Between how the stone is cut and what things look like installed when You are no longer looking at the slab out of context, inch by inch, I think it’s a great countertop. I love the backsplash you show and the Zermatt is gorgeous.

Looks really nice! What’s your backsplash tile? Also really nice!

Make sure you do a layout with the fabricator so you see where those dots are and can avoid them being front and center right next to your sink or something if they bother you.
Love quartzite! I just put Luna in my own kitchen last year and do love the natural veining and piece of nature in my kitchen versus quartz - the man-made product.

Yippee! I just checked my overnight test of vinegar, ketchup, and strawberry and no etching! The vinegar did soak in and left a “watermark “ but hoping it will be like yesterday and evaporate. There is a very slight pink mark from the strawberry and NOTHING from the ketchup. Again, I’m assuming it is not sealed since it is a sample.

I am still trying to figure out tile, but if I am gr brave I will go with a darker gray on the wall. Not sure though. If I pick this slab I am sure I will be back for advice with a backsplash :) The gray tile is 3 x 12 aArftt. Artigiano AR97 from DalD

The way I found this slab was by meeting with the fabricator at the stone yard. he didn’t like my first choice because of all the lines. He said it wouldn’t look right in my space - I dont have an island, just an L shaped peninsul, 2 piece around the stove and a “butler pantry” type of space - so he found this single piece in inventory. I do end up liking better than my first choice and he can do this one with no seams. I’m definitely going back to his shop for layout! I’ve read too much here on Houzz not to do tat! Haha! I’m also going to question which sealer he uses. Want to be sure we cover all our bases.

Anything else I should be doing or asking??? I recently saw a thread about silicone from the sink staining the stone. Something about acid washing stone? Anything I should ask about that?

I don’t claim to be an expert but these are some things I’ve learned about working with stone. For stain test I use things I use in the kitchen. In my case that’s red wine, coffee and raspberries. I read a Houzz thread that was about a husband who left raspberries out on the Zermatt which left huge red stains. They ended up replacing their counter tops. Yikes! I’ve also found that even within a rock type there are some which are harder than others. That’s true for quartzite too. I’m not sure where yours falls. For sealer I’ve had good results with DuPont impregnator pro. I’ve also found the harder the stone the less a sealer is going to be absorbed. It seems obvious, if your stone won’t absorb red wine why would it absorb sealer? The purpose might be that other minerals (your green spots?) get mixed in the main stone and are softer. Finally, my wife would hate the green spots and since they’re in the middle they will be hard to cut around.

@psaag i am about to pull the trigger on a zermatt quartzite slab. Mine certainly looks different from yours, but I am wondering what your experiences have been with this quartzite? Staining? Etching? What has the maintenance been? What sealers have been effective? Any regrets? Thanks in advance!

@Runnermom - did you decide to go with the zermatt slab?

Although I love that slab, I did not go with it. In the end I went with quartz and I love it! Every time I see a glass of wine on the counter or a lemon on the sink, I count my blessings I went with quartz

@dani_m08 we did go with Zermatt and it is being installed tomorrow. Ping me if I forget to report back on it here. fabricator tells me he does two coats of sealer on it and we Plan to use the recommended Miracle 511 Porous Plus periodically...

Your slab is gorgeous! I cannot wait to see it installed. post pictures when you are done.

I know it's only been a week but I was going to put a deposit down on zermatt tomorrow for our new kitchen slab. Thoughts so far?

@legarcia1 i haven’t had the chance to regularly use my countertop yet because my reno hasn’t completed. but so far no etching or staining or water marks anywhere. It seems extremely well sealed (not surprised since I went with a very reputable fabricator and discussed my concerns) and I’m in love with the look. fabricator told me he has clients trying to find something similar and i have received so many compliments. I am so happy we went with this one!! I am happy to report back after some regular countertop usage but it will be a few weeks...

Forgot to post the photos on this thread

Thank you for this update! I'm exhausting myself on this research and it's so stressful. I really appreciate your response. Keep us posted!

@legarcia1 i completely exhausted myself over the countertops. It was by far the most stressful decision for me for my reno. there are pros and cons to Quartz and quartzite and I think you go with your gut.

I am considering zermatt quartzite and this is one of three slabs we would be using if we go forward. Any comments or thoughts appreciated! This is an extremely hard decision!

@lana_ayscue We have been so thrilled with our Zermatt countertops. My husband literally says everyday how glad he is that we went with them. We haven’t had any issues so far, but I have definitely been erring on the side of caution, always wiping up in a timely manner, using placemats, coasters, etc. I don’t want to find out what could happen if I’m careless, but I know after awhile I will likely relax a little more. These stones are gorgeous, with lots of interesting movement and color. It’s such a hard decision, but when I saw the Zermatt slab we used, I knew it was the one. Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide and how it goes!

Thank you for the feedback, Runnermom! I will update when they are installed. So happy that you guys are having a great experience with your countertops!

I think the key is to have it sealed properly. My fabricator told me he sealed the countertops twice and it shows. When liquid gets on my countertop, I see droplets form on the surface so I know there isn’t absorption. I think improper sealing seems to be the major culprit for issues...fingers crossed that all goes well for you!!

@Runnermom - good point, but I had always heard that real quartzite is so dense it does not need sealing at all. I advise the OP to test the counter for water absorption before putting on what may be unnecessary sealant. Sometimes when sealant is applied to dense stone that does not need it, it can lead to hazing and streaking on the stone. The OP should drop some water onto the stone, wait 15 minutes, and see if the water absorbed or is still sitting exactly on top. If the latter, sealant is not needed.

@Runnermom, did you go with polished or honed?

@Runnermom what backsplash did you use?

I love your kitchen! we are looking at zermat quartzite for our kitchen too. are you still happy? what color are your cabinets? and, would you mind sharing info about your backsplash?

Sorry for this delayed response. The cabinet color is similar to Sherwin Williams pure white. The backsplash tiles are called Soho Blanco and we got them from a place called RAI Marble in Garden City, NY. (Not sure where else they are available.). We looked at SO MANY backsplash tiles and couldn’t be happier with this one. It’s a great size with a little bit of texture. I took a couple pictures of the box the tiles came in just in case that helps.

We still couldn’t be happier with our kitchen. Hard to believe we are coming up on two years since we completed the reno. We have definitely relaxed a bit about cleaning up after ourselves right away (since that gets exhausting!!), but happy to report we have had no issues with staining. I agonized over the countertop decision (perhaps more than any other decision) but it was definitely worth the stress to settle upon this stone!!

Thank you so much!

I really loved the look of this quartzite, very worried on staining or chipping this, what kind of sealant did you get @runnermom and how often are you seeing it needing the sealant

I am attaching a picture of the sealant that my fabricator used. He told me the countertop was twice sealed at installation and actually I have not sealed it again since then and have had no issues with staining or chipping. I might try to have it sealed again soon just to be safe since it’s been awhile but I’ve been so pleased to feel like it doesn’t need the maintenance. We still absolutely love the countertop!!

We are actually now renovating our much smaller basement kitchen and I only wish it would be worth it to buy another slab of this gorgeous stone, but alas it’s too small of a space to justify the cost of a whole slab. But otherwise I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to use this stone again!