Definitions

Marble

A crystalline rock composed predominately of one or more of the following materials: calcite, dolomite, or serpentine, and capable of taking a polish.

Agglomerate Marble

A man-made product fabricated to look like quarried marble stone. Usually composed of stone chips or fragments embedded in a matrix of mortar or thermosetting resins.

Terrazzo

A type of concrete in which chips or pieces of stone, usually marble, are mixed with cement and are ground to a flat surface, exposing the chips which take a high polish.

Granite

A very hard, crystalline, igneous rock. Contains granular, flecks of minerals spread consistently throughout the stone to form a visibly even crystalline structure.

Limestone

A sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcite or dolomite. The varieties of limestone used as dimensional stone are usually well consolidated and exhibit a minimum of graining or bedding direction. Often contains remains and fossils of sea creatures that lived in the warm seas millions of years ago.

Travertine

A variety of limestone. Usually has voids on the surface formed by water elements and pressure over time. These voids are either filled or left unfilled.

Slate

A fine-grained metamorphic rock derived from clay and shales, which possesses a cleavage that permits it to be split readily into thin, smooth sheets.

Sandstone

A sedimentary rock consisting usually of quartz cemented with silica, iron oxide or calcium carbonate. It is durable, has a very high crushing and tensile strength and a wide range of colors or textures.

Flagstone

Thin slabs of stone used for flagging or paving walks, driveways, patios, etc. It is generally a fine-grained sandstone, bluestone, quartzite, or slate, but thin slabs of other stones may be used.

Terra Cotta

Low fired clay, either glazed or unglazed.

Clay Brick

A natural mineral aggregate consisting essentially of hydrous aluminum silicate. It is vitrified when fired to a sufficiently high temperature.

Concrete

A composition material consisting of cement, aggregate, and water. When mixed together, will result in a chemical action that will set and harden into rock-like mass.

Stucco

A mixture of lime or gypsum with sand, pounded marble and water; hardens into a smooth solid; used to cover walls and ceilings.

Cementitious Brick

A block of clay, made from or composed of cement, baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material.

Ceramic Tile

A mixture of clays which have been shaped and fired at high temperatures resulting in a hard body. This hard body may then be left untreated or it may receive a glazed wear layer.

Porcelain Tile

A ceramic mosaic or paver tile, generally made by the dust-pressed method, of a composition that produces a dense, impervious, fine-grained tile with smooth and sharply formed face.

Cement-Based Grout

This type of grout can either be sanded or non-sanded. Both varieties are absorbent and acid-sensitive. Often cement-based grout is polymer modified to prevent or minimize cracking and add strength.

Epoxy-Based Grout

Epoxy grout is impervious to liquids and does not need sealing. It will not allow bacteria to grow and it minimizes cracking. It is generally used with ceramic, porcelain and quarry tile and not with natural stone.

Cantera

A volcanic quartz-based stone with qualities similar to Adoquin, but not as dense; quarried in Mexico.

Adoquin

A volcanic quartz-based stone containing a variety of colored aggregates and pumice in a quartz matrix. Quarried in Mexico and available in several colors.

Finish Definitions (applicable only to stone)

Polished

Glossy smooth surface that reflects light and emphasizes the color and markings of the stone. Generally only possible on hard, dense materials.

Unpolished / Honed

Satin smooth surface with relative little light reflection.

Textured

A rough surface finish that tends to subdue color and markings; obtained by bush hammering and machine chiseling.

Uniformity Definitions (applicable only to stone)

Homogenous

Minerals are evenly distributed to form a visibly even crystalline structure.

Oriented

Minerals are distributed according to a certain orientation – directional.

Veined

Minerals form veins of a different color to the base color, creating a curved or swirled movement in the rock.