Marble and stone glossary

An upstand is the vertical strip of stone that rises from a worktop along the wall, anywhere from a few centimetres to the full height of the wall. It protects the plaster from water and splashes, closes the gap between worktop and wall and, when cut from the same slab as the worktop, carries the veining on without a break.

In a kitchen the upstand does two jobs: it shields the wall behind the sink and the hob, and it frames the worktop so that it reads as thicker and more finished. It may be a low skirting of ten or fifteen centimetres, or rise to the wall units and become a full splashback, which is the finest solution with veined marbles such as Calacatta.

In a bathroom the same strip runs behind the basin and along the bath, where water lingers longest. The detail that matters is the joint with the worktop: colour-matched silicone and, on pale marbles, a sealer.

In our Aprilia workshop we cut the upstand from the same slab as the worktop, so the vein continues from the surface up the wall, and we draw it into the 3D design before any cutting begins.

See also: cucine interno, bagni, marmi

A bevel is the chamfer cut along the edge of a slab: the sharp ninety-degree corner is trimmed at an angle, usually forty-five degrees, by anything from a millimetre or two up to a centimetre. It removes the cutting edge, protects the corner from knocks and gives the worktop a crisp, clean profile.

On kitchen and bathroom worktops the bevel is the most common edge: a small angled cut that is barely noticed, yet stops the stone chipping when a pan or a vase strikes the corner. On a worktop of two or three centimetres it is usually between one millimetre and half a centimetre; on floors and staircases a light bevel makes every slab edge less vulnerable.

It is the plainest alternative to the bullnose and the cove, the curved profiles of the classical tradition, and it suits kitchens of contemporary design.

In our Aprilia workshop the bevel is traced by the machine and finished by hand, then polished to the same finish as the worktop so that the edge does not change tone against the surface.

See also: finiture, cucine interno, lavorazione

A block is the rough rectangular mass of stone extracted from the quarry and squared with diamond wire or a chain saw; it is usually two to three metres long and weighs several tonnes. Slabs are sawn from it with gang saws or multi-wire machines, while whole blocks are carved into solid baths, basins and sculpture.

Before the slab comes the block: the stone as it leaves the mountain, its sides still marked by the quarry cut. The stonemason studies it from every side to see where the vein runs and how to saw it so that the slabs come out with the finest pattern, perhaps ready for book-matching.

Blocks are not only for slabs. When a project calls for a bath hollowed from the solid, a monolithic basin or a sculpture, we start from the whole block and excavate it with computer-controlled milling, then finish it by hand.

In our Aprilia workshop the technical office selects slabs one by one, and the whole block when the project calls for it; the 3D design shows you how the stone will be cut before the saw touches the marble.

See also: marmi, pietre naturali, lavorazione, bagni

Bush-hammering is a rough finish produced by striking the surface of the stone with a bush hammer, a tool with pyramidal points now mounted on pneumatic machines. It leaves an even, matt, granular texture like freshly split rock and is highly slip-resistant: the classic finish for outdoor paving, steps and pool surrounds.

Bush-hammering strips the stone of every reflection and gives it the skin of rock: the surface becomes matt, granular and safe underfoot even when wet. That is why it is the finish of choice for outdoor paving, steps, ramps and the edges of swimming pools, and on the granites and quartzites of outdoor kitchens it hides the marks of time well.

Points to bear in mind: the texture holds dirt more than a honed surface and is cleaned with water and a brush; on soft marbles the points can crumble the edge, which is best protected with a honed border.

In our Aprilia workshop bush-hammering is done by machine, in a fine or coarse grain, and we often set it beside a polished area on the same slab, so that one stone speaks with two voices, as shown on our finishes page.

See also: finiture, pavimenti, piscine, cucine esterno

Botticino is a pale beige marble, compact and fine-grained, quarried at Botticino and Rezzato near Brescia in northern Italy. Its veins are thin and low in contrast and its porosity is low for a marble: it has been used for centuries in floors, staircases, façades and worktops, and takes both a polished and a honed finish.

Botticino is the understated marble par excellence: a warm ivory ground without showy veins, at ease beside timber, brass and earthy tones. In the kitchen it is among the marbles that stand up best to daily use, because it absorbs little and shrugs off light scratches; in the bathroom it dresses walls, floors and basin tops in one continuous tone.

The precautions are those of any calcareous marble: acids dull it, so lemon and vinegar must be wiped up at once and the sealer renewed regularly. A honed finish softens any marks; a polished finish deepens the beige.

In our Aprilia workshop we select Botticino slabs one by one for evenness of ground, and cut them to measure for kitchens, bathrooms, staircases and floors.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, pavimenti

Calacatta is a white marble from the Apuan Alps, quarried in a handful of sites above Carrara: a warm, almost milky white ground crossed by broad, bold veins in grey or gold. It is among the most prized marbles in the world, for its rarity and its dramatic pattern, and differs from Carrara in its whiter ground and wider veins.

Calacatta is the marble of kitchen islands made to be looked at: the broad veins, grey in classic Calacatta, gold in Calacatta Oro and Vagli Oro, violet in Calacatta Viola, make every slab a different drawing. It is the natural candidate for book-matching, where two twin slabs mirror each other on the side of an island or across a bathroom wall.

