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Van Nuys, CAWhere it's in stock
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About
A Brazilian quartzite with a warm cream-to-taupe ground and soft, criss-crossing gold, tan and white veining. Harder than granite and far less porous than marble, it shrugs off the lemon juice and wine that would etch a marble counter.
Specification
What color is Taj Mahal quartzite?
A warm cream to light taupe, with soft gold, tan and white veins that criss-cross rather than run in one direction. It reads beige next to white cabinets and almost white next to dark ones. Color varies lot to lot, and some lots lean greyer, some more golden, so pick from photos of the actual lot, not a catalog shot.
Polished, leathered or honed?
Of the 17,892 Taj Mahal Quartzite slabs in stock with a recorded finish, 46% are polished, 33% leathered and 13% honed. Polished is glossy and shows the color and veining at their deepest. Leathered is brushed to a soft, textured satin (some distributors, MSI among them, call it brushed); it hides fingerprints and water spots and is the finish most kitchens pick for a less formal look. Honed is smooth and matte with no glare and looks a shade lighter; oil marks show more readily on it, so keep it sealed.
Is Taj Mahal quartz or quartzite?
Quartzite: natural stone, cut from a quarry block, so no two slabs match. Quartz countertops are engineered from crushed quartz and resin, and several makers sell quartz designed to look like Taj Mahal (Lumataj, for one, is stocked by dozens of yards in our network). Quartz is uniform and never needs sealing; quartzite takes heat better (resin can scorch) and has the depth of real stone. See Taj Mahal Quartzite vs Quartz, side by side.
How much does Taj Mahal quartzite cost?
Slabby doesn't list prices. Each distributor prices its own slabs, and the price moves with thickness, finish and the lot itself; distributors also sell it in grades, under names like Taj Mahal Classic, Special and Supreme. The installed price (slab, fabrication, edges, installation) comes from your fabricator: save a lot you like and request a quote.
What are the disadvantages of Taj Mahal quartzite?
Cost: it usually prices above common granite and most quartz, and it is hard enough that fabricators cut it slower and wear through more tooling, which shows up in the installed price. Variation: lots differ in tone and veining, so a matching slab for a later job may not exist. Upkeep: it needs an occasional seal, unlike quartz. Edges: thin, sharp edges and corners can chip, so an eased or rounded edge holds up better. And not everything sold as quartzite is equally hard; Taj Mahal is a true quartzite, but ask for an offcut from your lot and test it with lemon juice and a knife tip before you buy.
How do you clean and seal Taj Mahal quartzite?
Wipe it with warm water and a little dish soap, or a pH-neutral stone cleaner. A Clorox wipe now and then won't etch the stone, but bleach and acidic cleaners used every day wear the sealer down; to disinfect, use 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. Seal by test, not by calendar: many slabs arrive resined from the factory, and dense lots may rarely need it. Drip some water on the counter, and if it darkens the stone within 10 to 15 minutes, it's time to seal. Use trivets for hot pans: the stone takes the heat, but the resin in its fissures and the sealer on top can discolor.
What cabinets and colors go with Taj Mahal quartzite?
With white or cream cabinets it reads warm beige and the room stays soft and light. With navy, deep green, charcoal or black cabinets it reads nearly white and the veining stands out. Natural wood (white oak, walnut) picks up the tan in the veins. Sage green and charcoal work too. For hardware, brushed brass echoes its gold veins; brushed nickel and matte black keep it cooler. Lots vary, so hold the actual slab, or a photo of it, against your door color first.
Alternatives to Taj Mahal Quartzite
The closest match: the same warm cream ground and soft veining, a little lighter in many lots. MSI even lists it as another name for Taj Mahal.
677 slabs at 84 yards
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