Abrasion: a rubbed or scraped
area on the stone
Acid washed: when an acid mix
is washed over a surface to give it an aged
look
Acidic: when a solution has
a PH less than 7, like vinegar, juice, wine
etc (can etch marble)
Alkaline: when a solution has
a PH higher than 7 (7 is a neutral PH)
Apron: A panel of stone usually
several inches deep, attached vertically to
the front of a benchtop
Arris: the edge of a tile
Buff: rub with special pads
to enhance the gloss of polished stone
Bullnose: smooth, round edged
profile often found on the corner of a bench
Calcareous: stones that contain
mainly calcium such as marble, travertine, limestone
and onyx
Coping Tiles: tiles used to
form an edge usually around a pool
Diamond Abrasive: an abrasive
pad made of tiny diamond particles, used to
polish stone
Dimension Stone: another term
for natural stone
Efflorescence: white substance
that appears on the surface of stone from time
to time
Epoxy Glue: a 2 part adhesive
used to fix tiles onto a hard surface
Epoxy Grout: a 2 part product
used to fill gaps in between tiles
Epoxy Resin: a 2 part product
that can be coloured and used to fill chips
and cracks
Etching: when acidic substances
‘eat away’ and dissolve or dull
the surface of stone such as marble
Fissure: a gap or crack occurring
naturally in stone
Flamed: an uneven, textured
finish achieved by burning the top layer of
the stone
Gang Saw: a piece of equipment
used to cut large natural stone slabs
Grit: abrasive particles that
make up polishing pads, which vary in size to
achieve varying finishes
Grout Burn: dull smears on
the surface of tiles or stone, caused by grout
not being thoroughly removed
Hob: the step border around
a shower
Honed: a surface finish that
is smooth and silky but not glossy
Joint: where 2 piece of stone
come together
Lippage: the height between
the grout and the top of a tile
Manufactured Stone: material
made from natural stone particles and resins
to resemble natural stone
Mason’s Mitre: an angled
corner joint used to join 2 pieces of stone
(like the corner of a picture frame)
Microfibre: a finely woven,
soft material that traps dirt and is ideal for
use on stone surfaces
Mohs Scale: A scale of hardness
that rates stone from 1 to 10 depending
Natural Stone: stone that is
quarried and cut to size for use in building
and other applications
Pencil Round: a rounded edge
profile on a benchtop that measures the radius
of a pencil
Penetrating Sealer: a substance
applied to natural stone, which soaks in and
protects the surface
PH: the rating of solutions
to determine acidity or alkalinity
Pigment: substance that comes
in a variety of colours and is used to colour
paint, grout, resin etc
Polished: a surface finish
that has a high gloss
Porosity: the level of absorption
Poultice: a paste mix used
to draw a stain out of a natural stone surface
Quarry: a site where natural
stone is extracted from the ground
Repolishing: when the surface of the stone is
cleaned and buffed to enhance its glossy finish
Resin: a viscous material used
to fill cracks and fissures that can be coloured
and eventually sets hard
Resurfacing: when the surface
of the stone is ground down to reveal a high
gloss finish
Sandblasted: when stone is
sprayed with sand using a high pressure hose,
creating a texture
Saw-cut: when the parallel
texture of the saw blade can be seen on the
surface of the stone after cutting
Siliceous: stones that contain
mainly quartz crystals such as granite, slate
and sandstone
Skirting: the finishing board
attached to the vertical surface of a wall at
the base
Slurry: the milky bi-product
created when stone is ground using a wet polishing
process
Splashback: the area of wall
that sits behind a sink or stove
Splay: an angled edge profile
on a benchtop
Step Tread: the horizontal
top surface of a step that can become worn from
foot traffic
Surface Coating: a sealer,
wax or other substance applied to the surface
of natural stone to protect it
Vitrification: the process
of hardening the surface of marble with a special
polish
Wet Vacuum: a vacuum cleaner
used to extract water from the stone after cleaning
and polishing