It is a calcareous marble, so it dislikes acids and needs a sealer; in the kitchen it performs best honed or polished on worktops of two or three centimetres, with the sink carved from the same slab.

In our Aprilia workshop we choose Calacatta slabs one by one, in person or by video call, and cut them to measure following the vein, as we explain in our guide to choosing marble.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, guide/come scegliere il marmo per la cucina

Bianco Carrara is Italy's historic marble, quarried in the Apuan Alps above the town of Carrara: a white-grey ground, even grain and fine, diffuse veins of soft grey. Used by the Romans and by Michelangelo, it is the best-known white marble in the world and, among the Apuan whites, the most widely available and the most balanced in cost.

Bianco Carrara is a cooler white than Calacatta and quieter in pattern: the thin veins fade into the ground and the slab stays calm, suited to whole worktops, splashbacks and complete kitchens without the stone stealing the scene. In bathrooms it is the classic for floors and wall cladding, and it has been laid in domestic floors for centuries.

Like every marble it dislikes acids and needs a sealer; a honed finish is the most practical in the kitchen, polished the most luminous. The grades C and CD denote progressively more veined grounds.

In our Aprilia workshop we have worked Carrara since 1976: we cut it to measure, polish it and install it with our own team, in Italy and on projects abroad.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, pavimenti

A quarry is the place where stone is extracted from the mountain or from underground, in open pits or in galleries. Diamond wire and chain saws isolate benches of rock that are then toppled and squared into blocks. Every quarry yields a stone with its own name, colour and vein: Calacatta from Carrara, Botticino from Brescia, travertine from Tivoli.

Knowing which quarry a slab comes from tells you what to expect: the same trade name can conceal whiter or greyer grounds, denser or sparser veins, depending on the bench and the year of extraction. That is why a stonemason does not buy a name but a slab, and looks at it before proposing it.

The quarries of the great whites lie in the Apuan Alps; travertine comes from Lazio, Nero Marquina from the Basque Country, many granites and quartzites from Brazil and India. Stones destined for the open air, as in outdoor kitchens, are chosen from quarries that yield compact, low-absorption material.

In our Aprilia workshop the technical office selects marbles and natural stones from quarries and stockyards around the world, and shows you the chosen slab before it is cut.

See also: pietre naturali, marmi, lavorazione

Dekton is an ultra-compact surface made by Cosentino: a blend of quartz, porcelain and glass sintered under very high pressure and temperature into large-format slabs, typically two centimetres thick. It is non-porous and resists direct heat, scratches, stains, ultraviolet light and frost, so it is used both indoors and outdoors.

Dekton is the choice for those who want a worktop that asks nothing of them: you can set down a hot pan, chop, spill wine and lemon and leave no trace, because the surface has no pores and is untroubled by acids. That is why we propose it for hard-working indoor kitchens and for outdoor kitchens, where sun and frost do not fade it.

Points to note: it is very hard but rigid, so the sharp edge should be protected with a small bevel; its colours are consistent, so anyone seeking the unique vein of natural marble will find here a more composed beauty.

In our Aprilia workshop we cut, shape and finish Dekton to measure with the same care as marble, and present its collections on the dedicated page and in our guide to kitchen worktops.

See also: dekton, cucine interno, cucine esterno, guide/marmo dekton quarzo fenix quale piano cucina

Fenix is a new-generation laminate made by Arpa Industriale: a panel whose surface of acrylic resins is hardened by electron-beam curing, giving a deep matt colour that is soft to the touch, does not reflect light and does not hold fingerprints. Superficial micro-scratches can be repaired with heat; it is widely used for kitchen worktops and doors.

Fenix is loved for its velvety look: blacks, greys and whites that are entirely matt, with neither the glare of a gloss nor the grain of timber. On a kitchen worktop it shows no fingerprints, wipes clean with a damp cloth, and the light marks of daily use are lifted by passing a warm iron over a wet cloth.

Points to note: it is not stone, so it will not take a boiling pan set directly on it, nor cutting without a board, and it is not suitable outdoors. It gives its best in the doors and worktops of modular kitchens, where its moderate cost and technical performance are well balanced.

In Michelessi modular kitchens Fenix is one of the worktop finishes alongside Dekton, quartz and marble, often paired with an island in natural stone; the materials are compared in our guide to kitchen worktops.

See also: cucine interno, cucine modelli, guide/marmo dekton quarzo fenix quale piano cucina

Flaming is a finish produced by passing a high-temperature flame over the surface of the stone: the thermal shock bursts the surface crystals and leaves a rough, undulating, matt skin. It is applied mainly to granites and quartzites, which are rich in quartz, and is the slip-resistant finish par excellence for outdoor paving and steps.

Flaming is the fiery sister of bush-hammering: instead of hammer points, it is heat that breaks up the first layer of stone. The result is a coarse surface of small raised flakes that does not slip even in the rain, ideal for outdoor paving, steps, ramps and the tops of garden counters in granite or quartzite.

