Slate Capital processes natural stones in a number of surface finishes. The choice of surface finish depends on the application the natural stones are used for. Customers have a choice of opting for a single process of surface finishing or a combination of two or more processes to achieve a different result for the application. We have listed some of the surface finishes offered by us for sandstone, slate, limestone, quartzite, and schist.
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- Natural Quarried Stone: As the name of this process suggests, there is no further process done on the surface after extraction from the quarries. The stones are sold leaving the original surface intact as extracted from the quarries. This surface is also called a natural cleft surface.
- Natural Split or Riven finish: Some natural stone types are extracted in layers that are split easily. After extraction from the quarries, materials are split into a number of tiles or slabs and the surfaces are cleaned and smoothened by removing the laminated layers from the surface by chiseling. This finish is also called the riven finish.
- Planed: Planing is the first process in smoothening and polishing the stone surface. The surface is smoothened using the coarsest grain of abrasives. Usually, the processing is done in steps. Once a certain level of smoothness is achieved, materials may be used in a project. There may be scratches and discolorations depending on the mineral composition of the material. Sometimes, further manual processes are carried out for honing and polishing after the installation of planed materials in the project.
- Honed: Honing is the intermediate process of polishing where the surface is sufficiently smoothened to maintain in the project. At this stage, fillers are used to mask pin holes and minor cracks. Color enhancers are also used as an option if required by the user.
- Polished/Mirror Polished: Finer grains of abrasives are used during the process to achieve a more reflective surface. Not recommended for floors especially in wet areas unless anti-slip chemicals are applied.
- Shot Blasted: In this process, the surface is worked on using steel or cast iron shots as an abrasive and blasting them at a very high velocity using a compressor to remove any dirt/contaminants and at the same time achieve a smooth and leveled surface. Smoothness/texture is controlled by the size or coarseness of the shots used.
- Sand Blasted: This process is similar to shot blasting, the difference being that coarse-grained sand is used as an abrasive instead of steel shots. Sand comprises silica that is harder than steel shots and therefore more abrasive. Thus a smoother surface is rendered that is also not slippery.
- Flamed: This finish is also known as thermal finish. The surface of the stone is exposed to very high temperatures that upon cooling render into a smoothened surface with reasonably high friction thereby making it non-slippery. The color is also enhanced. Depending on the mineral composition of the stone, flamed surfaces can enhance the colors enough to appear honed and yet be anti-slip.
- Age Brushed (Antique): The surface is brushed using abrasive brushes to render an antique look. Usually, this process is done in combination with one or more of the above processes as better results are achieved after the surface is planed or smoothened.
- Tumbling: There are two methods of tumbling natural stones. Smaller pieces may be placed in a centrifugal concrete mixing machine used during road building. Sand is used as an abrasive and the surface may get rounded at the edges making them blunt and safe rather than sharp. Larger tiles are placed in a circular taking with abrasives and are agitated in different directions to achieve the rounding at the edges. Tumbled surfaces also render an antiquated look and feel.
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