Quartzite & Marble Countertops in Dearborn, MI

Quartzite and marble countertops give a kitchen the soft veining and depth that engineered stone imitates. They are often shown side by side, and some slabs are hard to tell apart by eye, but they are different rocks. Quartzite is sandstone transformed by heat and pressure into a very hard, dense stone. Marble is metamorphosed limestone, softer and made of calcite, which reacts with acids. That one difference decides where each belongs in a home.

Quartzite: the hard-wearing choice

True quartzite is harder than granite, resists scratches and handles heat well. It still has some porosity, so it needs sealing; HomeGuide notes annual sealing at about $0.50 to $2 per square foot. Installed quartzite runs about $65 to $150 per square foot in HomeGuide's 2026 guide, with an average kitchen at about $1,950 to $6,000. Quartzite is harder to cut and polish than granite, which adds fabrication time. One caution: some stones sold as quartzite are really dolomitic marble or 'soft quartzite' that can etch. We can test a sample with a glass scratch test and a drop of lemon juice before you commit.

Marble: beautiful, and it shows its use

Marble etches. Lemon juice, vinegar, tomato sauce, wine and some cleaners leave dull spots where the acid reacts with the calcite, even on a sealed surface, because sealer slows staining but does not stop etching. It also scratches more easily than granite or quartzite. Some people accept this and like the worn look marble develops over time. For a household that cooks with lemon, sumac, pomegranate molasses and tomatoes every day, we usually suggest quartzite or quartz for the main work surface and marble for a baking station, a bar or a bathroom.

Honed or polished

Polished marble shows etch marks clearly as dull patches. A honed (matte) finish hides etching much better because the whole surface is already matte. Quartzite is usually polished, but leathered and honed finishes are available. Finish affects how the stone looks under kitchen lighting, so we show you samples of each.

Price and slab selection

HomeGuide lists marble at about $40 to $150 per square foot installed overall, with material ranging from about $40 to $50 for Carrara to $175 to $200 for Calacatta. Because the veining is the whole point, slab selection matters even more than with granite. We plan where the veins run across a seam and around the sink so the pattern flows, and you approve the layout on the slab before cutting. Bookmatched slabs, where two consecutive slabs mirror each other, are available for waterfall islands.

Older homes and natural stone

In a 1920s or 1930s Dearborn house, marble can suit the period well, especially in a bathroom or a butler's pantry. The weight of natural stone still calls for sound cabinets, so we check support and level before templating.