Points to note: flaming lightens colours slightly and cannot be applied to calcareous marbles, which crumble under fire; it holds dirt more than a honed surface and the edges need protecting. It is often combined with brushing, which softens the flakes without losing grip.

For outdoor kitchens in granite and quartzite we can propose a flamed finish for worktops and steps, drawing it into the 3D design alongside the other finishes of our Aprilia workshop.

See also: finiture, cucine esterno, pavimenti

A waterfall edge is the side of a kitchen island or worktop clad in the same slab as the top, running vertically down to the floor like a cascade of stone. Top and side meet with a forty-five-degree mitred joint, so that the veining turns the corner without interruption and the island reads as a single block.

A waterfall edge turns a kitchen worktop into a monolith: the stone does not stop at the edge but folds over the corner and drops to the floor. It is the most requested detail for islands in Calacatta, Nero Marquina or veined quartz, because it shows the vein on two faces and hides the sides of the cabinets.

Success depends on three things: a precisely cut 45° mitred joint, continuity of the vein between top and side, cut from the same slab and in the right sequence, and a sound structure beneath, because a stone side is heavy. The mitred joint makes the island look far more massive than it is.

In our Aprilia workshop we draw waterfall islands in the 3D design, cut the slabs on computer-controlled machines and close the joint by hand, so that the vein runs unbroken from worktop to floor.

See also: cucine interno, marmi, quarzo venato

A forty-five-degree mitred joint unites two slabs cut diagonally through their thickness, so that the outer corner shows the polished face on both sides and the meeting line is almost invisible. It is used to build up apparent thickness, waterfall sides, cladding corners and stone boxes without any raw edge on view.

When a two-centimetre worktop must look ten centimetres deep, no block is used: a strip is cut with a 45° edge and bonded beneath the worktop, itself cut at 45°. The joint disappears on the corner and the eye reads a single stone. The same principle carries the waterfall edge of islands, the corners of bathroom walls and clad pillars.

Points to note: the cut must be perfectly straight and the slab free of flaws, or the corner will chip; the vein should be carried across the joint by placing the pieces on the slab with care; the sharp corner is protected with a light bevel.

In our Aprilia workshop mitred joints are cut on computer-controlled machines and closed by hand with colour-matched adhesives, so that a monolithic island leaves the workshop assembled where possible and is finished on site by our own team.

See also: cucine interno, lavorazione, bagni

Marble terrazzo, or marble agglomerate, is a composite of chips and dust of natural marble, marble for the most part, bound by a small proportion of mineral binder, pressed into blocks or slabs and then honed. It is the heir of Venetian terrazzo: a surface with a visible grain and consistent colour, used for floors, stairs, sills and cladding.

Marble terrazzo is the oldest of the reconstituted stones: white, grey, black or red chips on a light or dark ground, in a pattern that recalls the floors of twentieth-century Italian houses and is now returning to kitchens and bathrooms of contemporary taste. Its advantage is consistency: no surprises in the vein, large homogeneous surfaces, and a lower cost than slab marble.

Points to note: it remains a calcareous material, so it dislikes acids just as marble does and needs a sealer; it takes less of a mirror polish and is at its best honed; for kitchen worktops the three-centimetre thickness is advisable.

In our Aprilia workshop we cut terrazzo to measure for floors, staircases, thresholds and worktops, and present it with the other composite stones on its dedicated page.

See also: marmo cemento, pietre composite, pavimenti, scale

Granite is an intrusive igneous rock formed of quartz, feldspars and micas that crystallised slowly deep underground. It is harder and less porous than marble, indifferent to acids, heat and frost, and is recognised by its grain of visible crystals in colours from black to pink, grey to green. It is the most dependable stone for outdoor use and for hard-working worktops.

Granite is the stone for people who really cook: vegetables are chopped on the worktop, the boiling pan set straight down, lemon spilt, and the surface takes no notice. It is not calcareous, so it has none of marble's limits; it is dense, so it absorbs very little and a sealer is needed only on pale colours.

Outdoors it is the prince of materials: in outdoor kitchens and around swimming pools it withstands sun, rain and frost for decades, especially in a flamed or bush-hammered finish, which makes it slip-resistant. The caveats are few: some polished dark granites show fingerprints, and exotic colours should be chosen slab by slab.

In our Aprilia workshop we work granites of every origin to measure, and present them among the natural stones of our catalogue and in our guide to outdoor kitchens.

See also: pietre naturali, cucine esterno, piscine, guide/cucina da esterno quale pietra scegliere

An impregnating sealer is a liquid protective treatment, solvent- or water-based, that penetrates the pores of the stone and makes them water- and oil-repellent without forming a film on the surface. It does not alter the colour, or barely enriches it in the colour-enhancing version, and slows the absorption of stains and water: it must be renewed regularly, usually once a year.

A worktop in marble, travertine or pale stone without a sealer absorbs oil, wine and coffee within minutes; with a sealer the same liquids sit on the surface and give you time to wipe them away. It is the first line of defence for every natural-stone kitchen worktop and bathroom, and applies equally to terrazzo and to polished marbles.

