<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-05-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001009672</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CARBO CERAMICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CRR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001662888</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilks Brothers, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>17010 IH 20</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76437</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Remarks</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001641792</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilks Dan H.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>17010 IH 20</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76437</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001641796</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilks Staci</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>17010 IH 20</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76437</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001641794</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilks Farris</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>17010 IH 20</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76437</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrant</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.91</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-05-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>251608</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>251608</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>523022</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Put Option (obligation to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-12-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6275</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-06-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>627500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6275</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Warrant is owned directly by Wilks Brothers, LLC. On March 2, 2017, in connection with entry into a credit agreement, the Issuer issued a Warrant (the &quot;Warrant&quot;) to Wilks Brothers, LLC. Subject to the terms of the Warrant, the Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase up to 523,022 shares of the Common Stock, at an exercise price of $14.91 per share, payable in cash. Until receipt of stockholder approval, the holder of the Warrant shall not be entitled to exercise the Warrant to the extent that the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased upon such exercise, plus the number of shares of Common Stock purchased on any prior exercise of the Warrant, exceeds 271,414 shares of Common Stock.  On May 19, 2017, the Issuer announced it obtained the stockholder approval at a meeting of its stockholders held on May 16, 2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On December 6, 2016, Wilks Brothers sold short 6,325 over the counter market American-style put options referencing 632,500 shares of Common Stock, which have a strike price of $14.00 and expire on June 16, 2017.  On April 27, 2017, 4,600 shares were put to Wilks Brothers, LLC.  On May 1, 2017 an additional 400 shares were put to Wilks Brothers, LLC.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This Form 4 is also being filed by (i) Dan H. Wilks, in his capacity as a managing member of Wilks Brothers, LLC (ii) Farris Wilks, in his capacity as a managing member of Wilks Brothers, LLC and (iii) Staci Wilks.  Dan H. Wilks and Staci Wilks are husband and wife and Dan H. Wilks and Farris Wilks are brothers.  Each Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of all equity securities reported herein except to the extent of its respective pecuniary interest therein, and the filing of this Form 4 shall not be construed as an admission that any such Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of any equity securities covered by this Form 4.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Dan H. Wilks, By: /s/ Morgan D Neff, Morgan D Neff, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-05-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Staci Wilks, By: /s/ Morgan D Neff, Morgan D Neff, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-05-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Farris Wilks, By: /s/ Morgan D Neff, Morgan D Neff, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-05-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>WILKS BROTHERS, LLC, By: /s/ Morgan D Neff, Name: Morgan D Neff, Title: Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-05-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
