Besides ultra-refractoriness and favorable mechanical and chemical characteristics, carbides of early transition metals show intrinsic spectral selectivity, making them appealing for high-temperature solar absorber applications. However these kinds of ceramics can be produced using many processing methods resulting in different compositions, density and surface finishing. Thus the present work reports on the systematic study of microstructural, mechanical and optical properties of dense zirconium, hafnium and tantalum carbides as a function of the sintering method (high pressure or pressureless), implying use of 10 or 20 vol% of MoSi2 as sintering aid. The spectral hemispherical reflectance of Zr-, Hf- and Ta-carbides has been measured in the 0.25-16.5 mu m wavelength range and correlated to the surface microstructure and roughness. Room and high temperature fracture strength has been measured as well. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.