Points to note: a sealer does not protect against acids, which etch the stone rather than staining it; on dark granites and sintered stone it is unnecessary; it must be applied to clean, dry stone in a thin coat, wiping off the excess before it dries. A fresh coat each year keeps the protection alive.

In our Aprilia workshop we deliver worktops already sealed and explain how to renew the treatment, as set out in our guide to marble worktop care.

See also: guide/manutenzione del piano in marmo, cucine interno, bagni, marmi

Laminam is a porcelain stoneware made in Italy in large-format slabs of minimal thickness, from three millimetres, produced by compacting and firing clays, feldspars and minerals. Light, non-porous and resistant to heat, frost, scratches and ultraviolet light, it reproduces marbles, stones and metals and clads walls, façades, tables and kitchen and bathroom worktops.

Laminam is the slab that weighs little and covers much: three millimetres, sometimes six or twelve, for surfaces that can exceed three metres without a visible joint. It is the ideal choice for cladding whole walls, doors, tables and bathroom furniture, and for kitchen worktops where the look of Calacatta or travertine is wanted with the resilience of porcelain: it does not absorb, and is untroubled by acids or a hot pan.

Points to note: its thinness demands a flat support and delicate cutting, as the edge can chip; corners need protecting and thin worktops will not take heavy knocks on an overhang. Outdoors it withstands sun and frost without fading.

In our Aprilia workshop we cut and finish Laminam slabs with the delicacy a thin surface demands, aligning the pattern across joints; the collections are on the dedicated page, beside Dekton and the composite stones.

See also: laminam, cucine interno, bagni, pareti 3d

Lappato is a finish midway between honed and polished: the surface is worked with fine abrasives that polish only the crests of the grain, leaving the slightly lower areas matt. The result is a semi-gloss, soft and uneven sheen, much used on porcelain stoneware and on stones with an irregular surface, which hides the marks of use well.

A lappato finish gives stone and porcelain a dappled light, elegant and discreet: where the surface stands higher it shines, where it dips it stays satin. On a floor it masks footprints and micro-scratches better than a mirror polish; on a marble or open-pored travertine floor it brings out the natural texture without closing it entirely.

Points to note: a lappato surface is less smooth than a polished one and holds a little more dirt; on pale kitchen worktops a sealer is advisable, because the matt areas remain slightly more absorbent. In bathrooms it is valued because it is less slippery than gloss.

In our Aprilia workshop lappato is produced by machine with abrasives of increasing grit stopped short of a mirror, and it belongs among the finishes we propose for floors, cladding and bathrooms.

See also: finiture, pavimenti, bagni

A slab is the slice of stone sawn from the block, usually two to three metres long and one to two metres high, in the required thickness: normally two or three centimetres for worktops, one or less for thin cladding. Every slab carries a unique pattern and is numbered in cutting sequence, so that neighbouring slabs have almost identical veining.

The slab is the unit the workshop thinks in: one slab yields a kitchen worktop with its upstand, two consecutive slabs a book-match, four a bathroom wall with veins chasing one another. The slab format decides where joints will fall and how much offcut remains, which is why the 3D design is drawn over the actual slab.

Points to note: a slab should be viewed wet, to see the colour it will have when polished, and in raking light, to reveal open veins and filled areas; a marble slab may show natural micro-fissures that the stonemason consolidates by resin treatment.

In our Aprilia workshop we choose slabs one by one, in person or by video call for clients abroad, and show you on the chosen slab exactly where the worktop, island and splashback of your kitchen will be cut.

See also: marmi, pietre naturali, lavorazione, cucine interno

Honing is the matt finish of stone: the sawn surface is worked with abrasives of increasing grit until it is perfectly smooth and flat, stopping short of polishing. The colour stays a little lighter and softer than polished, with no reflections; it is the most practical finish for kitchen worktops, floors and stairs, because it hides scratches and etch marks.

Honed marble has the hand of silk and a quiet voice: the vein is seen, but the light does not bounce. In the kitchen it is the finish we most often recommend for worktops in Calacatta, Carrara and Nero Marquina, because a forgotten drop of lemon leaves an almost invisible mark on a honed surface that would show at once on gloss. On floors and stairs it is less slippery and shows fewer traces of wear.

Points to note: the matt surface is slightly more absorbent than polished, so a sealer is essential on pale colours; dark colours come out softer and blacks shift towards charcoal grey.

In our Aprilia workshop honing is done by machine and checked by hand, and it is one of the finishes we show on the same slab beside polished and bush-hammered, so that you can choose the right voice for your stone.

See also: finiture, cucine interno, pavimenti, guide/come scegliere il marmo per la cucina

Polishing is the mirror finish of stone: after honing, very fine abrasives and felt pads with polishing oxides close the surface pores until it reflects light. The colour becomes deeper and more saturated, the vein more contrasted, the absorption lower. It is the classic finish for showpiece marbles, interior floors and bathroom worktops.

Polished marble is the marble everyone pictures: Calacatta with its gold gleaming, Nero Marquina black as night, onyx looking like glass. Polishing partly seals the surface and makes it less absorbent, but also more sensitive to acids, which leave an immediately visible dull mark on gloss. In the kitchen it is the choice of those who love the reflection and accept a little care; in bathrooms and on interior floors it is the natural finish.

