Materials & finishes
Read the material name, sample, slab and finish as one selection record.
A clear place to start.
Start with the actual supplied material or manufactured product. Keep its identity with the finish, treatment and information relevant to the intended use. A colour family is useful for design, but it does not establish performance.
Compare the sample and the full pattern together. Edges, returns and carved areas can reveal a different character from the flat face. Record which details the approval sample represents.
These guides connect appearance to specific questions about naming, surface treatment and use. They do not replace the technical information for the product being ordered.
Explore this topic.
Vein-cut or cross-cut travertine: choose the pattern before the layout
Vein-cut travertine is chosen for a directional, banded appearance; cross-cut travertine usually reads as a more clouded or cellular pattern.
Honed vs polished stone: sheen, treatments and everyday care
Honed and polished describe the surface finish.
Choosing white, green or pink stone for one room
Choose a palette with physical samples and the full pattern in view. The background colour, vein contrast and finish all affect how the stone sits in a room.
Why stone trade names need a closer look
Treat a trade name as the start of identification. Connect it to the supplied stone, slab and product information before making a performance claim.
Filled or unfilled travertine?
Choose the surface treatment on an actual sample. The look of open pores, filled areas and the edge should be agreed together.
Marble, quartzite, porcelain or engineered quartz?
Begin with the specific product and the use it must serve. Natural quartzite, manufactured quartz, marble and porcelain are different material categories.
Keep the decisions connected.
- Identify the actual material or product.
- Keep the dated drawing and source information together.
- Show what is confirmed and what is still open.
- Agree the responsible person for the next approval.
Bring a reference. We will help clarify the brief.
Image sources
Image sources
Images illustrate design and material choices. They are not a record of an AxoStone installation.
- Image 1: Original source
Linked card image sources
Linked cards use illustrative photographs for the destination pages. They are separate from the numbered images above and are not a record of an AxoStone installation.