Before, the words Natural Stone conjured up exclusive images of polished marble or granite. But this is no longer true. The desire for a more relaxed, peaceful and authentically aged appearance within the home has enticed the market to produce the variety of finished available on market today. Thanks to the advent of these unique surface treatments, design possibilities have grown exponentially and finding that right look is as simple as can be.

The visual perception of given natural stone can be significantly influenced by the type of surface treatment on the finished product. In addition to changing the main visual characteristics such as color and pattern, the different surface treatments alter the physical and mechanic properties of the stone and its performance and functional characteristics.

When stone is ordered, it is fabricated with a particular type of surface:

Tumbled
Tumbled finish is achieved by placing limestone, travertine, slate, or marble in a special "tumbl", along with aggregate, chemicals, or pebbles. These aggregates labor to create a wonderfully warn weathered effect by battering the effect of the tile as well as rounding and softening its edges.

Polished granite surface is created by using abrasives and then polishing substances. This is a typical finish that is given to granite slabs which are to be used for fabrication of kitchen countertops and other granite fabrications for interior decoration. Polishing gives granite brightness and a mirror-like effect that intensifies granite colors and enhances the pattern. Polishing also reduces the porosity of the granite which increases granite's resistance to humidity and chemical substances commonly found in the kitchens. This is why polishing is the preferred surface treatment for kitchen countertops.

Brushed
A coarse-wire rotary brush is passed over the face of a stone resulting in a texture that reflects a worn, satin-smooth finish.

Acid Washed
The process of treating stone surface with acidic substances, gives the stone an aged texture and appearance.

Honed
Honed surface is achieved by the use of abrasives as well, but unlike polished granite honed granite has a smooth, non-reflective surface. Honed granite is more porous than polished granite and therefore it is not recommended for use on kitchen countertops in heavily use kitchens. Honed granite may be used in areas with less exposure to chemicals such as vanity tops or table tops.

Flamed
Flaming consists of passing a nozzle emitting high-temperatures and a high-speed flame over the granite surface. The surface of the flamed granite becomes rugged and irregular with no sharp edges. The colors of the flamed granite are usually less intense, more toned down than the colors of polished granite. In veined granites with a lot of movement and pattern, flaming reduces the perception of veining as opposed to polishing, which intensifies the movement in veined granite.