Points to note: no limescale removers or acidic cleaners; always a chopping board and a trivet; abrasive sponges leave micro-scratches that rob the reflection of depth. A worn polish can be restored in the workshop.

In our Aprilia workshop polishing is done on machine lines and with robotic arms for slabs, and by hand on edges, carved sinks and curved pieces, as shown on our finishes page.

See also: finiture, marmi, bagni, guide/manutenzione del piano in marmo

Book-matching is the laying of two consecutive slabs from the same block opened like the pages of a book: the face of the first and the mirrored face of the second meet along the joint, and the veining reflects to form a symmetrical, butterfly-like pattern. It is used on islands, bathroom walls, fireplaces and bedheads.

When the saw passes through the block, two neighbouring slabs emerge with the same vein; if one is polished on its face and the other on its back and they are set side by side, the vein mirrors across the joint and a pattern appears that nature never made alone. This is book-matching: the stonemason's most theatrical gesture, reserved for marbles with bold veins such as Calacatta, onyx and Nero Marquina.

Points to note: it requires consecutive, numbered slabs bought together; the central joint must be perfect, because that is where the eye goes; slabs polished on the reverse may show small differences of tone to be assessed before cutting.

In our Aprilia workshop we choose the pairs of slabs in person, draw the book-match into the 3D design and compose it for islands, bathroom walls and fireplaces, as shown on our marbles page.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, caminetti

Marble-resin is an agglomerate composed overwhelmingly of natural marble chips and dust, bound by a small proportion of polyester resin and vacuum-compacted into blocks that are then sawn into slabs. The result is a reconstituted stone of consistent colour and texture, less porous than quarried marble, suited to floors, cladding, staircases, sills and façades.

Marble-resin is the marble that promises regularity: the same slab repeats identically across a hundred square metres, without the surprises of vein found in a quarry block. The best-known varieties, such as reconstituted Bianco Thassos or the cream and beige grounds, are used for continuous floors, staircases, bathroom cladding and ventilated façades, in thicknesses cut from the block on request.

Points to note: the resin dislikes direct sunlight and may yellow outdoors, so other stones are preferable for exteriors; it remains a calcareous material, sensitive to acids, to be protected with a sealer. It polishes well and can be re-polished.

In our Aprilia workshop we saw, edge and finish marble-resin alongside natural marbles, and present its varieties on the dedicated page together with the other composite stones.

See also: marmo resina, pietre composite, pavimenti, scale

Nero Marquina is a deep black marble quarried in the Basque Country around Markina, crossed by sharp, irregular white veins of calcite. Compact and fine-grained, it takes an intense mirror polish; it is among the most widely used black marbles in the world for kitchen worktops, bathrooms, floors and contrasts with timber, brass and white marbles.

Nero Marquina is the night of marble: an absolute black ground, white veins crossing it like lightning, brass reflected in it. In the kitchen it draws islands and worktops of great character, often with a waterfall edge; in the bathroom it clads whole walls and basin tops, and on floors it alternates chequerboard-fashion with Bianco Carrara.

Points to note: on polished blacks every scratch, every drop of hard water and every fingerprint shows; for a kitchen worktop we often recommend a honed or brushed finish, which softens the black and hides marks. Like every marble it dislikes acids and needs a sealer.

In our Aprilia workshop we select Nero Marquina slabs for the depth of the ground and the distribution of the veins, cut them to measure and polish or hone them to the design, as explained in our guide to choosing marble.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, guide/come scegliere il marmo per la cucina

Onyx, in the stonemason's vocabulary, is a banded calcareous stone formed by the slow deposition of calcium-rich water in caves and springs: crystalline and translucent, with layers of colour from white to honey, green to pink. Light passes through it, which is why it is backlit; it is softer and more fragile than marble and demands delicate working.

Onyx is the stone that lights up: place a light source behind a slab of honey or white onyx and the wall becomes a lantern. It is the material of backlit bathroom walls, counters, bedheads and baths carved from the solid, and in the kitchen of islands and splashbacks made to be admired rather than used hard.

Points to note: it is softer and more fragile than marble, with natural fractures that the workshop consolidates by resin treatment and with mesh on the back; it dislikes acids even more than marble, and on work surfaces must be protected with a sealer and treated with care. Neighbouring slabs lend themselves to book-matching.

In our Aprilia workshop we work onyx with slow blades and cutters, polish it by hand and design the backlighting in the 3D model, as shown among the marbles and natural stones of our catalogue.

See also: marmi, pietre naturali, bagni, cucine interno

Refractory stone is a ceramic or stone material able to withstand very high temperatures and repeated thermal shock without cracking: the same material from which the chambers of wood-fired ovens and hearths are built. It is composed of clays and minerals rich in alumina and silica, fired at high temperature, and it stores heat and releases it slowly.

Refractory stone was born to sit beside the flame: in garden barbecues and ovens it is the material of the hearth, the arched mouth and the surfaces around the fire, and in outdoor kitchens it forms the structure that houses barbecue, sink and log stores. Outdoors it withstands heat, rain, frost and sun season after season, and stores the heat of the embers, giving it back over a long time.

