Your choice of finishes for stone flooring and paving
Stone floor tiles and paving stone – Your Choice of Finishes
ANTIQUE / TUMBLED / AGED SURFACE and TUMBLED EDGES
A term which encompasses various ageing/distressing methods which achieves an aged look to natural stone floor tiles and paving stones. To create an authentic antique appearance, the stone undergoes several processes to produce the final finish, where the stone is subtly aged by a tumbling action with pebbles.Tumbled tiles and paving stones deliver a rough, pitted surface with broken, rounded edges and corners.
BRUSHED SURFACE
A form of antique stone, which has only slight surface texture with satin matt, aged finish. By circular brushing motions, a stunning rustic look is created. This is particularly effective on our travertine floor tiles which are available in pillowed edge, chipped edge and sawn cut edge details !
FILLED SURFACE
Travertine floor tiles are characterised by surface pits and holes, these can be pre-filled at source by a stone resin which is as similar as possible to the colour of the stone which gives a smoother surface. This only fills holes apparent on the surface, therefore holes may be still visible at back of the tile. Some filler may come out or the holes may become visible. This is not unusual and holes should be re filled with a suitable grout or resin.
UNFILLED SURFACE
This is mainly seen on Travertine floor tiles in their “natural” unfilled state. Surface holes are filled with grout during installation or left unfilled for a more rustic appearance.
HONED SURFACE
The stone is run through a machine to give a smooth and non-reflective finish, which helps to highlight the natural markings in the stone. On limestone floor tiles and travertine floor tiles, this satin surface will pass most co-effecient of friction tests unlike more highly polished stones.
POLISHED SURFACE
Where the stone is worked to achieve a high reflective, glossy finish which is only suitable for internal use.
RIVEN SURFACE
A naturally cleft or riven face simply achieved by splitting blocks of stone. This term usually relates to slate or sandstone, giving a fairly rustic feel.
CALIBRATED
Where the stone has been finished to a uniform thickness.
HAND-CUT / DRESSED
Where the stone has been split and left to have varied thicknesses. For example, with our patio paving stones, they are also usually cut in standard widths and lengths, but the thickness of the flagstones will vary with the stone and the cutting. The variable thicknesses make the paving slab more challenging to install.
CHIPPED / CHISLED EDGES
Where the edge of the stone has been worked to give a rustic uneven appearance.
SAWN EDGES
Where the edge of the stone has been cut by machine to provide a clean-cut edge.
PILLOWED EDGES
A form of antique stone, where the edges have a soft, but almost pronounced ‘pillowed’ edge.
ANTIQUED
The stone is honed to mimic an aged look and then tumbled.
Paving stone choices
Paving stone choices
Garden patios and terraces have always been popular outdoor spaces. Sometimes called flags, flagstones or slabs, we supply hand-cut, sawn, calibrated tumbled or brushed natural sandstone, limestone, slate and travertine.
They are generally supplied as patio paving stone packs but some are also supplied in individual sizes. Thicknesses can be varied with hand-dressed stone or fixed as with calibrated stone.
They are a very well-known and popular choice for our customers and are favoured both for their ease of installation and low price. Choose a colour that blends with your garden or house, or make a patterned patio with two different styles of stone slab.
Patio paving stones are especially attractive when combined with one of our edging stones of a contrasting material or colour. For an added touch you can extend your landscaping skills to walling with our stone walling pieces.
Some of our patio slabs have an antique finish, a term which encompasses various ageing/distressing methods which achieves an aged look to natural paving stones. To create an authentic antique appearance, the stone undergoes several processes to produce the final finish, where the stone is subtly aged by a tumbling action with pebbles. Tumbled paving stones deliver a rough, pitted surface with broken, rounded edges and corners.