This guide will explain the meanings of the different types of finishes you will find as you explore the Stoneworks product range.

Honed

Honed is a description usually applied to travertine or limestone. It essentially means the surface has been polished, but on this type of stone a different effect is achieved than when polishing marble; travertine often has a slightly more matt finish. If a tile has been honed, but not filled, then the naturally occuring pores in the stone have been left untouched before honing so the surface is more textured.

Honed and Filled

This is a term applied to travertine tiles which have had their naturally-formed holes filled in with a tough white compound and then been polished to give a flat, even surface. The edges are cut straight and even to give a uniform tiled area with tight joints.

Polished

Polished tiles are not only highly polished to give a smooth, shiny appearance, but are also cut in a very uniform and straight way which leads to very tight joints.

Brushed / Brushed Edge

Brushing is a way of smoothing the surface or edges of a tile without giving it a full polish. Tiles with a brushed edge will have tighter and more even joints than, say, tumbled tiles, but not as strictly uniform as polished or honed finishes.

Chipped Edge / Chiselled Edge

Tiles with a chipped or chiselled edge have simply had their sides finished by hand with a chisel, and this gives a more rustic feel and wider joints between the tiles.

Wavy Edge

As it sounds, wavy edge finish is where the tiles have edges which undulate slightly. This effect is achieved through grinding each tile individually by hand, and is a fairly recent technique.

Tumbled

Tumbled travertine tiles have been placed into a purpose-built machine which literally "tumbles" the stones against each other and against some other aggregate materials which gives the tiles softened edges. The natural pores in the travertine are left unfilled, and the process leaves the edges more uneven than other finishes, which gives the tiles a more traditional and rustic feel.

Bevelled

Bevelled means that the edges of the stone have some subtle detail as opposed to just being at a 90 degree angle. This usually means that there is a small edge at 45 degrees to the surface and side of the tile which looks more appealing than plain edges.