Fabrication & Finishing
Flamed Finish
A flamed (or thermal) finish is a rough, slip-resistant surface made by passing a very hot flame over the stone and then cooling it with water, so that the crystals on the surface burst and flake off. It is used mostly on granite and other hard, quartz-rich stones for outdoor paving, steps, cladding and pool surrounds. Marble and most limestones are not flamed, because the heat burns them instead of leaving a clean texture.
The heat makes the minerals expand at different rates, so the top layer cracks away and leaves a rough, slightly glittering face. Colors turn paler and more even than on a polished slab of the same stone. The surface keeps its grip when wet, which is why paving and stair specifications often ask for it.
Flamed stone is often brushed afterwards to soften the sharp texture, a finish sold as flamed and brushed. The flame removes a thin layer, so the slab or tile comes out slightly thinner, and the piece has to be thick enough to take the heat without cracking.
In Noria Strata
In Noria Strata the finish is part of every slab, next to its size, thickness and photo: polished, honed, sandblasted, flamed or any other finish you offer.