Marble is a natural stone - a high-quality, luxury raw material. Marble has many natural qualities that make it a highly desirable material for home decor, including a wide array of colors and patterns, veining, and textures, hardness, strength, durability, and it also its temperature - like all natural stone, the surface temperature of marble is always cooler than the air.

 

Marble and Stone Terminology

 

Stone Finishes    

    

Acid-Washed Finish - A rustic looking surface created by acid-etching the polished stone to created a weathered, pitted look.

 

Brushed Finish - A matte finish created by smoothing the surface with abrasive plastic and/or metal brushes.

 

Flamed Finish - A rough surface texture created by passing a blowtorch over the surface, causing the surface crystals to explode.

 

Honed Finish - A very smooth, satin finish.

 

Polished Finish - A very shiny, highly polished finish.

 

Split-Faced Finish - A rough, chiseled texture. Most suitable for outdoor applications.

 

Other Terminology

 

Backsplash - Tile (or other material) applied to the wall behind a sink or a counter, usually in a kitchen, creating a stylish, easy-to-clean surface.

 

Bull Nose Edge - A rounded stone or tile edge.

 

Calibrated Stone - Machine cut stones with uniform thickness.

 

Quarry -  The place from which stone, marble, or slate is excavated from the ground.

 

Slab - A sheet of stone before it has been cut into tiles.

 

Slate - A fine-grained sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash. Slate may be cut by striking, to create smooth, flat sheets of stone, with a natural character. Slate is usually grey or blue in color, and may be used for flooring, backsplashes, or roofing.

 

Substrate - A layer of material on which the stone tiles are laid.

 

Thinset - An adhesive used in stone floor installations.

 

Tile - Stone that has been cut into pieces to be used for flooring, walls, or counters.

 

90 Degree Edge - A polished straight tile edge.