This finish is created by sawing the stone with diamond disc teeth, resulting in a slightly rough and irregular surface with small furrows and undulations. The sawn finish makes the stone lighter and gives it a matte appearance. It is commonly used for external paving, steps, pathways, driveways, and patios.
16 septiembre 2015
This article was last updated in March 2025
The surface of natural stone may be finished in a wide variety of ways, each enhancing the stone’s texture, appearance, and performance. Choosing the right natural stone finish is essential to ensure durability, safety, and aesthetic harmony with the intended space. Whether for interior or exterior applications, different finishing techniques and mechanical processes allow natural stone to adapt to various design styles and functional needs. From smooth and polished surfaces that highlight the stone’s natural veining to textured finishes that enhance grip and weather resistance, each treatment serves a specific purpose. Here are some of the most popular natural stone finishes and their unique characteristic
NATURAL
The natural finish is basically the absence of treatment. The stone is sold as extracted from the quarry, once cut into the desired format. The final look depends entirely on the characteristics of the stone and its exploitation. This finish is appropriated for cladding and cobblestones.
POLISHED
Stones are polished through the repeated application of abrasive treatments. This technique creates a glossy surface with minimal porosity while enhancing durability. A polished finish accentuates the color and natural properties of the stone, making it a popular choice for interior walls, flooring, benchtops, and kitchen countertops. However, it is not recommended for outdoor paving, as it reduces slip resistance
AGED
This procedure is characterized by the use of constant vibration on the stone surface to simulate aging. Although different methods are used to achieve this finish, all generate soft surfaces.
TUMBLED
This is an aging process similar to the one applied to achieve an antique finish. In this case, natural stone is introduced in a vibrating drum-like machine with smaller, more resistant stones that wear the tile completely. Tumbled finish simulates aging and generates soft surfaces and edges.
BUSH HAMMERED
This finish is created by striking the material, either manually or mechanically, with a masonry tool called a bush hammer. The bush-hammering process generates uniformly distributed craters of varying sizes on the surface of the natural stone. This treatment makes the surface non-slip, making it ideal for high-traffic exterior areas.
SANDBLASTED
This is similar to the bush-hammered finish. This finis is achieved by repeatedly blasting silica sand against the material through an air gun. Sanblasted finish generates very small craters that highlight the color of the stone.
MUSHROOM
The mushroom finish in natural stone is achieved using traditional masonry tools to chip the stone with controlled blows. This technique creates a surface with raised, irregular relief, giving the stone a highly textured and rustic appearance. The protruding sections resemble the natural contours of rock formations, adding depth and character to the stone.
This finish is commonly used for exterior walls, façades, and decorative cladding, as it enhances the natural aesthetic of the stone while maintaining durability. It is especially popular in rustic, traditional, or natural-inspired architectural designs, providing a rugged yet elegant look.
LEATHER
A leather finish is obtained by a process of brushing the slab with a range of brushes. The result is a slightly undulating surface, very soft, warm and smooth to the touch. Only a few materials are sourced with this finish such as granite.
FLAMED
This finish is achieved by exposing the surface of the stone directly to a high-temperature flame. The flamed finish creates a thin, rough texture and enhances the stone’s durability, making it ideal for outdoor installations.
If you want to learn more about this process, watch this video to see how the flaming technique is carried out at our granite factory, Ramilo.
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