BELLSTONE GLOSSARY
Stone Industry Terms
Anchor
A metal fastener used for securing large format stone to a structure
Bullnose
Honed and rounded surfaces typically used for stair treads & pool copings
Bush hammered
Stone that was once hammered by hand to achieve a rustic non -slip finish; now days the process is conducted mechanically to achieve a uniform texture.
Buttering
Placing mortar or adhesive on the underside of the stone with a notch trowel before setting
Calibrated
Material that has been machined to achieve consistent thickness + or – 1mm tolerance
Chipped edge
The stone has been cut with a guillotine leaving a chamfered edge
Coping
A flat stone used as a cap on a freestanding wall
Dimension stone
A natural building stone that has been cut and finished to specification
Exfoliated
Physical abrasion of stone surface to achieve a more natural appearance and provide better traction
Flamed
Heat treatment of stone surface to achieve a more natural appearance and provide better traction
Ground (or gauged)
A term applied to slate and quartzites that involves grinding the undersurface to achieve some uniformity or thickness. It is a process that does not have the precision of calibration.
Grout
The fluid mortar for filling the joints or cracks in wall and floor tiles
Hand cut
The stone has been scribed by hand using a hammer and chisel producing a rustic finish
Honed
Indicates material with a surface that has been buffed to a smooth finish with little or no gloss; a finish popular for commercial floors
Natural split
Cleaved along the grain resulting in product with variable thickness
Paver
30+mm thick product designed for outdoor use often on a packed road base surface rather than a concrete surface required by thinner body tiles.
Riser
The vertical portion of a stairway under each step
Sandblasting
A pitted surface texture with no gloss achieved by the application of water and sand under pressure
Sarking
A waterproof membrane fixed under the roof covering; or boarding fixed to the lower end of rafters under the roof covering
Sealing
The application of a specially designed compound to prevent moisture penetration and staining.
Sealant
An elastic adhesive compound used to seal veneer joints
Sawn edge
The stone has been machine cut to give a straight edge
Texture
The surface quality and feel of stone independent of colour
Tread
The top face of a step in a stairway or door opening
Tumbled
A weathered or aged appearance to the surface of stone created by mechanically tumbling the stone with sand or small pebbles