Carrara Marble Grades

The family created the office of marble in 1564 to regulate the marble mining industry.

Carrara marble grades. Marble in this classification displays very few geological flaws. The higher quality stones have no holes that need to be filled with epoxy or resin. Since the name of the stone refers to its origins it makes sense that there would be multiple varieties of. Colors are more subtle and veining is more subdued and less dramatic or sharp in appearance.

It has often and erroneously been used to define a huge range of different marbles more than 150 commercial varieties geographically. While most people associate carrara marble with a gray and white stone several types of marble actually are mined at carrara. Marble with the a grade unlike school indicates marble that is not quite as aesthetically appealing as other grades. Some stones such as thassos white marble will only have fill in the lower grades.

Grade a is pure subtly veined marble with few geological flaws. Stones with fill that is not a good match in color to the stone or stones that have large amounts of fill should be avoided. Carrara marble has been used since the time of ancient rome and it was called the luni marble. The quarries of carrara yield several grades of marble that are ranked by builders.

In the 17th and 18th centuries the marble quarries were monitored by the cybo and malaspina families who ruled over massa and carrara. The marble quarries of carrara are famous around the world for their exceptional quality and output of marble. The city of massa in particular saw much of its plan.