Stone Finishes Reference

Stone 101


travertine treads bullnose

Bullnose

Convex rounding of a stone member, such as a stair tread. A convex, semicircular molding formed on the end of a piece of stone, usually bluestone, travertine, or granite.

bluestone treads rockface

Rock Face

Rock Face stone is hand-chipped around the perimeter to produce a bold, convex projection along its face. This finish creates a more massive appearance than split face. Detail character ranges from low to high for fine grain through coarse grain stones, respectively.

bluestone cobblestones tumbled

Tumbled

The process of rounding or softening the edges of a piece of stone and its face to provide a smoother, more rustic appearance. Commonly tumbled stone includes pavers, wall stone, and cobblestones.

bluestone pavers natural cleft

Natural Cleft

Generally pertains to stones that are formed in layers in the ground. When such stones are cleaved or separated along a natural bedding plane, the remaining surface is referred to as a natural cleft.

bluestone pavers thermaled finish

Thermaled

This finish is achieved by applying a high temperature flame to the surface of the stone. This flame fractures crystals on the face, leaving a rough-textured finish. Highly skid resistant, the thermaled finish is an excellent choice for walking surfaces.

variegated PA bluestone pavers

Variegated

Defined by varying color pattern across the surface of a stone, most commonly referring to bluestone. Variegated bluestone displays lightly varying shades of blue, pink, lavender and brown.