When it comes to choosing a natural stone for any project, considering the stone finish is essential. It helps to recite the functional characteristics of the material and hence is equally important to choosing a natural stone. Stone engineers get solid blocks from quarries, to cut them into slabs of desired shape and size. Once the stone is cut into the desired format, the process of stone finishing begins. The surface of any natural stone can be finished in various ways.
Even though choosing a natural stone finish varies from individual to individual, it is more important to understand the types of possible finishes of marble, granite, sandstone, etc. Some of the most popular natural stone finishes available at Quality Marble Exports (India):
This finish is a rough and textured finish applied to natural stones. Subjecting high-temperature heat or torch on the stone surface, most of the carbon content is burnt off and textured quartzite with gentle colorations is left. Flamed finishes are famous for outdoor use.
A polished finish is the most common type of finish and is less susceptible to staining. Produced by creating an appropriate amount of heat on the natural stone, the finish can be used for wall and flooring applications.
A bush-hammered finish is achieved through the use of a high-impact machine or hand tool. By uniformly pitting the stone’s surface, a large number of close and small indents are created. The finish can be used for flooring in wet environments as the slip resistance texture.
A brushed finish is obtained by brushing the natural stone’s surface gently until it becomes textured and appears worn-in. The stone is brushed with a coarse rotary-type wire brush and is more porous for countertops.
This stone finish is especially famous for natural stone slabs. The finish offers a semi-rough and semi-smooth look on the stone surface that is mainly used for flooring, cladding, rooftop, and pool areas.
Shot blasted finish involves the blasting of the natural stone surface with small iron balls at high speeds. This removes the top surface layer of a material, giving rough surface stone. The finish is generally used for walls, patios, landscape design applications, etc.
The grooved surface finish includes incising lines of varying widths and depths. The grooved tiles can be used for interior and exterior wall-cladding.
The sandblasted finish is achieved by repeatedly blasting silica sand against the stone through an air gun. Generating small craters, the finish highlights the colour of the stone. This finish creates a texture that is suitable for exterior spaces such as patios.
Leathered finishes are the process of texturing marble or granite and making them appear less glossy. The finish amplifies the natural characteristics of the stone and gives a slip-resistant, smooth feel with a likeness to suede.
Water blasted finish is considered an eco-friendly type of surface finish that does not use chemicals. To process the finish, high-pressured water is deployed in a stream from the equipment’s nozzle to wash away particles, debris, etc from the stone surface.
Honed finish is a more rustic finish, and is created by buffing the stone to slightly less than the highest level. The finish has a smooth touch of polished surface and can be used for high-traffic areas such as floors, stairs, and thresholds.
An antique finish is produced by using a diamond-grit brush system, giving an illusion of natural wear on the surface. The finish replicates rusticated or distressed textures. In this case, natural stone is introduced in a vibrating drum-like machine with more resistant stones.