Marble

Alabama White

Alabama White is a US-American marble from Sylacauga, Alabama, with a bright white ground tone and a fine, calmly drawn grey cloud and vein structure. Polishable and proven in architecture and monumental building since the nineteenth century — used for book-matched wall surfaces, bathrooms, floor areas and prestige interiors.

Marble United States Frostbeständig 2.715 kg/m³

Available as: Tiles and flooring slabs

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About Alabama White

Alabama White is one of the best-known American white marbles. Its ground tone moves between bright white and a cool ivory white, crossed by fine grey clouds and horizontally flowing vein lines. The slab is calm and legible for the specifier — not a dramatic veining as in Calacatta, but a subtle, atmospheric movement that gives pale rooms depth without pushing itself into the foreground. It is precisely this quietness that makes the stone interesting for book-matched wall claddings, prestige bathrooms, stairs, floor areas and classic interiors — wherever a timelessly pale marble look is called for.

Technical data

Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.

Rohdichte 2.715 kg/m³

Druckfestigkeit 86,0 MPa

Biegezugfestigkeit 16,3 MPa

Wasseraufnahme 0,54 %

Frostbeständig Ja

Säurebeständig Nein

Suitability by application

Suitable with limitations

Küche & Arbeitsplatten △ Limited

Finishes

Alabama White is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.

Poliert

Politur ist die klassischste Veredelung für Marmor und Kalkstein — eine glänzende Oberfläche mit höchstmöglicher Farbintensität und ausgeprägter Tiefenwirkung der Aderung. Je nach mineralischer Zusammensetzung kann die Wirkung stellenweise mattglänzend sein. Säureempfindlich — Wein, Zitrone und Essig hinterlassen Ätzspuren bei längerer Einwirkung.

Care & fabrication

Alabama White is an acid-sensitive marble. Wine, lemon juice, vinegar, cola, bathroom cleaners or descalers leave etch marks on the polished surface — visible as matt shadows or a loss of gloss. On such a pale stone, changes of this kind are visually particularly conspicuous.

For all applications, sealing on a silane or polysiloxane basis is mandatory. It prevents water, oil and dyes from penetrating and reduces staining — but it does not remove the acid sensitivity. On polished surfaces we recommend refreshing the sealer every 1-2 years. On pale marble the sealer is doubly important: a single drop of olive oil or red wine that seeps through can remain as a permanent dark stain.

Routine care is with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a soft microfibre cloth. Avoid vinegar cleaners, cement haze removers, acidic bathroom cleaners and strongly alkaline products. Wine, coffee, oil, lemon juice or coloured cosmetic products should not be left to act for long on polished surfaces — wipe up immediately and wipe over with clear water.

For kitchen worktops, Alabama White is suitable only with reservations — acids from everyday cooking can leave a visible patina. Anyone who loves the calm pale material appearance and accepts patina as character can use the material. Anyone who needs maximum everyday security should choose a pale quartzite such as Chantilly.

For openly weathered polished external surfaces the material is suitable only with reservations. In sheltered external positions with matter finishes and proper installation, Alabama White is possible under moderate loading.

Frequently asked questions

Is Alabama White suitable for a kitchen?

With reservations. As an acid-sensitive marble with a compressive strength of 85-87 MPa, it works as a kitchen worktop only where patina is accepted, sealing is consistent and acids are removed immediately. Anyone who loves the calm pale material appearance and accepts patina as character is right with Alabama White. For carefree pale kitchen worktops we recommend a pale quartzite such as Chantilly.

What finishes are available in Alabama White?

The finishes currently available from stock are listed in the »Finishes« block on this page.

Where does Alabama White come from?

Alabama White comes from the quarries around Sylacauga in the US state of Alabama, south-east of Birmingham. The Sylacauga marble beds are among the oldest US-American marble occurrences — industrial quarrying has been running since the nineteenth century. Internationally the material also runs under the trade names Sylacauga White Marble and Alabama White Venato.

Which famous buildings were built with Alabama White?

Alabama White is one of the most important US-American architectural marbles and was used, among other places, for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, the US Capitol as well as numerous banks, churches and public buildings in the USA. Its calm veining and high polishability have made it the first choice for classic architecture and monumental building for decades.

How do I clean and care for Alabama White?

Sealing is mandatory — particularly important on pale marbles. Daily care with a pH-neutral natural stone cleaner and a microfibre cloth. Consistently avoid acidic cleaners, descalers, vinegar and citric acid. Wipe up wine, coffee or oil immediately — on pale polished marble, discolouration becomes visible quickly.

Is Alabama White frost-resistant and suitable for external use?

In sheltered external positions with matter finishes and proper installation, Alabama White is possible under moderate loading. Openly weathered polished external surfaces are durable only with reservations — the polish loses its gloss over the years.

Alabama White or Bianco Carrara — which suits better?

Both are acid-sensitive white marbles with a similar care requirement. Bianco Carrara from the Apuan Alps typically shows a more distinct grey veining — the classic Renaissance marble. Alabama White reads as brighter and with calmer cloudy movement — a timelessly American variant. For a classic Italian character, Bianco Carrara; for calm pale rooms, Alabama White.