stone finishes

stone finishes

When thinking about the stone for your project it is important to consider the finish. There are many different ways of dressing the surface of the stone, and each one gives a different look or property to the stone.

Polished stone looks fabulous in most places, but would be inappropriate on floors in areas where water splash occurs due to the risk of slipping. Here, a rougher sand blasted finish would be more suitable.

We give a quick resume of the main types of stone below.

  • A popular finish with a worn and lived-in look which looks great with both classic and contemporary design

  • A brushed finish is coarser than the satinato finish and is achieved by first 'bursting' the surface of the stone using intense heat and then brushing the surface with abrasive brushes. Used to create a more rustic look it can also help to improve the slip resistance of stone used in flooring.

  • Used extensively with travertine to fill the holes that occur naturally in the stone. The filler can be either clear or coloured resin to match the colour of the stone.

  • To achieve a honed finish, the stone is ground using abrasives in the same way as for a polished finish, but the last few fine abrasives are not used, and the stone is left with a smooth matt finish. This is ideal for stones that cannot take a full polish or where a high gloss look is not desired.

  • A polished finish is achieved using finer and finer abrasives until the stone has a deep gloss, and the surface is reflective. Not all stones will take a high polish, and some mineral inclusions in the stone will not polish as deeply as the surrounding stone. Polished stone is usually the easiest to keep clean.

  • Slate is most commonly riven as it is formed in layers and splits easily along the layers to give a very natural textured finish.

  • Sandblasting gives a rough finish and a matte faded look. It's often used around pools and for patios and shower trays where water could cause a slip hazard.

  • A satinato finish is applied with abrasive brushes and imparts a soft textured finish to the stone. It has the added benefit of making the stone look aged.

  • Many travertine floors are supplied unfilled. The holes are then filled with grout of the same colour as the joints when the tiles are laid. A grout colour matched to the stone will provide the most pleasing result.