Points to note: cleaning is done with water and a neutral detergent, never acids; the parts exposed to fire are covered in winter; work surfaces are clad in marble, granite or sintered stone for a smooth, washable top.

For outdoor kitchens and barbecues Michelessi uses refractory stone and no other building material, because it is made for fire and does not fail under changes of temperature: the reasoning is set out in our guide to outdoor kitchens.

See also: cucine cemento, cucine esterno, guide/cucina da esterno quale pietra scegliere

Sintered stone is a man-made surface produced by pressing natural mineral powders such as quartz, feldspars, clays and glass and firing them at very high temperatures until the particles fuse into a compact slab, without resins. Products such as Dekton and large-format porcelain belong to this family; it is non-porous and resists heat, scratches, stains, frost and ultraviolet light.

Sintered stone does in a factory what the earth does over millennia: heat and pressure turn powders into an extremely hard slab. For a kitchen worktop that means no pores, no stains, and a boiling pan set down without fear; for an outdoor kitchen it means a surface that sun and frost do not fade, with no need for a sealer.

Points to note: it is rigid and, when thin, may chip at the corner or break under a violent knock on an overhang; cutting requires dedicated tools and speeds; colours are consistent and the vein, where present, is printed. Anyone seeking the uniqueness of natural marble will find it elsewhere.

In our Aprilia workshop we work sintered stone, Dekton and Laminam above all, with the same care as marble, and compare it with the other surfaces in our guide to kitchen worktops.

See also: dekton, laminam, cucine esterno, guide/marmo dekton quarzo fenix quale piano cucina

Quartzite is a natural metamorphic rock born of quartz-rich sandstones recrystallised by heat and pressure: extremely hard, harder than granite, low in porosity and resistant to acids and heat. It comes in slabs with marble-like veining, from white to grey, green to blue, as in Azul Macaubas; not to be confused with engineered quartz, which is a manufactured product.

Quartzite unites the look of marble with the hardness of granite: a slab of white quartzite with grey veins resembles a Calacatta, yet fears neither lemon, wine nor a hot pan. That makes it one of the most sought-after stones for kitchen worktops by those who want the vein without marble's demands, and the first choice for fine outdoor kitchens, where it withstands sun, rain and frost.

Points to note: its hardness makes cutting and polishing slower and dearer; some so-called soft quartzites are in fact dolomitic marbles sold under the wrong name, and should be tested with a drop of acid; pale slabs still welcome a sealer.

In our Aprilia workshop we work quartzites with diamond tools suited to their hardness, and present them among the natural stones and in our guide to outdoor kitchens.

See also: pietre naturali, cucine esterno, cucine interno, guide/cucina da esterno quale pietra scegliere

Engineered quartz, or quartz composite, is a manufactured stone made by mixing ground quartz and silica sands with pigments and a small proportion of resin, then vibro-compacting the mix under vacuum into slabs. It is harder than granite, practically non-absorbent, resistant to acids and scratches, and consistent in colour; it does, however, dislike high heat and direct sunlight, which can affect the resin.

Engineered quartz is the carefree kitchen worktop for those who want a uniform colour, from pure white to black, or the vein of marble recreated within the material, as in veined quartz. It needs no sealer, is untroubled by wine or lemon and wipes clean with a cloth; in modular kitchens it is among the most chosen worktops alongside Dekton and Fenix.

Points to note: the resin suffers above one hundred and fifty degrees, so a boiling pan needs a trivet; outdoors the sun can yellow it, which is why for outdoor kitchens we prefer sintered stone, granite or quartzite; dark gloss colours show micro-scratches.

In our Aprilia workshop we cut and edge engineered quartz slabs, in two- and three-centimetre thicknesses, with the same care as marble; the range is on the quartz resin page and the comparison with other materials in our guide to kitchen worktops.

See also: quarzo resina, quarzo venato, pietre composite, cucine interno

Resin treatment is the process by which marble and natural-stone slabs are consolidated before polishing: the face, and often the back as well, receives an epoxy or polyester resin that fills micro-fissures, pores and open veins, is cured and then removed by honing. It makes the slab more compact, more polishable and less absorbent.

Many fine marbles, from Calacatta to onyx to travertine, are born with open veins and small natural fractures: resin treatment closes them invisibly, so the slab can be sawn, polished and transported without breaking, and the finished surface has no holes. On the back, resin with a fibreglass mesh gives the slab the cohesion needed for thin work and for worktops with large sink cut-outs.

Points to note: resining is not a defect, provided it is well done; a poor resin may yellow in light or lift at the edge, and resined slabs for outdoor worktops should be chosen with care. The subsequent polishing removes any excess.

In our Aprilia workshop we check the resining of every slab in raking light before cutting, and where needed consolidate veins and backs ourselves on the most delicate pieces, such as basins and baths carved from the solid for bathrooms.

See also: lavorazione, marmi, pietre naturali, bagni

Sandblasting is a finish produced by projecting a jet of silica sand or abrasive grit at high pressure onto the stone. It erodes the surface evenly and leaves a fine, matt, velvety grain, gentler than bush-hammering, which makes the stone slip-resistant and softens its colour. With stencils it is also used to engrave lettering and decoration.

