Construction projects create apprehension about the best house building material and natural stones top the list of house building materials.
Key Takeaways
- Quartz is an engineered stone composed of crushed quartz and resin, while marble is a natural metamorphic rock.
- Quartz countertops are more durable and require less maintenance than marble countertops.
- Marble has a more classic, timeless appearance, while quartz offers various colors and patterns.
Quartz vs Marble
Quartz is a mineral that is made up of silicon and oxygen atoms that are bonded together in a repeating pattern of SiO4 tetrahedra, creating a continuous framework structure. Marble is a metamorphic rock that is composed of calcium carbonate. It is white or light-colored, characterized by its veining and swirling patterns.
Want to save this article for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own articles box!
Quartz is composed of silicon dioxide commonly called silica. It has a crystalline nature. The presence of impurity imparts color to quartz else it would have been colorless and clear.
While marble is composed of minerals like calcite and dolomite. It was a layered nature due to the metamorphism of sedimentary minerals.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Quartz | Marble |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | It is composed of silicon dioxide commonly called silica | It is composed of lime, silica, alumina, and other oxides |
| Nature | It has a crystalline nature | It is non-foliated |
| Types | Amethyst, rose quartz, agate, citrine, smoky quartz, carnelian, ametrine, onyx, and many other types . | Pentelic marble, Creole marble, Makrana albeta marble, Pavonazzo marble, Murphy marble, Bardiglio, Parian marble, and many more |
| Properties | Piezoelectric, glassy luster, durable, non-porous, resistant to water and stains | Durable, hard, heavy, highly soluble, heat-resistant, prone to corrosion, can be polished |
| Application | Glass making, foundry sand, electronic appliances, abrasive, hydraulic fracturing proppant, phonographic pickups, gemstones, and construction projects | Decorative stone in sculpture and architecture, construction aggregates, in cemetery marking, as soil treatment or fertilizer, as supplements, and as a filler and coloring agent in various industries |
What is Quartz?
Quartz is a crystalline mineral. The name is derived from the word “quarz” meaning white vein in German. The constituent of the natural mineral is silicon dioxide.
The crystals form two types of structure, trigonal structure with alpha-quartz and hexagonal structure with beta-quartz. An ideal quartz crystal has a form of a six-sided prism.
Quartz is widely used in construction projects as countertops and backsplashes. The crystals are used in electronic appliances.
Quartz is renowned for its durability. It is ideal for kitchen use as it is a scratch-proof, waterproof, spill, and stain-proof. It provides a contemporary look to the place of installation with its intricate veining and is a luxury option.
What is Marble?
Marble is a sedimentary rock. The name is derived from a Greek word. It consists of crystallized carbon minerals in the form of calcite and dolomite.
Marble can form limestone under high pressure and temperature. Pure white marble is an example of pure limestone or a dolomite protolith.
Marble is classic rock. It has been used in sculpture making, novelties, and various construction projects. A magnificent example of marble is the Taj Mahal in India.
Marble is durable, heat-resistant, and has an elegant veining pattern but gets easily corroded by acids as calcium carbonate forms a reaction.
Main Differences Between Quartz and Marble
- Quartz is widely used in construction projects, electronic appliances, gemstones, and phonographic pickup while marble is used widely used in sculpture and statue making, and construction projects.
- Quartz is durable, non-porous, resistant to water, scratches, spills, stains, and provides a contemporary look while marble is hard, heavy, heat-resistant, high-solubility, and can be seamlessly craved into elegance but needs sealing since non-porous and can be easily corroded.
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
