GLOSSARY

Aged – lightly fettered edges with a smooth surface

Ancient – lightly fettered edges and smooth grain

Antiqued – fettered edges with a smooth, undulating surface

Bed – a natural layer of sedimentary rock defined by a change in geological structure

Blooming – often a result of either poor sealant trapping moisture beneath or minerals from the substrate leaking through the stone

Bookmatched – two adjoining pieces of stone which mirror each other giving the impression of an open book, most impressive with heavily veined marbles

Bullnose – semi-circle rounded edge step profile

Bush Hammered – Texture is consistent and uniformly distributed across the surface.  This finish is well suited to low slip areas.  Available with either square or chipped edges 

Calcite Vein – natural veining in the stone created by recrystallized calcium carbonate.  They are an inherent part of a stone’s natural beauty and do not represent any structural weakness

Calibrated – tiles produced to a uniform thickness

Cappings – weather protective stone wall capping which can either be overhanging or flush to the wall 

Cavetto – concave quarter round moulding

Chamfer – 45° bevel applied to an edge, size of bevel can vary

Cobble – a small unit with cropped/cleft faces at uniform thickness, 50+mm thick

Copings – weather protective overhanging stone wall covering with drip grooves

Corten – flamed and brushed to highlight natural markings

Country Cobble – a small unit with cropped/cleft faces at variable thickness, cropped 40 - 75+mm thick

Cross Overs – large cobble-like slabs used in entrances likely to receive heavier traffic

Decoupling membrane – matting which absorbs tension between substrate and floor tiles preventing cracking.  Also helps to evenly spread heat from underfloor heating systems

Distressed – rounded and fettered edges with a smooth, flat surface finish which is hand-applied to recreate the appearance of old flagstones

Downstand – deeper section at the front of a worktop

Dot and Dab – where adhesive/mortar is only applied to sections of the tile surface area instead of completely covering the tile with an even layer which is the traditional method.  Results in poor adhesion and areas without adhesive will be weaker and more likely to crack under pressure and can result in blooming on the surface of the stone

Drip Groove – a groove on the underside of a coping or sill to prevent water running along the underside of the stone

Fine Grosgrain - a bespoke finish, please contact us for details

Flamed – stone is subjected to high temperature flame and then quickly cooled producing a rough but consistent texture

Flamed Plus - a bespoke finish, please contact us for details

Flat Matt - a bespoke finish, please contact us for details

Flush Flamed - a bespoke finish, please contact us for details

Flexible Bedded – tiles and slabs laid onto loose grit or sand without any adhesive/mortar

Free Stone – stone which can be cut in any direction as it has no natural bed

Gauged – grinding/cutting process to make all pieces of stone the same width or thickness

Haunched – bedding material is raised up the sides of the tile or slab

Honed – square, clean edges with a very smooth, flat surface

Jamb – side post of a fireplace, door or window frame

Leather – square edges with a smooth pitted surface

Matt Honed – square, clean edges with a very smooth, flat surface

Matt Leather  square edges with a smooth matt pitted surface which has been created with a special high pressure mechanical action

Mellowed – rounded edges with a flat and smooth surface aging

Ogee – concave step edge profile

Patera – square edges with a coarse honed surface finish, sometimes referred to as fine rubbed.  This finish is well suited to low slip areas

Pavers – sawn either 5 or 6 sides up to 50mm thick

Paviors – honed generally 2cm, smaller units for a brick effect format internally

Pedestals – used for dry installation of paving where flexibility or open space for pipes and drainage is required underneath

Pencil Round – a small even round applied to an edge

Pitchers – random size narrow strips 5cm thick

Picture framing - occurs when the tile surface hasn’t been sealed correctly prior to grouting or fully wash grouted.  Grout seeps into the tile creating a dark border around the edges

Pre-grout sealer – applied to flooring before grouting to avoid staining or marking of tiles

Random length – courses of even widths and random lengths

Regency – a unique blend of processes creating edges that are lightly fettered and a surface that is smooth and predominantly flat with slight undulations to create an aged appearance

Riven – a rough, natural and uneven finish created when stones are skilfully cleft by hand along the natural bed layer

Rustic – chipped edges with a combination of smooth and textured surfaces

Satino - a bespoke finish, please contact us for details

Sawn – sharp clean cut edge

Setts – sawn 6 sides 60+mm thick

Silk Honed - a bespoke finish, please contact us for details

Solid Bedded – tiles and slabs fixed directly to a concrete or screeded substrate

Stooled – raised flat sections at either end of a cill or step to support fenestration

Substrate – underlying surface which another material is bonded to

Threshold – strip of floor between door jambs

Throated – see Drip Groove

Travertine – hardwearing, sedimentary limestone with natural pits and voids

Tumbled – stone is tumbled in a drum with small particles which wear the stone to create a naturally aged look and soft edges

Upstand – placed at the back of a worktop where it meets the wall to cover the gap and create a seamless look 

Verona – small bullnose with concave ogee shaping beneath

Vintage – chipped edges with a heavily textured, yet smooth, surface.  The overall look is worn and soft with an open grain

Wash Grouting – the correct grouting process of covering the entire tile with grout as opposed to the incorrect practice of just filling the joints

Weathering – process which replicates natural wear or exposure to the elements

Worn – hand-finished fettered edges with an uneven, smooth surface finish