Thank you Liz! I didn’t realize when I posted my question that there were over 175 comments - user error😬. Thanks so much for your help 😇
This is exactly what I needed. I can’t believe that my contractor didn’t go over any of this before install and I had no idea that it was different due to the 2cm vs 3cm and then the veining not on the sides - so you have to miter. Agh. And so we start over next week. 😵‍💫

Good luck! I’m sure you will love it when it’s done.

I am getting a water fall island with calcatta castana. Looking to see what color island people have done with it? Also looking to see if anyone has done white cabinets with calcatta castana and silver handles

Also

How is everyone’s calcatta holding up? I am about to get it installed but scared it will scratch or fade over time and become white

I’ve had mine installed over a year. I am careful about not putting extremely hot things on it or cutting directly on top of it. Mine is still beautiful.

Has there been a scratches? I’m reading it will turn white ?

I was on vacation and just got home. I wanted to look at my countertops closely before I answered. I know countertops are an expensive and stressful decision and I wanted to be thoughtful in my response.

I looked closely for scratches. I did find some in one area. The lip over my recessed sink has several gray scratches. They are noticeable, but I’m not sure I would have noticed them if I wasn’t searching. I’m sure it’s from me washing large pots and not being careful. I’ll post a picture. I don’t see any scratches on the top of the counters and think they are still as beautiful as the day I installed them.

As far as turning white, I haven’t noticed that either. I normally only use dawn soap and hot water to wipe down my counters. On rare occasions, I have used an all purpose cleaner, but not daily. I love to cook and have had a few times where plain soap won’t work; mustard, saffron and beet juice, but normally everything cleans up pretty easily. I also use a quartz spray weekly. I’ll post a picture of this too.

Lastly, it is just my husband and I. My kids are grown and out of the house so I have no little ones being tough on the countertops. I do cook a lot though and love to host big gatherings, so there is lots of use on them. I’m still thrilled with them and wish you the best. Like you, I was very hesitant because it is a newer product. Good luck!

I buy this either on Amazon or at Home Depot and use it weekly.

The little scratches don’t photograph well, but there are several gray scratches from oversized dishes I’ve washed.

@Emlyn Mingrone - what are the sizes of your stacked upper cabinets? The proportion looks nice!

@Liz Jackson - it's so nice of you to continue to monitor this thread and continue to provide help/guidance. The thread has become SO LONG! Q - did you share the details re: the stain that was used on your rift sawn white oak cabinets? I'm finally feeling a bit better - and I'm really anxious to start my kitchen renovation. My other renovations (two bathrooms) were a huge pain - and those should be easier than doing a kitchen. However, every time I see your kitchen (and others on this thread) - it makes me wish that I had started it back when it was initially planned to commence (even though I was having some health issues). I would be enjoying my kitchen now - instead of worrying about what might go wrong during the process!! Plus, I would stop second guessing some of my selections . . .although, I still want rift sawn white oak lowers + island with white double stacked uppers (that hasn't changed in over four years!)

Did you ever find out if your countertop material can be used as a fireplace surround? I bet that would be very pretty.

@mskerrius - while I know you posted your comment on here about three months ago - do you have photos of the 3" mitered edge that they did on your counters? I've seen quite a few people use a thick mitered edge like that on their island - but then use a thinner mitered edge on the perimeter counters (a 3" mitered edge is more expensive - that's why most people limit it to the island only).

Of course, you can't have a 3" mitered edge unless your cabinet maker knows this in advance in order to construct the cabinets to allow for it (or some change is made on-site - with an added underlayment - although that would raise the overall height of the counters once the underlayment + countertop are added). It's odd that they added it without it being requested (+ adding an extra cost for the upgrade).

Lastly, were they able to add your overhang with your 2 cm slab? Many people use 2 cm slabs - they need extra support which may require plywood underlayment on top of cabinets + will require support for the overhang. However, it's odd for them to tell you that you simply cannot use a 2 cm slab. Is your kitchen finished? If so, pls post some photos!

Dani - I don’t believe they added a colored stain to my cabinets. I think they just finished it with a clear top coat of some sort to seal and protect the wood. My cabinet manufacturer did several samples with colored stains and one with just a clear coat. Yours should be happy to do that for you too.

@lizjackson those small scratches should come off with a small drop of bar keepers friend and some scrubbing

Thanks for the suggestion! I can’t wait to try it out!

Thank you Nicholas! It worked like a charm! No more gray scratches!

Its some strong stuff so only use a little bit and make sure you clean the area well afterward.

I just looked at a slab of this quartz today and it had green in the color way - our cabinets are going to be muted sage green- now I am scared that I will be making a mistake with Calcatta castana. Can any of you tell me who have installed this quartz, if you have areas of green in yours?