Sandblasting is the finest of the matt finishes: the stone loses every reflection and takes on a soft, even skin reminiscent of paper or plaster. It is used on floors and stairs indoors and out, around swimming pools and on shower trays, wherever the foot must not slip; with stencils it engraves letters and motifs on memorials, signs and decorative walls.

Points to note: sandblasting lightens colours, so a black turns grey and a Calacatta loses some of its contrast; the rough surface is more absorbent and should be protected with a sealer; it is cleaned with water and a soft brush.

In our Aprilia workshop sandblasting is done with fine or medium grit, and we show it beside brushing and bush-hammering on our finishes page, on the same slab, so that you can choose with your eyes and your fingertips.

See also: finiture, pavimenti, piscine, pareti 3d

A cove, or cavetto, is a concave edge profile: a quarter-round groove hollowed along the edge of the slab, which draws the edge inward instead of rounding it outward as a bullnose does. It comes from classical moulding, where it alternates with the torus in cornices and column bases, and is used on frames, shelves, stairs and worktops of traditional taste.

The cove gathers shadow: its hollow draws a dark line along the edge that makes the slab look lighter and more finely worked. In the tradition it is found on fireplace surrounds, column bases and the treads of marble staircases; on bathroom tops and shelves it gives a classical profile, often combined with the bullnose in a single moulded edge.

Points to note: the cove cuts into the thickness, so it wants three-centimetre worktops or mitred built-up edges; the hollow collects dust and is wiped with a cloth; on soft marbles the arrises of the hollow should be very slightly rounded so as not to chip.

In our Aprilia workshop coves and mouldings are roughed out with shaped cutters on computer-controlled machines and then finished and polished by hand, like the other edge treatments shown on our finishes page.

See also: finiture, cornici, scale, bagni

Brushing, also called antiqued or leathered finish, is produced by passing rotating abrasive brushes over the stone, usually after light sandblasting or bush-hammering. It wears away the softer parts, rounds the reliefs and leaves an undulating, satin surface, soft to the touch, reminiscent of stone worn by time. It hides scratches and etch marks better than any other finish.

Brushed marble has the skin of an old church floor: gently rippled, warm, velvety, with the vein still legible but without the glare of a polish. It is the finish we often recommend for kitchen worktops in Nero Marquina or pale marbles used every day, because a lemon mark or a scratch is lost in the texture; on floors and in granite or quartzite outdoor kitchens it is slip-resistant and hard-wearing.

Points to note: the rippled surface is slightly more absorbent and needs a sealer; the colour comes out darker than sandblasted and lighter than polished; on travertine it opens the pores a little.

In our Aprilia workshop brushing is done by machine with brushes of decreasing grit, and on our finishes page we show it on the same slab beside honed and polished.

See also: finiture, cucine interno, cucine esterno, pavimenti

Two and three centimetres are the standard thicknesses of marble, granite and quartz slabs for kitchen and bathroom worktops. Two centimetres is lighter and less costly and is often used with a mitred built-up edge that simulates a greater depth; three centimetres is sturdier, copes better with overhangs and sink cut-outs and allows moulded edges carved from the solid.

The choice between two and three centimetres sets the character of the worktop. At two centimetres the kitchen stays light and the worktop can be built up at the edge with a 45° mitred joint, presenting a front of four, six or ten centimetres without the corresponding weight. At three centimetres the worktop is massive by nature: it copes better with a sink carved from the slab and with breakfast-bar overhangs, and allows a bullnose or cove in the solid.

Points to note: weight, which at three centimetres calls for suitable cabinets and structure; slab format, which for rare marbles may be available in one thickness only; the mitred edge, which must be cut and bonded precisely.

In our Aprilia workshop we make worktops in both thicknesses, and the 3D design shows you the finished front before cutting; from block materials we can also cut thicknesses to order.

See also: cucine interno, bagni, lavorazione

Statuario is the purest of the white marbles of the Apuan Alps: a luminous white ground almost free of blemish, crossed by a few sharp, decisive grey veins. It owes its name to the sculptors, from Michelangelo onward, who prized its very fine, even grain under the chisel. Rare and prized, it is the marble of the brightest worktops and walls.

Statuario is light made stone: a white that shifts neither to grey nor to cream, with sparse veins that seem drawn by a brush. In the kitchen it brightens the room and holds its own against dark timber and brass; book-matched on an island or a bathroom wall it draws symmetries of great elegance. Baths and basins carved from solid Statuario are among the most precious pieces the workshop makes.

Points to note: it is a fine-grained white marble, so it shows stains more than others and needs its sealer renewed regularly; acids dull it; a honed finish softens marks, a polished finish heightens its light.

In our Aprilia workshop Statuario is chosen slab by slab for the purity of its ground, and worked with the care it deserves, as we explain in our guide to choosing marble and on the marbles page.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, guide/come scegliere il marmo per la cucina

CNC cutting is the working of stone with machines guided by a digital drawing: five-axis bridge mills, machining centres and saws that execute cuts, holes, sink cut-outs, curved shapes and bas-reliefs to a tenth of a millimetre, reproducing the 3D design exactly. The machine is always followed by hand finishing of edges and surfaces.

