What is the difference between marble and granite? Are quartzite stones really the best?

Natural stone is one of the finishing materials that is considered quite expensive. Whether it is marble, granite or quartzite, so before the stone is used for decoration, it is necessary to know various information of each type of stone, including pattern, strength, and suitability. What are the advantages and care of the stone so that we can use it correctly? It is suitable and gives out the most beautiful and worthwhile.

Origin methods and main minerals of marble, granite, quartzite stone

Marble is one of the metamorphic rocks that has been transformed from limestone and dolomite. Caused by pressure and heat from under the earth's crust that transforms the rock into marble. It consists mainly of calcite. If it is pure marble, it will be white, but if there are other mineral impurities in it, it will be made in a variety of colors.

Granite is one of the igneous rocks, a type of igneous stone complication. It is formed from magma that cools slowly within the earth's crust. This makes the mineral crystals large and coarse flesh. 

Feldspar and quartz are the main ores. It has a milky white color from feldspar. Clear grey from quartz and black from hornblend

Quartzide is another rock in the metamorphic rock class. It is caused by pressure and heat from under the earth's crust that the rock itself transforms into quartzite, which is one of the most durable rocks. If formed from pure glass sand, quartzite rocks are obtained that are white to gray, but often contain other mineral impurities, giving the rock a different color depending on the mineral type in the rock.

pattern

Marble and quartzite have a non-parallel mineral pattern. Because it is a rock that is classified as metamorphic rock that has been metamorphic. It is caused by magma that comes into contact with the rocks in the area. The heat and magma caused the rocks in the area to rearrange their mineralization. It transforms into marble or quartzite, depending on the original mineral of the rock. 

Granite is patterned in mineral pieces, mineral scales and rock texture are uniform. The mineral crystals have a strong bond. This makes the stone firm and hard. For granite found in Thailand, usually granite with stripes or mineral flakes scattered throughout the rock without lining up in lines, but in some countries, some granite mineral flakes are arranged in a pattern pattern that is similar to the mineral stripes of marble, but there are still mineral flakes to be seen. Not as smooth as marble and quartzite.

strength

• Marble is the least strong stone because it is mainly made from calcium carbonate or limestone, with the hardness of moss is only level 3. It is not very hard because a person's nail has a hardness of 2.5 or a penny coin has a hardness of 3.5, which can scratch the stone face if there is no coating on the stone face.
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• Granite has a relatively high strength because it consists of feldspar with a hardness of moße of 6 and quartz with a strength of moße of 7, overall, granite has a hardness of 6-6.5 depending on the amount of minerals it contains, which is stronger than a kitchen knife which has a hardness of 5.5, making it suitable for making worktops because it is more difficult to scratch.
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• Quartzite is the strongest rock in all three rocks because it contains mainly quartz. As a result, the strength of Mose is at level 7, which is also harder than steel nails with a hardness of 6.5, making it suitable for various decorations. Whether it's a low-use spot like a TV wall or a heavy-duty spot like a worktop.

Advantages of individual stones

The main advantage of natural stone is its truly natural patterns. Each stone that is removed has a different pattern. Because the natural pattern will move gradually according to the mineral conditions on the mountain, making it unique to each sheet.

And these 3 types of stones can also keep cool well. It can last for up to 100 years if taken care of properly.

Marble

- It has the advantage that the pattern is beautiful, delicate and has a variety of shades. Variety of tones It can be chosen to fit into almost any style of home.

Granite

- It has the advantage of having high strength. No scratches. Easy to stroke It can withstand acids, alkalis to a certain extent, and also has excellent heat resistance, but it is not recommended to place very hot objects such as placing a pan directly on the stone. In addition, it can keep cool in the stone, but it may not be as good as marble.

Quartzite stone

- It combines the advantages of both marble and granite together, which is that it has a beautiful pattern, delicate and has a very high strength, not easy to scratch, resistant to heat and weather.

If you ask if quartzite is the best, we would have to say yes in terms of the benefits of quartzite, which is both beautiful and strong, but may come at a relatively higher cost. But it's worth it. Great value for money with the features it offers.

Where does each stone fit for installation?

Due to the unequal hardness value in each stone. As a result, some stones can only be installed in certain areas.

Marble - can be installed in areas that are not heavily used, such as walls, table tops, western worktops. This weakness can be solved by stone coating, which will make the stone face more difficult to scratch, and can be re-polished to remove marks, but it still does not make it as strong as granite and quartzite.

Granite and quartzite - Due to the hardness of 6-7, both types of stones are more durable than marble, so they can be installed in a variety of different locations. In addition to being installed like marble. It can also be installed as a Thai worktop that is used hard. Interior and exterior floors or can be used to lay the walls of the swimming pool. Especially quartzite rocks that are weather-resistant.

However, it is best to apply a coating or waterproofing before installation to make the stone more durable and also help water not to seep through the stone hole and cause stains on the rock face as well.

maintenance

Each stone has similar maintenance but may vary depending on its hardness. If the stone is very hard, then it does not require care as often as the less hard stone.

• Due to the nature of the rock. Most of them are porous, which allows various water to seep into the rock texture. So when you spill something on the rock, It is recommended to wipe it off thoroughly so that the stone does not stain.

• There is a wipe. Clean the stone regularly, perhaps 1-2 weeks at a time, by using dishwashing liquid or soap mixed with water in a ratio that is not very concentrated to wipe the stone face clean. Or use a dedicated solution for cleaning the stone, and sometimes a duster may be used to keep the stone looking fresh.

• A new coating should be applied when the coating begins to deteriorate to prevent marks and stains. Granite and quartzite may be coated only for the first time before a single installation or for a long time.
• If the stone face is scratched, we can polish it to remove it. You can do it yourself or hire a specialized technician, but we recommend hiring a specialist as marble has specific tools and fluids for handling stones.
• For tea, coffee, and wine stains, 1 part hydrogen peroxide can be mixed with 4 parts clean water and wiped clean until the stain is healed.

If you are interested in marble, granite or quartzite. How can I become a part of your home? Get advice and more information from stoneworking experts at @LINE SIAMTAK and Facebook SIAMTAK.

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