Marble vs Quartzite: hardness, care and where to use each

Marble and Quartzite compared: typical hardness, water absorption and strength of each stone family, usual finishes and suitability use by use, with the stones of each family in our catalogue.

By Fabrizio Musetti, Marmi di Carrara srl, quarry owners in Carrara since 1956. Updated: 8 October 2026

Marble vs Quartzite

	Marble	Quartzite
Mohs hardness	3–4	7
Water absorption (EN 13755)	0.1–0.6 %	0.1–0.5 %
Bulk density (EN 1936)	2,650–2,750 kg/m³	2,600–2,750 kg/m³
Compressive strength (EN 1926)	70–140 MPa	120–300 MPa
Flexural strength (EN 12372)	7–20 MPa	10–30 MPa
Weight of a 2 cm slab	about 54 kg/m²	about 54 kg/m²
Typical finishes	Polished, honed, brushed, sandblasted, bush-hammered	Polished, honed, leathered
Typical uses	Flooring, wall cladding, bathrooms, vanity and kitchen tops, stairs, fireplaces, sculpture	Kitchen worktops, feature walls, flooring, exterior cladding
Interior floors	Excellent	Excellent
Wall cladding	Excellent	Excellent
Kitchen worktops	With care	Excellent
Bathrooms and wet areas	Excellent	Excellent
Exterior paving and façades	Good	Excellent
Frost exposure	With care	Excellent
Back-lighting	Limited	Limited
Stones in our catalogue	691	61

Density, absorption and strength are indicative ranges for the stone family, not test results of this block. Certified values for a specific lot are provided with the offer.