— FINISHES

one stone,
many surfaces.

The finish changes the colour, the feel and the shine, and above all how the stone behaves: whether it is slippery, whether it stains, whether it stands up to the weather. These are the most common ones, with real samples of stones we work with.

— finishes guide

what each finish is and where to use it.

polished

The stone is ground with ever finer abrasives until it shines like a mirror. It brings out the colour and the veining.

uses: worktops · bathrooms · interior cladding
slip resistance: low: slippery when wet

honed

Polishing stopped before the shine: a smooth, matt surface, soft to the touch. It hides wear better than polished.

uses: interior floors · bathrooms · worktops
slip resistance: medium

brushed

Abrasive brushes that soften the surface and leave a silky feel with a slight undulation.

uses: interiors · covered exteriors · worktops
slip resistance: medium

bush-hammered

A pointed hammer strikes the surface and leaves it rough and even. It lightens the tone of the stone.

uses: exteriors · pools · stairs · façades
slip resistance: high

sandblasted

A pressurised jet of sand: a fine, matt, even texture, less aggressive than bush-hammered.

uses: exteriors · wet areas · façades
slip resistance: high

flamed

A high-temperature flame that makes the surface layer flake off. Very rough; typical of granites and some hard stones.

uses: exteriors · urban paving · stairs
slip resistance: high

aged

Controlled wear of the surface and edges to give an antique look, like stone with years of use.

uses: courtyards · country houses · restoration · rustic interiors
slip resistance: medium-high

grooved

Parallel grooves machined into the surface. Decorative and slip-resistant at the same time.

uses: pool copings · steps · cladding
slip resistance: high

sawn

The stone straight from the saw, with the soft mark of the blade. The most natural and economical finish.

uses: façades · exteriors · civil works
slip resistance: medium

rock-faced

A surface split by hand or chisel that leaves an irregular, natural relief with deep shadows.

uses: walls · façades · masonry
slip resistance: high

split edge

Edges split irregularly instead of cut: the piece looks as if it came straight from the block.

uses: exterior floors · walls · landscaping
slip resistance: —

— one material, ten finishes

crema levante.

The same stone from Alicante in ten different finishes. Notice how the tone changes: rough finishes lighten the stone, while polished ones darken it and bring out the veining.

crema levante — brushed — **crema levante**brushed

crema levante — bush-hammered — **crema levante**bush-hammered

crema levante — sandblasted — **crema levante**sandblasted

crema levante — aged — **crema levante**aged

crema levante — grooved — **crema levante**grooved

crema levante — bush-hammered + brushed — **crema levante**bush-hammered + brushed

crema levante — bush-hammered + aged — **crema levante**bush-hammered + aged

crema levante — dark · brushed — **crema levante**dark · brushed

crema levante — breccia · brushed — **crema levante**breccia · brushed

— other stones

limestones, sandstones and grey stones.

amarillo fósil — bush-hammered — **amarillo fósil**bush-hammered

amarillo fósil — bush-hammered + aged — **amarillo fósil**bush-hammered + aged

light iwona — honed — **light iwona**honed

light iwona — bush-hammered — **light iwona**bush-hammered

sophi grey — sandblasted — **sophi grey**sandblasted

sophi grey — sandblasted + aged — **sophi grey**sandblasted + aged

sophi grey — flamed — **sophi grey**flamed

armani grey — bush-hammered — **armani grey**bush-hammered

— the mark of the quarry

drill-mark texture.

The marks of the drills used to free the block in the quarry. Many architects look for them on purpose: they bring the texture of extraction to a wall, a façade or a one-off piece, and tell where the stone comes from.

rojo alicante — drill marks — **rojo alicante**drill marks

rojo alicante — drill marks, close up — **rojo alicante**drill marks, close up

dark stone — drill marks on the block — **dark stone**drill marks on the block

cream block — cut and drill marks — **cream block**cut and drill marks

— arival grey stone

eleven finishes of the same grey stone.

See the Arival grey stone page →

arival — sandblasted — **arival**sandblasted

arival — bush-hammered — **arival**bush-hammered

arival — rock-faced — **arival**rock-faced

arival — light canto roto — **arival**light canto roto

the finish also depends on the stone: guide to stone types →

not sure about the finish? we help you choose→

bala material studio · alicante

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one stone,many surfaces.