Aesthetics are one of the key features in renovation and constructional projects that any client cares for. Honestly, they are not wrong. Aesthetics can have a huge impact on everything, from changing the mood in a place, to coordinating themes, styles or motifs. These are all reasons that alongside of using different types and colors of stones, you should look for details like types of finishes that can be applied on a slab or tile. The surface of natural stone can have wide variety of finishing.
stone finishes |It is important to choose a natural stone with a finished surface suitable for an intended use. different kinds of finishes are achieved by using many techniques, manual or mechanical processes and based on that the natural stone can be adapted to interior, exterior or both applications. Here in this article, we will name the most common, famous and different types of stone finishes that you can choose from.
Also we will discuss each of their advantages and disadvantages to help you in the process of choosing them in your designs and projects.
Flamed or Thermal
stone finishes | Just as it is mentioned in the name, this process needs a hot torch flame or a high temperature flame that should be directly applied on the stones surface to create a textured and slip-resistant finish. The result makes a little bit of a rough surface. Flamed finish can be a good choice for exterior paving materials, as it can protect them from outdoor environmental factors and be efficient at the same time.
Honed
This finish has a matte-like appearance. its formation process involves the use of abrasives. they smooth the stones surface down to a flat, this process continues until the even surface is not either shiny or reflective.
Bush Hammered
The result of a bush hammered stone surface has a high textured look. By using a masonry tool, manually or mechanically, the surface of the stone is hit and hammered until it breaks up enough to make deep covers and ridges; it resembles a natural rough texture surface. This type of finish makes the surface slip-resistant and ideal for high traffic external places.
Sandblasted
For this type of finish, the stones surface is blasted with a high-pressure spray of air, silica sand, or any other grit. This process continues by moving the spray back and forth across the surface until there a fine and textured look appears. Generally, the result is similar to a perfectly combed beach. if the designer request, different designs or marks can be applied on the stones surface. This finishing can be mistaken by bush-hammered finish, they are similar. Sandblasted finish makes small craters that will highlight the stones color.
Polished
Polished stone is a result of a process in which the stones surface is mechanically rubbed with different diamond pads or repeatedly abrasive treatments are applied until eventually it makes a shiny surface. By enhancing the stones color and veining, this type of finish presents and highlights the natural beauty of a stone. This technique produces a shiny surface with zero porosity which can improve the stones resistance in some aspects. This finishing is commonly used for interior wall and floor slabs or as kitchen countertops. since the polishing process reduces the slip resistance, it is not recommended to use polished pavers especially for outdoors.
Brushed
stone finishes |A brushed finish is another textured finish. by using tools such as wire wheels and brushes, the stones surface will have a texture that is smooth to touch. This finish creates a casual and worn feeling within the stone. A brushed finish can also be combined with other finishes to make amazing looks for stones. When a brushed finish is combined with a sandblasted or flamed finish, it can smooth out the nooks and crannies of the stone. The result will be soft and smoother to the touch, also it will present a more antiquated look as if people have walked on this surface for centuries.
Natural Cleft
This kind of finish is mostly applied on natural stone products such as bluestone or slate. a natural ridge can appear when the stone is quarried from the earth. This finish doesn’t require a tool like saw or materials to smooth and shape the surface, it is simply made with the natural break of the stones and does not need treatments. These stones are sold just as they are extracted from the quarry and cut into the different shape, sizes and formats. The final look entirely depends on the natural stones characteristics and its way of exploitation. This finish is one of the best choices for facades, cladding and paving.
Aged
to achieve this type of finish, different methods can be used. to shape the aging, mainly vibrating the surface of the stones is used. the result of all the methods will generate a soft and smooth finish surface.
Tumbled
Tumbled finish is also another aging process which is similar to other finishes that are applied to make an antique appearance for the stone. In this process, natural stone is introduced to a vibrating machine that has a smaller but more resistant stones that can wear the tile completely. The tmbled finish presents an aged stone with soft surfaces and edges.
Mushroom
stone finishes |This type of finish is made with the help of traditional masonry tools with process like chipping the stone by controlled blows. Mushroom finish will make the stones surface to appear more rustic. the stones with mushroom finish are more relief and irregularities.
Leather
by brushing the slabs with a different range of brushes a leather finish is made. The result can appear slightly as an undulating surface. this finish is soft, warm and smooth to the touch. You should note that only some of the materials can be made with this finish, for example granite.
Sawn
stone finishes | This finish is only created by “sawing” which is a stone with diamond disc teeth. It produces a rough and irregular surface. The sawn finish will make the stone lighter and can give its surface a matte tone. Sawn finish is available mostly for materials external usage such as paving, steps, pathways, driveways and patios.
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