Hi! I notice that in certain light- the gray comes off almost green. So I understand what you are seeing.

At MSI, the color looked green and I fell in love with my cabinet door next to it

Now what?

Nicholas Higgin posted pictures in this tread on 4/24/25 with green cabinets if you want to look back through the thread, but here is a screenshot.

With green cabinets

I think the green looks good!!

Phew! Thanks for your help- yes, it will work!

I didn't think the Calacatta Castana comes in prefab. Have you asked MSI or a rep? Additionally, prefabs limit you in customization on sizes and edge choices.

I don't think Calacatta Castana is available in prefab. However, you may find some pieces in a fabricator's "graveyard" - but it seems unlikely that you would find enough remnant pieces to do a kitchen (you'd be more likely to find remnants for a bathroom vanity or maybe a small island).

Had anyone used a light light grey paint on the walls with this stone ?

I was excited about this online but the slab in person had too much green for my space. It is truly beautiful, and looks great in all the photos posted, I was just surprised how much green is in the gray. Going with Calacatta Lapiza instead.

We have it and our kitchen is painted in SWRain. There’s barely any “green” in ours. But maybe if I decide to change paint color I can go with a green paint.

Anyone have barstools with backs?

I do.

Me too!

I’ve been so careful about what I use on this quartz. I use Stone Care Quartz Clean and Shine once a week and for daily cleanups I use a washcloth with Dawn detergent. The quartz still looks beautiful. How is everyone disinfecting their quartz after something like raw turkey juice gets on it? I’m worried traditional sprays on counter cleaners may be too harsh. Please let me know what you are occasionally using to sanitize without damaging the quartz.

Is it bad to use Chlorox wipes? I had to recently bc sharpie transferred from the kids water bottle to the counter. It was their name imprinted on my counter!! The wipes took it right off/thankfully!

I had heard it’s best not to use them, but I also have used them on rare occasions.

I am getting calacatta castana and I have kraftmaid rainfall (green color) cabinets. At MSI I also see hues of "green" in the veining... which I like. I am just nervous because I do not hear many people commenting on seeing green. I also do not see green in the beautiful pics that people have shared. I would appreciate any comments or feedback. Thanks so much.

here are a couple pics of it displayed at MSI. Anyone else see hues of green? But more importantly, do you see greens in your slabs? thanks again

We have completed our kitchen with that quartz and Kraftmaid “ muted moss” cabinets

We had our red oak floor restained with a touch of green to pull it all together

Thank you so much. your kitchen looks beautiful.

Thank you- it is small, but we are happy with the results

One more

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! Your cabinets are a beautiful shade of green (muted moss describes the color very well). It looks amazing with your Castana countertops!

I knew that adding green helped cancel out some of the red/pink in red oak - however, your floors do not look like red oak at all (nothing against red oak - I like red oak - but I don't like golden/orange 90s red oak!

It would be great if you could add a photo that shows the whole kitchen - but that may not be possible due to the placement of walls, etc.

Q - is your window ledge covered with Castana also? It looks so thin - I'm not sure what sizes Castana comes in - maybe that's a thin size that is used on walls? It looks beautiful - I have a window ledge that I would want to use my countertop material in also - it's not nearly as large as yours!

Was your brass hood expensive? Not trying to be rude - but I have a friend who really wants one - but her husband hasn't agreed due to the added cost. Did you design it?

One more thing - your kitchen doesn't look small. After all, it's a large enough u-shaped kitchen to be able to have an island in it! Don't compare your kitchen to @Liz Jackson's kitchen - her kitchen would make many other kitchens look small!

Enjoy your new kitchen!!!!💕

Thank you for your kind comments-
Our kitchen literally is 12’ x 13’ .. we took out a peninsula and hanging shelf that divided the room with the great room so it looks larger.
The floor was red oak for 40 years- we had a refinisher lighten it as much as possible- which does not take out all of the “red” unfortunately- so we had him put 4 top coats of green on to blend with cabinets… the name of the Kraftmaid color is muted moss

We ordered the hood from Elite range hood out of California - brushed brass with stainless steel studs and strappings $3500

It is off center and needs to be re hung…

Here is my entire kitchen

Oh my ledge by the window is the original marble that we had there… the castana quartz is only 2 cm” so the edging was very expensive to have mitered thicker with the design btw and to add Ann over hang on our island in two directions was very expensive to create enough strength underneath.
I was an inter designer and now an artist so knowing what I want is a curse!

Your kitchen if gorgeous!!

Thank you Liz- yours is magnificent ❣️

Help, am so frustrated!! My countertops have this “mottling” for lack of what to call it. They were installed about 1 year This popped up a a while ago. I use dawn and water to clean. Anyone have a fix for this?