stone terms

Backsplash: The area located between the countertop and cabinets normally 16-18 inches high.

Brick pattern: The method of setting rectangular tiles in an offset fashion creating the look of brick.

Brushed finish: A finish resulting from treating the stone surface with a coarse wire rotary brush. Surface with brushed finish may have a soft, leathering appearance.

Calibrated Tile: Stone tile that has been machine cut on both sides and has consistant thickness.

Chiseled Edge: edge of the stone tile that has been mechanically chipped. Stone tiles with chieseled edge have a rustic aged appearnace.

Cleft finish: finish obtained by the method of splitting stone along its natural plane. This finish is normally found in slate.

Cross-cut: stone that has been cut from the stone block parallel to the natural bedding plane. Cross-cut stone has a mottled or cloudlike appearance.

Filled stone: stone with the pores that hvae been prefilled with a stone dust resin or epoxy. Commonly found in travertine.

Flamed finish: A rough textured surface achieved through exposure to heat and flame. Usually associated with granite.

Grout: A cementous or epoxy based material used to fill joints between tiles.

Herringbone pattern: A method of setting rectangular tiles slanted, creating a zigzag effect

Inserts: Decorative tiles or accent pieces that can be inserted into the area where the four tiles meet, or placed in the center of a tone tile.

Pillowed edge: An edge that is soft and rounded.

Polished finish: A shiny, glossy finish achieved by polishing on hard stones (granite, marble). Polished finish draws out the deepest color of the stone.

Quarry: A location where raw blocks of stone are removed from earth.

Tumbled: A finish achieved by placing stone tiles in a tumbling machine or drum, sometilmes with the addition of acids, to soften the edges and give the surface a time-worn look.

Unfilled: stone surface with pits and holes that have not been filled. Commonly associated with travertine.

Vein cut: Stone that has been cut off the stone block perpendicular to the natural bedding plane. Vein cut stone has enhanced horizontal vein structure.