What is the Difference
If you’ve been looking at a marble material for your counter space, island, or flooring, you may be a little confused with the terms Carrara marble or Calacatta marble. Are they the same thing? No. Both Carrara and Calacatta marbles are very similar easily confusing. Ironically, most of the Calacatta in Italy comes from a place called Carrara. It’s sort of laughable. But below, we will be going over the differences between Carrara and Calacatta marble and show a few images visually seeing the differences.
The Main Differences Of Calacatta and Carrara Marble
Two of the main differences in Carrara and Calacatta marble is that the Carrara is usually a muddy white base. Meaning, the background color of the Carrara tends to have a more grayish tone , than white. On the other hand, Calacatta tends to have a purer white background. The other difference is that Carrara will have softer gray veining and usually Calacatta will have a thicker gray vein running through it. The differences are actually quite difficult to tell to the untrained eye. We recommend you contact an expert in the field such as this Interior Designer. Here are two very distinct images so you can see the differences in terms of the background color and the marble veining.
Carrara
Calacatta
These two examples are a little more obvious, but once you get them into your home, they are harder to tell apart. Sometimes, as the pictures above shows, Calacatta can also have a goldish tone of veining running through them. This is a specific type aptly named Calacatta Gold.
What are the Costs of Carrara and Calacatta?
Out of the two types, the Calacatta is actually the rarer material. Hard-to-get materials or products, are always going to be more expensive. Calacatta is much rarer and therefore it’s more expensive of the two. Generally speaking, when you look at marble, the whiter the background the more expensive it’s going to be because it tends to be a purer material. Obviously, price is going to be dependent on where you live, but also the size of your space and how much is needed i.e. flooring, backsplash, windowsills, etc.
Where does one buy Carrara Marble and Calacatta Marble?
When buying Carrara you have three options. You can either buy it from online store (which it is not recommended), or you can important it directly from Italy (expensive) or you can go to a showroom with a knowledgeable designer to purchase it. Each one has its benefits. An online store can have a lot of variations – do your homework. see the marble in person before buying. Importing is going to be really expensive, but if you’ve got the money to do so, go for it. Going to a showroom to purchase will give you a proper perspective. It will also give you the ability to feel and see the natural stone, in person. Possibly taking a sample home and live with it for a little bit to make sure you like it.
What are the benefits of Carrara and Calacatta Marble? It’s called Etching…
It doesn’t matter which option you choose for marble flooring. Using Carrara and Calacatta in your home is a sound decision. Over time, the marble will etch and age– it adds character and it’s part of its charm. If you don’t want this to happen quickly, put it in a room and area where it won’t be an issue right away, like in the bathroom. On the other hand, if you really don’t mind the etching and aging showing, by all means, place it on your counters, as a natural stone flooring, kitchen islands or even as a backsplash. The etching and aging are inevitable, so you might as well put it where you can really enjoy it. If you do use marble flooring in your kitchen, consider a honed marble tile rather than a polished tile. Both are susceptible to etching and aging, but it’s more visible on the polished marble than on the honed marble. The honed tiles hide it better.
Let us know what you love about Carrara or Calacatta marble by leaving a message in the comments!
Websites To Visit: lifehacker.com : ebaumsworld.com : tilemarkets.com : Allaboutinteriors.org
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