Dolomite

Dolomite is a carbonate rock — calcium magnesium carbonate rather than the calcium carbonate of a true marble. That single substitution is what makes it harder and more scratch-resistant than marble while leaving it recognisably a carbonate.

Commercially it sits between marble and quartzite, and that in-between position is the whole reason it matters: it is often the answer for a client who wants a marble look on a surface that will see more use than marble tolerates.

Where it performs

• Kitchen countertops where a client wants white-and-grey veining but will not baby the surface
• Vanity tops and bathroom surrounds
• Feature walls and fireplace surrounds
• Interior flooring in residential work

What to watch

• **Naming is unreliable across the trade.** The same stone is sold as marble, as dolomite and as quartzite depending on the supplier. Several well-known white stones are dolomite regardless of the label on the rack. Confirm the family before you specify against it, because the maintenance advice differs.
• It is still a carbonate, so it etches on contact with acid — lemon, vinegar, some cleaners. Harder than marble does not mean immune, and a client told "it's basically quartzite" will be unhappy.
• Seal it. Absorption varies by stone and a light dolomite in a kitchen will show a stain that a darker one hides.
• Test a sample with the actual cleaning products the client uses before committing on a large job.

Finishes

Polished is most common and gives the deepest read on veining. Honed reduces glare and hides etching better than polish, because an etch mark is a change in gloss — on an already matte surface it is far less visible. Leathered is available on some stones and adds texture without the reflectivity.

Thickness

2cm and 3cm. 3cm is the usual specification for countertops; 2cm appears in cladding, in tile and where weight is a constraint.