Pietra Calacatta installed — a backsplash finished with this tile. Zoom in and read the pattern before you pick.
PorcelainPietra Calacatta
White-Cool
- Style marble
- Color cool white
- tile-to-tile variation V2
Sizes and finishes
How it is actually sold — measured off the spec sheet, not rounded.
Sizes
Pietra Calacatta is made in 5 sizes. Size is the decision people skip and then notice every day: it sets how much grout line ends up in the field, and a larger module on the same wall reads calmer than a small one.
- 12x24
- 24x24
- 2x2
- 2x4
- 3x18 BullNose
Planning the wall
What Pietra Calacatta works out to on your wall, from its own published sizes.
| Size (inches) | Pieces per 10 sq ft | Grout line per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 12×24 | 5 | 1.5 ft |
| 24×24 | 2.5 | 1 ft |
| 2×2 | 360 | 12 ft |
| 2×4 | 180 | 9 ft |
Arithmetic on the published size; a straight grid layout. Herringbone and other patterns cut more pieces.
Between its 4 sizes, the piece count on a 10-square-foot wall runs from about 2.5 (24×24) to about 360 (2×2).
12×24 · 24×24 are large-format — any edge of 15 inches or more — and large-format tile needs a flatter wall than small tile does, so we check the wall before we quote it.
The spec sheet lists it as rectified: the edges are ground square after firing, which is what lets the joints run tight and straight.
Counts are before cuts — outlets, window returns and the ends of a run all take pieces. The install itself, from wall prep to caulk, is on our backsplash installation page.
Where it works
The applications this surface is actually rated for.
Pietra Calacatta carries a rating for flooring, at all of it at commercial duty.
Rated for
- Flooring — residential and commercial
Pietra Calacatta or Carrara?
Pietra Calacatta and Carrara are easy to confuse on a sample board: they share the same material, style, glaze type, PEI rating, certifications, edge and color listing. What separates them:
- Pietra Calacatta is made in 12x24, 24x24, 2x2, 2x4 and 3x18 BullNose; Carrara in 12x24, 24x24, 2X2 Hexagon, 2x2, 2x4, 3x18 and 3x18 BullNose.
- Measured off each swatch, Pietra Calacatta reads #EBE5DE (very light, essentially neutral) and Carrara reads #9A9C98 (mid-light, essentially neutral), so Pietra Calacatta sits lighter than Carrara on the wall.
- Pietra Calacatta lists shade variation V2; Carrara lists V3.
What to expect once it is installed
The ratings that decide whether the finished wall matches the sample.
Shade variation: V2 — slight variation
Expect a little movement piece to piece — enough to look like a natural material, not enough to plan around.
Wear rating: PEI 3
Its abrasion class is PEI 3 of a possible 5, meaning walls, counters and normal residential floors — the usual rating for a kitchen.
Certifications
What it holds: Greenguard Gold · USGBC/LEED. Gold is not a marketing tier — it caps what the material is allowed to give off indoors, measurably lower than the base certification. It earns LEED credit as well, where a project is counting them.
What to put next to it
Built from the color we measured off Pietra Calacatta itself, not from its name.
Forget the name for a moment. The swatch measures #EBE5DE — very light and essentially neutral — which puts it nearest Cream / Antique White in our pairing data. It reads as a neutral, so it will sit behind whatever else you choose instead of competing with it.
Cabinets
- Sage Green — muted green loves creamy warmth. Against this surface it is a step darker — enough separation to read as two materials solid
Countertop
- Green / Dramatic Veined Stone — dramatic green stone over quiet cream boxes. Against this surface it is much darker than this surface, so the tile reads as the light element current
Island
- Walnut — Cream perimeter cabinets let a walnut island play the furniture piece, and cream forgives the slow amber shift walnut takes on in a sunny room.. Against this surface it is much darker than this surface, so the tile reads as the light element classic
Backsplash
- Terracotta / Clay — Cream cabinets give terracotta tile room to glow instead of shout — the pairing ages like a Marseille farmhouse, better every year the glaze crazes.. Against this surface it is a step darker — enough separation to read as two materials current
Steer away from
- Pure White — cream next to pure white makes the cream look dirty — pick one white family
More to compare
Other backsplash tiles that sit close to Pietra Calacatta.
Questions about Pietra Calacatta
Answered from this product’s own spec sheet and our measurement of it.
What size is Pietra Calacatta?
Pietra Calacatta comes in 5 sizes: 12x24 · 24x24 · 2x2 · 2x4 · 3x18 BullNose. Pick the size before the color. It decides how much grout line ends up in the field, and on the same wall a larger module reads calmer than a small one.
Where can I use Pietra Calacatta?
Its maker rates it for flooring. We hold to that rating when we quote — installing outside it is how a warranty claim gets denied.
Will the tiles match the sample I saw?
Pietra Calacatta is rated V2 — slight variation. Clearly the same tile throughout, with small differences in tone that most people stop noticing once it is grouted.
Can Pietra Calacatta go on a floor?
Yes. At PEI 3 it is rated for normal residential floors as well as walls and counters — the usual rating for a kitchen.
What color is Pietra Calacatta, really?
We measured its own swatch at #EBE5DE — very light and essentially neutral. It sits close to neutral, so it takes direction from the cabinets rather than fighting them. Names are marketing; that number is what the camera saw.
Does Pietra Calacatta need sealing?
No. Porcelain is vitrified almost to zero water absorption. The tile itself never needs sealing; cement grout still benefits from it.
Pietra Calacatta installed
9 photographs of this tile in finished rooms — scroll the rail, tap any shot to zoom.
Close up
Swatches
Pietra Calacatta specifications
- Available size12x24
- Available size24x24
- Available size2x2
- Available size2x4
- Available size3x18 BullNose
Rated for Flooring
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