. Whichever stone they touch first wins the kitchen.