Calacatta marble
Calacatta is the white marble with wide grey or golden veins. We never order it from a sample. We look at the full slab with you and place the templates on it.
Choosing the slab
Two slabs from the same block can look nothing alike, and a 10 × 10 cm sample tells you almost nothing. We look at the whole slab, at the stockist or in a high-resolution photo, ideally in daylight. The workshop is open on Saturdays from 10am to 4.30pm, a good time to come and talk it through. We also check availability first, as it's not a marble we always have in stock.
Vein matching
On a waterfall island we try to carry the vein from the top down the sides, as on our waterfall island. A mirrored splashback (bookmatch) needs two consecutive slabs from the block. A slab is often around 3 m by 1.8 to 2 m, and a 2.8 m island with two 90 cm drops uses nearly one on its own. We keep strong veins away from the sink cut-out, where the stone is weakest.
Thickness
2 cm on continuous units, 3 cm for an island or a breakfast bar overhang. A mitred edge gives the look of a solid block without the weight.
In a kitchen
It's a marble like Carrara, hardness 3, and lemon marks it the same way. In a kitchen we'd steer you towards honed, because polished Calacatta behind a sink shows marks against the light very quickly. Quartz "Calacatta look" copes better with acids, but its vein doesn't always run through the thickness and you see it on the corner of an island.
Care
Neutral soap, never vinegar, reseal when water stops beading. Some golden veins can rust slightly if the stone stays wet, so wipe a vanity top after use.
See also stone kitchen islands, splashbacks and Statuario. To talk it over, call 07 45 20 76 39.
Frequently asked questions
Another question? Call the workshop: 07 45 20 76 39
What is a bookmatch?
Two consecutive slabs from the same block laid as a mirror image, so the veins meet across the joint.
Is Calacatta fine for a family kitchen?
If you accept that acids will patinate it, yes. Honed and sealed, the marks show far less.
How many slabs for a kitchen?
It depends on lengths and the vein matches you want. We lay it out on a photo of the slab before buying, which gives the exact number.
Free quote
Send your measurements or a photo of the room and we will call you back. The quote costs nothing.