Textures & Finishes

Polished finish
 

if you want a refined glossy surface of your natural stone tiles, then this finish is exactly what you need. The shine comes from using abrasive materials, such as polishing bricks or powders during fabrication. It highlights the natural colors and grains of the stone and makes the surface reflective. This type of finish is suitable for almost all kind of stones and in our shop, you can find a variety of polished marble, limestone, travertine, and granite. Some of the disadvantages of this finish is that it wears away by foot traffic, requires regular maintenance and makes the surface quite slippery. A plus is that it can be applied to stones used both as interior and exterior tiles. 
 

Honed finish 
 

it is a finish that makes the surface of natural stone smooth and matted, without or with limited reflection of light. The same method and abrasive materials are used to achieve this finish as in polished finish, but polishing stops at an earlier stage and the stone is not buffed. The surface has a lighter shade, but the overall color and depth of the stone are preserved. Tiles are smooth but quite porous and should be sealed. For our clients we offer travertine tiles that are honed and filled. In general, this type of finish can be applied to different stones and is preferred for locations with heavy traffic, such as floors, stairs, thresholds. We offer a great variety of honed tiles both for interior and exterior purposes – marble, slate, limestone, travertine, granite. 
 

Brushed finished
 

The roughness of the surface is formed by means of metal brushes that take away the softest particles of the stone. Certain force should be applied to achieve the desired result. The stone tile is not slippery and looks a bit worn-out. This finish resembles the more popular antique and leather finishes and can be found under the name bush finish as well. 
 

Flamed finish 
 

This is a rough textured surface that is achieved by heat and that is why it is also called thermal finish. A blowtorch is used to heat the stone at very high temperature, which makes the crystals in it to pop. The stone is then rapidly cooled. The process affects the color and some gold or yellow stones will become of a more reddish color as a result of the flamed finish. The tiles with such finish are rough, non-slippery but quite porous and are suitable mainly for floors, both as interior and exterior material. Granite and sandstone typically have this type of finish and you can find them at our shop too. 
 

River Wash Finish
 

 This is a new type of surface that, unlike flamed or honed finishes, allows the stone to keep its color and thickness. It makes the tiles non-slippery, while maintaining the natural qualities of the stone. 

Tumbled finish 
 

Using sand, pebbles and water to tumble the surface of the stone in order to create an aged appearance. It is a finish that can be applied to variety of stones to give them the impression that they have been walked on for centuries.
 

Sandblasted finish 
 

It is a textured surface with matte gloss that is achieved by blasting the stone surface with pressurized sand water. The tile looks slightly scratched but feels nice when touched. The colors are a bit dull. This type of finish is usually applied to sandstone and is one of the finishes you can choose for our exterior London Pavement sandstone tiles. This finish can also be found under the name grit blasted finish. 
 

Antique finish 
 

This surface can be achieved by machines that resemble commercial washing machines for smaller items or by first flaming and then using abrasives to brush the surface of larger items. It gives a worn look to the stone and also stimulates its further aging over time. The antique finish is quite popular as it makes the stone look more attractive, while also enhancing its durability. You can find it also as vintage finishing. For our customers we provide antiqued limestone, travertine and granite tiles. 
 

Leather finish 
 

This is a process very similar to the antique finishing, which is used mainly for granite and marble. The idea is the surface to look less glossy and to be easily cleaned and maintained. Very suitable for counter tops. You can get our Black extra granite tiles with a leather finish.