Engineered stone is a composite material made of crushedstone bound together by an adhesive, (most commonly polymer resin, with some newer versions using cement mix). The two common stones used inproducing these products are marble and quartz. The application of these products depends on the original stone used. For engineered marbles the most common application is indoor flooring and walls, while the quartz based product is used primarily for kitchen countertops. Related materials include geopolymers and cast stone.Unlike terrazzo, the material is factory made in either blocks or slabs, cut and polished byfabricators, and assembled at the worksite.

Quartz is a much harder material. The Mohs scale of marble is roughly 3, where as quartz are usually at 7. This makes them much more resistant to scratching, however it also makes re-polishing and general processing of them a more difficult task, which is why they are most commonly used for kitchen counter tops, where the value added through processing can offset their considerably higher cost.

Engineered quartz is widely used in the developed world for counter tops, window sills, and floor and wall coverings.

The vast majority of engineered stone companies are located in Greater China, India, and its birthplace in Italy.