From the 3D design to the finished piece, CNC is the bridge: the drawing approved with you becomes the tool path, which extracts from the slab the worktop with its sink cut-out, the island with its 45° mitres for the waterfall edge, the bath hollowed from the block, the relief of a three-dimensional wall. The advantages are precision, repeatability and forms that by hand would take weeks.

Points to note: the machine executes but does not choose; the placing of pieces on the slab, the direction of the vein and the reading of flaws remain the stonemason's task, and every machine-cut edge is taken up and polished by hand.

In our Aprilia workshop computer-controlled cutting centres and robotic polishing arms work alongside the craftsmen, as shown on our workshop page: the hand's gesture and the machine's precision, together, since 1976.

See also: lavorazione, cucine interno, pareti 3d, soluzioni su misura

Waterjet cutting scores the stone with a jet of water at extremely high pressure, of several thousand bar, laden with abrasive garnet and guided by a digital drawing. It produces neither heat nor vibration, cuts any thickness and material with very tight curves and sharp corners, and is the technique for inlays, rosettes, lettering and complex shapes in marble.

Where the saw cannot go, water can: the waterjet cuts a flower, a letter or the curved tessera of an inlay from marble with a clean edge and no chipping. That is why it is the technique of inlaid floors, multi-marble rosettes, engraved logos and pierced screens, and it also serves to cut sink openings and unusually shaped holes in sintered stone and quartz worktops.

Points to note: it is slower and dearer than a diamond saw on straight cuts, so it is reserved for complex forms; the edge comes out slightly satin and must be polished where it remains on view; thin pieces need support during cutting.

In our Aprilia workshop we choose the most suitable technique for every shape, from CNC cutting to waterjet, and design inlays and profiles in the 3D model, as shown on our workshop page and among our bespoke solutions.

See also: lavorazione, pavimenti, soluzioni su misura

The bullnose, or torus, is a convex edge profile in a half-round or quarter-round: the edge of the slab is rounded over its full thickness (full bullnose) or half of it (half bullnose). It descends from the classical mouldings of column bases and cornices, and is the traditional edge of bathroom tops, steps, window sills and fireplace surrounds.

The bullnose softens the stone: the rounded edge does not hurt, does not chip and gathers the light like a pearl. It is the profile found on the treads of marble staircases, on thresholds, on the basin tops of classical bathrooms and on fireplace surrounds, often alternating with the cove in a moulded edge. On kitchen worktops of traditional taste the half bullnose gives a soft, homely front.

Points to note: a full bullnose needs a three-centimetre thickness or a mitred built-up edge to have material to round; on veined marbles the curve shows the vein in section, different from that of the top; the rounded edge is polished by hand.

In our Aprilia workshop the bullnose is roughed out with shaped cutters on computer-controlled machines and finished and polished by hand, like the other edge treatments shown on our finishes page.

See also: finiture, scale, bagni, cornici

Travertine is a sedimentary limestone deposited by thermal waters rich in calcium carbonate, recognisable by its natural voids and parallel bands of colour from white to walnut. The most celebrated is Roman travertine from Tivoli, the stone of the Colosseum and St Peter's. Compact and durable, it is used filled for interiors and open-pored for exteriors.

Travertine is the stone of Rome and of country houses: warm, matt, with a texture of pores that tells of the water it was born from. In the indoor masonry kitchens of the Francesca collection it is the traditional worktop; in bathrooms and on floors it dresses whole rooms in one continuous tone; outdoors, in its most compact varieties, it withstands frost and sun in outdoor kitchens and around pools.

Points to note: for work surfaces it should be filled, that is with the pores stopped, and protected with a sealer, because it is calcareous and absorbent; acids dull it; a honed finish suits it best, polished is possible but less natural. Vein-cut shows the bands, cross-cut the cloudy figure.

In our Aprilia workshop we have worked Roman travertine since 1976, and present it among the marbles and in our guide to choosing marble.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, cucine esterno, pavimenti

Veining is the pattern of lines, bands and clouds that runs through a slab of marble or stone: different minerals, iron oxides, clays, graphite, calcite, deposited or infiltrated into the rock during its formation. The vein decides the look of the slab, the direction of the cut and, when consecutive slabs are opened like a book, the book-matched pattern.

Veining is the stone's signature: broad and golden in Calacatta, fine in Carrara, sparse in Statuario, white on black in Nero Marquina. Before a kitchen worktop is cut, we decide how it will run: along the island, diagonally, or mirrored in a book-match; on bathroom walls a vein continuing from slab to slab is the mark of work done well.

Points to note: the vein is often the softest part of the slab, and open veins are consolidated by resin treatment; a through vein crosses the thickness and shows on the edge; two slabs of the same name can have very different veins, so one chooses the slab, not the name.

In our Aprilia workshop we set the position of the vein in the 3D design over the actual slab, and show you the result before cutting, as we explain on our marbles page.

See also: marmi, cucine interno, bagni, pietre naturali