Our stone comes in a range of finishes for aesthetic or practical effect. In a bathroom, for example, a textured finish will provide better slip resistance; whereas if you are restoring a heritage property, an ageing process such as ‘seasoned’ helps match to existing materials. Please note: these descriptions are only a guide because every stone is unique and reacts to the finishing process differently. GLOSSARY
STONE & TILE TYPES
NATURAL STONE Perfectly imperfect – the beauty of natural stone means that there will be variations from piece to piece. There is no such things as a “perfect” piece of stone, which is what we love most about the unique nature of our products in this collection. LIMESTONE Geology A sedimentary rock mostly formed during the Jurassic period by deposits of shells collecting on the sea-bed and being compressed over time. Key quality Shell and fossil patterns and an infinite range of shades – usually from cream through to yellow, but also encompassing white and black. produces the prominent veins and quartz in the surface of marble is called recrystallization. The vivid colours vary depending on the prevalent minerals in the area from which it is quarried. Key quality Very hard and very smooth, with myriad colour tones and markings that are beautiful and mesmerising to look at. SANDSTONE Geology A sedimentary rock made up of compacted grains of sand, bound together by a secondary mineral such as calcite, clay or silica. Key quality Hardwearing, frost-resistant and low-slip make it ideal for outdoors. SLATE Geology MARBLE Geology The geological process that A fine-grained rock derived from an original sedimentary rock made of clay or volcanic ash.
Key quality The natural, slight undulations in the stone (caused by the way it is split when quarried) give it instant character. The dark colour makes
CERAMIC Ceramic tiles are made using a clay based material that is then decorated with an undercoat. Once this has been applied, a glaze is then poured over the top. Ceramic tiles are typically recommended for use on walls only (unless specified that they can be used on floors) due to their strength. Crackle glaze ceramic tiles will require sealing. GLASS Glass has its own beauty, but can also be transformed by the natural or ambient light with sparkles, reflections and fascinating changes of colour. It’s easy to maintain and non-porous. Some of our mosaics are made up of recycled glass, making it a sustainable choice.
it easy to maintain. TONAL VARIATION
Natural stone almost always has some tonal variation from tile to tile and slab to slab. Natural stone and terracotta can carry slight chips and other blemishes. Allowances should be made for variations in size and thickness. To assess the natural variation of stone, we always recommend that you stand at least two metres away and look at the overall effect rather than each tile or slab, just as you would view a work of art by looking at the whole picture, before you start to inspect the brush strokes and the detail.
FINISHES APPLIED TO NATURAL STONE Distressed The edges of the stone are
Weathered/Vintaged This finish is the result of an intensive process where the edges of the tile are chipped, exposing an open-grain surface, which authentically replicates the appearance of ancient flagstones. Worn A worn finish is created through a smoothing process applied to riven stone, either by hand or machine. This grinds down the natural undulations of the surface to create the effect of old flagstones. FINISHES APPLIED TO PORCELAIN AND CERAMIC Matt Low sheen with some texture or graining. Varies depending on tile. Satin Low sheen and smooth to touch. Varies depending on tile. Gloss A shiny finish glaze. Some glazes are designed with a crackle effect and require sealing. Polished finishes are more susceptible to scratching, especially floors. Polished Highly polished by mechanical process. Polished finishes are more susceptible to scratching, especially floors. Textured Normally matt with some relief to the surface.
an authentic surface that will vary from stone to stone. Riven stone tends to disguise the wear and tear of everyday family life. Satino Satino finished stone undergoes a high-pressure brushing process, to uncover its natural character. The edges are usually straight and slightly rounded. Seasoned/Heritage With heavily tumbled edges and a textured surface, which is either naturally-occurring or applied, Seasoned/Heritage stone has a rugged, flagstone effect. Tumbled Tumbled stones are individually placed in a jumbo rotating vat, which is full of pebbles, to create naturally soft, round edges, much like pebbles on a beach. This is great for replicating a ‘lived in’ look that is not too rustic. Tumbled & Etched This is an extra etching process that is applied to tumbled stone to increase slip resistance. The stone undergoes a washing process that etches the surface, to improve the anti-slip properties whilst retaining its natural warmth and colour. Velvet/Natural Velvet/Natural finished stone is first etched, creating a ‘bleached’ look, and then undergoes a satino process which gives it a tactile, velvety feel underfoot. This finish works effectively in both traditional and modern interiors.
chipped by hand and cushioned using diamond grinding pads. This process gives a more refined time-worn appearance than our seasoned finish. Etched The face of the stone is sand- blasted to create a low-slip finish, perfect for external and wet areas. The process creates a more contemporary ‘bleached’ look, which looks seamless when run from inside to outdoors. Handmade Handmade refers to our terracotta collection, where raw clay is worked into moulds by hand, before being left to dry and baked. Honed Planing the surface of the stone with a machine at high-pressure, using diamond pads, creates a smooth satin or matt finish. The edges are diamond-sawn and typically contain imperfections; once grouted, these blend into the stone for a truly natural effect. Reclaimed/Recycled Genuinely reclaimed products are often more than 100 years old. Each tile varies and requires a little more attention on site to create the perfect finish. Riven A riven finish is naturally split along the strata of the stone to create
RECTIFIED & NON-RECTIFIED TILES
Tiles are normally pressed in a mould then fired which causes them to shrink, so most larger format porcelain (30 x 60 upwards) and some ceramic tiles are then cut down to a specific size before packing to ensure that they do not vary to much in size, enabling a tighter grout joint, this process is know as rectified. Smaller format tiles are rarely rectified because they shrink less and do not require this extra process, they are known as non-rectified and recommend a 3mm minimum grout joint and spacers need to be used with care or not at all. For any larger format tiles we offer are non-rectified you will find this information on the product page and we do not recommend to mixing them for example in a chequer pattern.
TILES PORCELAIN
Porcelain tiles are made from a mixture of clays and minerals and fired at a very high temperature. This means that they are extremely hard wearing and very strong. Tip: Due to the nature of the manufacturing process, porcelain tiles may be subject to a very slight ‘bow’ along the length of larger tiles (this can normally be corrected using a specialist clip system). This slight bowing, which will fall within European Standards (and please be assured that all our tiles are CE compliant), can cause slight ‘lipping’ between one tile and the next. If you wish to minimize the effect of this, we recommend that tiles should be laid square, or staggered by not more than a third of a tile length, rather than laying brick-bond.
CA’ PIETRA
326
327
GLOSSARY / STONE & TILE TYPES
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker