— materials · guide
types of stone.
what each one is and where to use it.
Marble, limestone, travertine, quartzite, onyx, granite. The trade mixes the names, and it matters: each family has a different hardness, porosity and reaction to acids, and that decides whether a stone works in a kitchen, on a façade or only in a living room. This is the guide we use to specify.
words: Ray Ródenas, architect
the quick table
| stone | origin | hardness (mohs, approx.) | acids | best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| marble | metamorphic | 3–4 | sensitive | interiors, bathrooms, cladding |
| limestone | sedimentary | 3–4 | sensitive | paving, façades, outdoors |
| travertine | sedimentary | 3–4 | sensitive | paving, furniture, outdoors |
| quartzite | metamorphic | 6–7 | very resistant | worktops, outdoors, traffic |
| onyx | sedimentary | 3 | very sensitive | decorative pieces, backlit |
| granite | igneous | 6–7 | very resistant | outdoors, heavy traffic, kitchens |
Indicative values: each stone, even each block, behaves differently. We always ask for the technical data sheet of the specific material.
marble
A limestone recrystallised by pressure and heat: hence its shine and veining. It is soft (a knife scratches it) and calcite reacts to acids: lemon, vinegar or wine can leave a dull mark on a polished surface. That is why it shines in bathrooms, cladding, interior floors and one-off pieces, while in kitchens it calls for honed finishes, which hide wear, and good maintenance.
The trade calls many polishable limestones “marble”. Examples in our chart: Calacatta, Negro Marquina, Marrón Emperador and Rojo Alicante.
limestone
A sedimentary calcium carbonate rock formed on ancient sea beds: sometimes you can see the fossils. Porosity varies a lot between quarries, so the technical sheet (absorption and frost resistance) is key for outdoor use. It is the stone of matt finishes: honed, sandblasted, bush-hammered or aged. Many creams sold as marble, such as Crema Marfil, are technically limestones, as is Shell Reef, with its shells on show.
travertine
A limestone formed in hot springs: trapped gas left the pores that make it unmistakable. It comes filled (with resin or cement, easier to maintain) or unfilled, with the open pore studios ask for today. It changes completely with the cut: vein-cut shows linear bands; cross-cut, a cloudy pattern. It works for paving, façades, furniture and outdoors with anti-slip finishes.
quartzite
A sandstone transformed by metamorphism into a very hard quartz rock: it scratches glass and does not react to acids. It is the safest natural stone for kitchen worktops, outdoors and high-traffic areas, with the look of a marble. Beware: some softer dolomitic marbles are sold as “quartzite”. The simple test is to scratch a piece of glass with an edge of the sample: true quartzite scratches it. In our chart: Taj Mahal or Bianco Antico quartzite.
onyx
Calcite or aragonite deposited in layers, which gives it its bands and, above all, its translucency: with light behind it, the stone glows. It is soft, brittle and very sensitive to acids, so it belongs in decorative interior pieces: fireplaces, bars, backlit panels, low-use bathrooms. See how we built a Golden Cloud onyx fireplace.
granite
An igneous rock of quartz, feldspar and mica formed as magma cooled. Very hard and low in porosity, it withstands outdoor use, frost and heavy traffic. Its grainy look is less veined than marble, but today there are granites with plenty of character and flamed, honed or brushed finishes that make it very architectural.
how to choose
| if it is for… | think of… | and watch… |
|---|---|---|
| kitchen worktop | quartzite, granite | avoid soft polished marble if you cook a lot |
| bathroom | marble, limestone, onyx (low use) | anti-slip finish in shower trays |
| interior floor | marble, limestone, travertine | honed: it ages better than polished |
| outdoors and façade | dense limestone, travertine, granite, quartzite | frost resistance and anti-slip |
| backlit piece | onyx | thickness, reinforcement mesh and LED |
The finish changes performance as much as the stone. To choose by colour, see our colour chart.
bala material studio · alicante