CARRARA HELP!!!

[CarraraHelp]

Hello,
We are building a house and I was referred to this forum by a counter place in hopes to get as much info as possible on Carrara for kitchen counters. I'm so torn on what to choose. Look wise, Carrara has my heart!! I'm just so darn terrified of it. EVERYONE is telling me not to do it!!! I've been trying to do sooooo much research online and it's just not helping. One minute I have decided without a doubt i'm going to do it, and the next minute i'm thinking am I crazy!?!?! What if I regret this?! I have not actually seen marble in a kitchen in person. ANY help and advice would be greatly appreciated!!! I'm literally losing sleep over this!!

[Alex DiPietro]

Hello,

We are in NY. We install Carrara in kitchens every week. Beautiful material. Make sure its honed. Keep it sealed and cleaned. And have someone refinish it every couple of years. Don't be scared. Marble is so much more beautiful than anything else!

Alex

[Justzack]

what all are your concerns? Carrara is a beautiful stone. I generally tell my customers about it honed if they want a kitchen. You just have to know the basics of what not to do with it. Marble still looks beautiful after normal use. Its just like I was told when I got mt first brand new truck. "go hit it somewhere with a hammer to get rid of the fear of your first ding" and it worked. People seem to think that if you spill something you will have an instant stain. with proper sealing and maintenance it will stay nice. Acids will be what will cause etching which is much less noticeable with it honed. and with the etch removal products out there it is easy to learn how to remove them. If the fabricator is uncomfortable then they have their reasons and maybe they are not the ones to educate you on care. And be careful the internet is full of misinformation. Just because you saw it on the internet does not make it true. Even testimonials about someone having a bad experience maybe they were not properly informed on the care of calcium based stone.

[CarraraHelp]

Thank you for replying. I'm really scared of the scratching and chipping. I think I can live with the etching. And from what understand, staining is not an issue. I have an very active three year old boy and can just see him smashing a metal car on it and it'll be ruined
What is a highly recommended sealer that should be used that's not going to cost an arm and a leg?? Also what is an average price for Carrara honed? Are there different types of Carrara? Can I put hot pans on it? Sorry so many questions. I feel like I'm making a life or death decision

[CarraraHelp]

I'm also concerned as to how they will look in 10 years. Everyone I know has granite. And yes it's beautiful and SUPER durable, but when I see marble my heart skips a beat!

[Andy Ross]

The problem is Americans want everything to be shiny and new forever. Nowhere else in the world do they expect their counters to look brand new. It's kind of a symbol of honor to have counters that are worn with a nice patina. It shows that you spend time with your friends and family
and have a good time.

Get honed, Seal it well, expect it to wear.

[CarraraHelp]

Hi Andy,believe it or not, I'm in the Kalamazoo area!

[Mark Meriaux]

I hope the previous posts have helped to talk you down from the ledge. The main issues living with white marble countertops are etching from acidic solutions and scratches from abrasion. Here are a couple articles that might ease your mind about using marble. Impregnating sealers protect against stains, but not against acid etching. You'll learn to be careful with citrus, vinegars, etc. (use cutting boards, a mat, or over the sink). Your child's toy car is not likely to cause scratches, but cutting directly on the marble with a heavy knife might. Please post any additional questions you might have and folks here will try and answer them.

Getting to Know Your White Stones by Karin Kirk

How I Learned Not to Be Intimidated by My Marble Floors by Teresa Meek (much of this info applies to countertops).

[CarraraHelp]

Thank you everyone. I really hope I make the right decision. Any other info is still greatly appreciated

[Mark Meriaux]

More reading.......there's a link to this in the first article I referenced, but it directly addresses personality types and choosing the right stone.

What's Your Stone Personality? by Karin Kirk

[Andy Ross]

Well I have to recommend Rock Solid Surfaces then if you're in the area Seriously though, come in sometime and we can talk about it. We just installed a four slab Carrera kitchen last month. Get good info...make good decisions.

[BellaTerra]

Andy at Rock Solid will take good care of you. He's a long time SFA member and knows his stuff.

We have Carrara in part of our kitchen actually as a coffee bar. We've had plenty of coffee spills and scratches and it really just adds to the beauty and character. Everyone who sees it loves it! We went honed on the finish and recommend that everyone but some still go with polished. It's your choice of course just don't expect it to stay shiny and new if you plan on using your kitchen.

[Dan R.]

I have polished Carrara in my kitchen, 14 years now. Some etching, some character, but still beautiful.

[CarraraHelp]

Thank you everyone. I'll come check out Rock Solid Surfaces.

Dan can you post pictures of your counters please? Thank you!