How to spot 'Fake Carrara' and some examples.

We quite often hear from customers that have purchased Carrara marble samples from different companies and ended up with something that has not met their expectations (not even close).  I think the USA is one of the few modern Western countries that does not have some sort consumer protection law or trade description act (like the UK for example: An Act to replace the Merchandise Marks Acts 1887 to 1953 by fresh provisions prohibiting miss-descriptions of goods, services, accommodation and facilities provided in the course of trade).  It is simply Caveat Emptor.  If there was a Trade Description act I would think that some companies calling their Carrara actually Carrara would be illegal.

Carrara marble – true Italian Carrara as in marble from the Italian region of Carrara not Turkish Carrara (which is impossible as there is no region in Turkey called Carrara) which is a play of words to trick the consumer is a Gray/White base with Gray veining and most defiantly not yellow. Fake Carrara is pretty easy to spot.  From China is/has more than 30% yellow (some cases 80% ...

Customer Bathroom completed with Carrara Venato

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This customer placed an order two complete bathrooms – above is the first (the second has basketweave flooring, with 3×6″ on the walls and Hexagon border) for approximately $5,000.  The customer commented below:

“Hi Guys.  I know I’m delayed in getting these to you, but here are pictures of our master bath using your tile (herringbone mosaic, 3×6, 6×12, crown).  Please let me know if the pictures don’t come through.  It is stunning!  I couldn’t be happier.  The only tile that’s not yours is the border tile, which is from Ann Sacks.  As you can see, the Ann Sacks tile is a bit darker — I like your tile better!  I’ll send you pictures of the hall bath in another email.”
 

The products used to complete this bathroom are:

  • Carrara Venato 3×6″ ($7SF)

Buying Carrara Marble Mosaics & Tile easier than ever!

Easy Button – Works on Carrara Tile as well!

Carrara Bianco, Venato Glass or Metal buying online is easier than ever.  Consumers are spending more and more each year in online purchases and are showing with their wallets just how comfortable they are in shopping on the internet. 875 million consumers worldwide have made purchases on the web, up 40% from 627 million two years ago, according to the Nielsen Global Online Survey.

“The Internet is no longer a niche technology-it is mass media and an utterly integrated part of modern life,” says Builder Depot Direct spokesperson. “As our lives become more fractured and cluttered, it isn’t surprising that consumers turn to the unrivalled convenience of the Internet when it comes to ...

$8SF Carrara Large Format 9×18" Subway Tile

Subway Tiles rectangles are increasing in popularity each year. At first it was the simple introduction of 3×6″ Carrara Subway Tiles as a running brick format pattern on the wall. At the end of 2009 and start of the following year the introduction of 4×8″ and then following that the larger format of 6×12″ gained market share.

Subway tile popularity has been fueled by various design formats – magazines show hotel bathrooms looking like the best that a luxery spa has to offer with 6×12″ Carrara Venato installed in a Herringbone format on the floor. Magazine made sure that with regards to Carrara marble tiles it was no longer ‘hip to be square’. Builders Depot Direct has been the market leader in introducing large format Carrara Subway tiles and continues to do so in 2011.