Guides
Technical and buying guides for natural stone — finishes, materials, suitability, sizing and export logistics, written from the factory floor in Denizli.
Honed, polished, tumbled or brushed — which finish should you specify?
Specify honed for interior floors, tumbled or brushed where the surface gets wet, and polished only where there is no slip requirement. All four start from the same slab; the finish changes grip, how visibly it wears, and how often it needs sealing — not the stone itself.
Reviewed 22 August 2026Marble or travertine — which should you specify?
Specify marble where a polished, low-absorption surface matters, and travertine where texture, grip and warmth matter more. Marble absorbs about 0.15% of its weight in water against travertine at roughly 2.6%, but the two overlap in compressive strength — porosity and strength are separate properties.
Reviewed 22 August 2026