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MSI Countertops
One flagship quartz brand, a large-format porcelain line, a five-stone natural range, and budget options like engineered marble and prefab tops — all from a single supplier. MSI sells only through dealers, so who cuts and sets your slab matters. We do all of it across the northwest Chicago suburbs, never a subcontractor.
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Lifetime Q Quartz residential warranty
1 In-house crew, no subs
100+ Q Quartz designs
1975 Supplying surfaces since
A distributor, not a store — which shapes how you shop
MSI, short for M S International, is a family-owned surface distributor founded in 1975. It runs more than 40 showrooms across North America but does not sell to the public directly. For countertops it supplies Q Premium Natural Quartz, its engineered quartz brand; Stile porcelain slabs; and natural stone in granite, marble, quartzite, travertine, and soapstone
It also makes recycled Venetian engineered marble, prefab countertops, vanity tops, and sinks. You reach all of it through a dealer who cuts and installs — which is where ArtLine comes in. We take you to the slabs, then cut and set them in your kitchen or bath. One supplier can furnish a whole kitchen and a matching outdoor bar.
The surfaces we sell & install
What each MSI line does best
Several very different materials from one supplier. Here is where each one earns its place in your home.
Q Premium Natural Quartz
MSI's best-known countertop line, made from ground quartz combined with resins, pigments, and minerals. Nonporous, never needs sealing, and rates 7 to 8 on the Mohs scale — a notch above most granite. More than 100 designs span marble-looks, granite- looks, concrete-looks, and solid tones, with favorites like Calacatta Miraggio Gold, Calacatta Alto, and Carrara Breve. Two step-up tiers add realism: LumaLuxe changes how light plays off the surface, and Q+ uses high-definition printing for finer veining.
Two honest notes: Q slabs come from over 25 suppliers worldwide — the domestic Q Studio slabs from MSI's plant in Latta, SC run the most consistent. And Q is indoor-only: it isn't heatproof (high heat discolors the resin, so trivets aren't optional), and outdoor use voids the warranty.
Slab price
$60–$100 / sq ft
Warranty
Lifetime residential
Sealing
Never
Best for
Indoor only
Tiers
Stile
MSI's large-format porcelain slab, made for the jobs quartz handles poorly. It comes in 6mm and 12mm panels that resist UV, heat, and scratches — a strong pick for both indoor and outdoor kitchens, and commercial spaces too. Because porcelain is nonporous and light, it also suits waterfall island edges and tall backsplashes with very few joints. Stile is GREENGUARD Gold certified for indoor air quality, never needs sealing, and carries its own MSI warranty.
Price
By design / project
Panels
6mm & 12mm
Rated for
Indoor + outdoor
Certified
GREENGUARD Gold
Great for
Natural stone
The deepest part of the MSI range, one of the widest catalogs in the country — and the company travels for it, with Italian marble, Brazilian granite and soapstone, and Indian quartzite in the mix. Every slab is unique, and MSI stocks bookmatched pairs that mirror the veining across a big island. All of it wants more upkeep than quartz.
Granite
Hard, heat-tolerant, sun-safe for outdoor use. Sealed about yearly.
Quartzite
A marble look with granite-level hardness, also outdoor-friendly.
Marble
Classic veining, softer and prone to etching — wants more care.
Travertine
Warm, textured limestone; porous, best kept sealed.
Soapstone
Non-porous and very heat-resistant; oiled, not sealed, and deepens over time.
Beyond the slab
Engineered marble, prefab, tops & sinks
MSI also covers the pieces around the main countertop, which helps when you want one supplier for a whole kitchen and bath.
Venetian engineered marble
Recycled marble pressed and heated into a slab — the marble look with more durability, at a fraction of the cost. Four colors including Bianco Venato and Polar White.
Prefab countertops
Cut to common sizes with matching backsplashes, in stone or Q Quartz — a faster path for smaller jobs.
Vanity tops & sinks
Bathroom vanity tops, plus stainless steel and ceramic sinks to finish the room.
What they cost
How much do MSI countertops cost?
MSI sells wholesale and sets no retail price itself, so every quote starts with the material and adds cutting and installation on top. As a rough guide for the Chicago suburbs:
Surface
Material / sq ft
Notes
Q Quartz
$60–$100
Slab only; cutting & install added. Marble-looks cost more than solids
Stile porcelain
By design
Priced per project — we quote it for your layout
Natural stone (5 types)
By the slab
Granite, marble, quartzite, travertine, soapstone — priced per slab
Venetian engineered marble
Budget
MSI's marble look, priced below natural marble
≈
A typical suburban kitchen of 30 to 45 sq ft lands in the low-to-mid four figures installed. MSI sits in the value-to-mid part of the market, usually under single-source premium brands like Cambria. We quote the full number after measuring — nothing surprises you at the end.
Which fits your kitchen?
Q Quartz vs porcelain vs natural stone
It comes down to upkeep, heat, and whether you want a repeatable look or a one-of-a-kind slab.
Pick
Q Quartz
For a low-maintenance indoor kitchen with consistent color and the widest palette.
Pick
Stile porcelain
For outdoor counters, sunny spots, or thin waterfall edges with very few joints.
Pick
Granite / quartzite
For real stone and better heat tolerance, with yearly sealing as the trade-off.
No single winner.
MSI even runs a dedicated outdoor countertop line in granite, quartzite, and Stile porcelain. Plenty of our Buffalo Grove kitchens pair Q Quartz indoors with a porcelain or granite outdoor bar. There's only the surface that suits the room — we'll help you match it.
