Start with the exact surface, not just its name. Compare granite, engineered quartz, quartzite and marble against the care you will actually follow, then confirm the selected product’s installation requirements.
Ask about your countertop project
Your preferred look is one part of the decision. Daily use, sunlight, finish, cleaning habits and expectations about surface marks also matter. Ask for written care instructions for the exact product you would buy.
Granite
Discuss the actual slab and finish rather than assuming all granite needs the same care. The Natural Stone Institute says many granite surfaces can benefit from sealing, while others may not require it; it also describes factory resin treatments on some slabs. Ask what treatment is already present and what, if anything, the supplier recommends next.
Which exact slab, finish and thickness does the quote include?
Does this surface need sealing, and what written care guidance supports that recommendation?
Can I review the slab’s appearance and proposed layout before fabrication?
Compare those answers with the other materials below. Do not treat “natural stone” as a promise of identical appearance or maintenance.
Do not confuse engineered quartz products with natural quartzite. Ask for the manufacturer and product name, installation requirements, approved exposure and written care instructions.
Is this product approved for the intended indoor or outdoor location?
What protection is required around heat?
Which cleaners and warranty exclusions apply?
Quartzite
Ask the supplier to confirm the stone's identity and finish. Natural Stone Institute's educational publication notes that porosity varies and that material labeling can be confusing.
Does this particular stone need a sealer?
What treatment is already present?
What maintenance interval does the supplier recommend for this surface?
Marble
Discuss the response of the specific marble and finish to spills, acidic products and everyday wear. The Natural Stone Institute explains that acid can affect calcareous stone and that sealing does not make stone stain-proof.
Ask to see samples and discuss which changes in appearance you would find acceptable. Do not assume that a sealer eliminates all care requirements or that one cleaner is safe for every stone.
Ask about the actual installation
Ask who determines support, seams, edge details and cutouts. A material comparison is not an engineering assessment. For a sunny or outdoor surface, obtain product-specific approval instead of treating a name or sample as proof of suitability.
No. The Natural Stone Institute describes sealing as improved stain resistance, not stain-proofing, and notes that some stones do not require sealing. Ask the supplier about the specific surface and finish rather than applying one schedule to every material.
Acid sensitivity and staining are different questions. Ask what a cleaner or spill may do to the finish even when a sealer is used. Follow the exact product's care guidance; this page is not a repair prescription.
What should I ask before choosing a surface for a sunny or outdoor space?
Ask for written approval for the exact product, finish and exposure. A showroom sample or a broad material category does not establish outdoor suitability. Record sunlight, weather exposure, nearby heat and intended use for the supplier to evaluate.
How do I turn a material shortlist into a decision?
Use this original decision worksheet to compare the products you actually considered. Leave unknowns visible; do not turn a sales description into a warranty.
Information to collect for each actual product
Your priority
Evidence to request
If unanswered
Appearance
Exact product or slab identity, finish and sample limitations
Keep selection provisional
Maintenance
Written care guidance and sealing advice for this surface
Ask before committing
Location
Approval for the room and exposure you described
Do not assume suitability
Project scope
Thickness, edges, cutouts and installation requirements in the quote