Why the shop matters more than the label
With a distributor brand, the crew you hire decides how the material performs
MSI quality depends on slab selection as much as the brand name — those 25-plus suppliers don’t all cut to the same standard. A domestic Q Studio slab runs more consistent than an off-brand import, and a weak spot near a sink cutout is where quartz cracks months later.
Every slab inspected
We inspect each MSI slab on delivery and send back anything that misses the mark before a single cut.
One in-house crew
The same team handles the cabinets and the countertop, so the support under your cutouts is done right.
Warranty kept intact
MSI’s warranty applies only when an authorized installer sets the material to spec — correct installation is what keeps your coverage.
The honest picture
Pros and cons of MSI countertops
✓
Pros
5 reasons to choose it
✓
Value-to-mid pricing, often below single-source premium quartz.
✓
One supplier for quartz, porcelain, five natural stones, engineered marble, prefab tops, and sinks.
✓
Quartz and porcelain are nonporous and never need sealing.
✓
Q Quartz and Stile porcelain are GREENGUARD Gold certified for indoor air.
✓
Budget paths too, from recycled Venetian engineered marble to prefab tops.
!
Cons
5 things to plan for
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MSI sells only through dealers, so pricing comes from your installer, not MSI.
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Slab consistency varies because MSI sources from 25-plus suppliers.
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Q Quartz is not heatproof, and high heat can discolor the resin.
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Q Quartz is indoor-only, and outdoor use voids the warranty.
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Marble, travertine, and soapstone each need their own upkeep.
See them in person
Visit our Buffalo Grove showroom
We keep Q Quartz and porcelain samples at the showroom and can pull full MSI slabs for you to review before you decide. Countertops are easiest to choose in person — come see the finishes in real light.
Address
791 S Buffalo Grove Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Hours
Mon–Sat, 10am–6pm
We serve
Buffalo Grove
Wheeling
Arlington Heights
Palatine
Vernon Hills
Lake Forest
Get In Touch
We keep Silestone, Dekton, and Sensa samples on hand, with Ēclos arriving as stock reaches us. Countertops are easiest to choose in person — come see the finishes in real light.
FAQs About MSI Countertops
What countertop products and materials does MSI offer?
MSI supplies Q Premium Natural Quartz, Stile large-format porcelain, a five-stone natural range (granite, marble, quartzite, soapstone and travertine), plus Venetian recycled engineered marble, prefab countertops, vanity tops and sinks. One supplier covers a whole kitchen and bath.
Is MSI quartz good quality?
Yes. Q Quartz is non-porous, never needs sealing, and rates 7 to 8 on the Mohs scale — a notch above most granite. Two honest notes: Q slabs come from over 25 suppliers worldwide, and the domestic Q Studio slabs from MSI’s plant in Latta, South Carolina run the most consistent.
What are MSI's most popular Q Quartz colors?
The Q Quartz range covers more than 100 designs, with marble-look whites and Calacatta patterns the most requested. We pull current samples at the showroom so you can compare veining side by side rather than from a screen.
Where is MSI Q Quartz made?
Q Quartz is sourced from more than 25 suppliers worldwide. The domestic Q Studio slabs are produced at MSI’s plant in Latta, South Carolina, and those run the most consistent from slab to slab.
Does MSI offer granite and marble countertops?
Yes. Natural stone is the deepest part of the MSI range and one of the widest catalogs in the country — Italian marble, Brazilian granite and soapstone, and Indian quartzite among them. Every slab is unique, so we recommend viewing the actual slab before it is cut.
Does MSI make an affordable marble alternative?
Yes — Venetian engineered marble. Recycled marble is pressed and heated into a slab, giving the marble look with more durability at a fraction of the cost. It comes in four colors including Bianco Venato and Polar White.
What is Stile porcelain?
Stile is MSI’s large-format porcelain slab, made for the jobs quartz handles poorly. It comes in 6mm and 12mm panels that resist UV, heat and scratches, which makes it a strong pick for indoor and outdoor kitchens as well as commercial spaces.
Where can you buy MSI countertops?
MSI sells only through dealers, never direct to the public. You reach the full range through an installer like ArtLine — we take you to the slabs, then cut and set them with our own crew across the northwest Chicago suburbs.
Can you put a hot pan on MSI quartz?
No. Q Quartz is not heatproof; high heat discolors the resin, so trivets stay on the counter. If you want a surface that takes hot pans directly, Stile porcelain is the line to choose.
Can MSI quartz be used outdoors?
Q Quartz is indoor-only. For outdoor kitchens and sunny rooms, Stile porcelain is the MSI surface built for it — it resists UV, heat and scratches.
Does MSI quartz need sealing?
No. Q Quartz is non-porous and never needs sealing; mild soap and water is all it asks. Natural stone lines are different and are typically sealed about once a year.
Is MSI quartz safe, and does it contain silica?
The finished countertop in your home is inert and safe. Crystalline silica is a risk for the workers who cut and polish engineered stone, not for the homeowner — which is why cutting is done with wet tools and proper dust control by our own trained crew.
What does the MSI warranty cover, and how do I keep it?
Q Quartz carries a lifetime residential warranty. Warranty claims most often fail over installation and heat damage rather than defective slabs, so keep trivets on the counter and have the work done by a crew that registers the material properly.
Is MSI quartz cheaper than granite or brands like Silestone?
MSI generally sits below premium single-source brands on price while offering a much wider catalog. Q Quartz runs roughly $60–$100 per square foot installed; granite varies by slab. We quote the exact number after measuring.
How much do MSI countertops cost in the Chicago suburbs?
Installed, Q Quartz runs about $60–$100 per square foot and Stile porcelain is priced by design and project. Natural stone is priced by the slab. A typical suburban kitchen of 30 to 45 square feet lands in the low-to-mid four figures for material and installation together.