Stone guide

Every stone has a character.

Material families, the makers behind them, and the finishes — everything worth knowing before you choose.

Origin

Before the stone reaches the workshop

Judging the quality of stone is hard for a non-professional, and often impossible. Stone sold under one name can differ considerably in both colour and pattern. Much depends on the quarry — where it is and who owns it. How the stone is extracted matters just as much. The world's strongest and most professional companies use specialised equipment and technology to cut blocks out of the rock. The weaker ones blast the quarry and only then cut the blocks.

Our stone workshop buys stone and quartz already made into slabs, 10, 20 or 30 mm thick, with the top face already finished — polished, matte, flamed or antiqued. Granite slabs run up to 3.40 m long; marble, onyx and travertine up to 2.90 m; quartz up to 3.2 m.

Material families

Five materials we work with.

Each has its own guide page. Quartz and porcelain also have their own makers.

Makers

Natural materials

Stone shaped by nature.

Travertine and onyx are made to order — mention them in your enquiry notes.

Marble: Marble is a rock formed by the recrystallization of limestone. In Latvia, marble is used only for interior decoration. It has a more expressive pattern than granite. It has both bright and pastel colors. It is an expressive and luxurious stone. Marble is softer and more porous than granite. For this reason, it is practically not used for kitchen worktops, as it scratches, absorbs fats and various colored liquids, such as wine and juices, which can leave stains that cannot be cleaned. An ideal finishing material for walls, bathroom surfaces, fireplace finishes, shower rooms, saunas, heated massage tables, etc.
Granite: Granite is one of the hardest, most durable and easiest to maintain natural materials. Granite is a safe material from a fire safety point of view, as well as resistant to scratches and heat. It has a low absorption coefficient for liquids and dyes. Ideal for use in both interior and exterior finishes. It will last forever. It will not be affected by changing weather conditions and temperature fluctuations, which are prevalent in Latvia.
Travertine: Sometimes jokingly, this stone is called Latvian stone because of its light and calm tones. It reminds us of the so familiar tone of sand and dolomite, which is the most common mineral in Latvia, which is so often used as a construction material. We have noticed that customers also like the porous structure of travertine, which looks very decorative and unusual. Porous travertine is more often used for various wall decors. Holes in floors are more often chosen already sealed with a special invisible mastic so that debris does not accumulate in them. In any case, when choosing travertine, you should think about whether the place where it will be located will not be exposed to the influence of fats, acids and various coloring liquids, such as wine, jams, juices, etc.
Onyx: Onyx has very similar properties to marble. The difference is that it is translucent. By illuminating it from the other side, you can get a unique painting-like effect. It is often used in illuminated wall panels, bar counters, steam rooms. Less often also as flooring, but only in rooms with low traffic.

Finishes

One slab, four different feels.

The top face is finished at the factory. The finish changes both how the stone looks and how it feels under your hand.

Polished: Polished surfaces are light-reflecting and shiny, because when processing the stone, the pores of the stone are closed. Polishing reveals the natural beauty of the stone, making it brighter and more expressive. This type of processing could be called classic, because it is the most popular and preferred of all processing types. It is used for kitchen and bathroom countertops, external facades, building plinths, internal stairs, floor areas — especially in rooms with high traffic.
Antiqued: Antique surfaces do not have a glossy appearance — they are velvety matte. This type of treatment reduces the slipperiness of the surface and is slightly more embossed than polished surfaces. It is currently very relevant and in demand for kitchen and bathroom worktops in a minimalist style. It can also be used for other finishes — wall panels and various decors. Those who choose this option believe that it is the antiqued type of stone treatment that is as close to nature as possible due to its rough and seemingly untreated appearance.
Flamed: The burnt surface has a high coefficient of friction, is rough and bumpy. Ideal for outdoor areas and steps, as it does not slip. Unlike a polished surface, the color of the burnt surface is not as intense. Experts recommend renewing the surface protective layer once a year by impregnating the surface with a special chemistry intended for stone.
Leather silk: You want to constantly touch this stone because of its properties, which are already described by the name itself. It is matte, smooth, slightly embossed. Unlike polished — not so bright and shiny, but not as rough as antiqued. A hit of recent years, which is very popular with designers who create modern and minimalist interiors. Recently, we have noticed that lovers of classic interiors are also starting to choose this processing method.

Before you choose

Stone is chosen in person.

A significant benefit of choosing natural stone — marble, granite, onyx, travertine or quartz — is its service life. Changing built-in kitchens and other furniture is expensive, complicated and laborious. In addition, fashion trends in furniture facades and fittings also change. Natural stone or quartz will not change its original luxurious appearance, so even outdated furniture will look great.

It is preferable to view any natural stone in a large slab rather than choosing from a small sample, as there is usually a significant difference in both color nuances and pattern. The veining visible in the sample only occupies a small part of the slab, the rest of the slab may be solid color or, conversely, distinctly veined.

The catalogue shows only part of the materials we offer. Contact us to confirm availability in the quantity you need.

Get in touch Browse the catalogue →

Before the stone reaches the workshop

Stone shaped by nature.

Travertine and onyx are made to order — mention them in your enquiry notes.

Marble

Marble is a rock formed by the recrystallization of limestone. In Latvia, marble is used only for interior decoration. It has a more expressive pattern than granite. It has both bright and pastel colors. It is an expressive and luxurious stone. Marble is softer and more porous than granite. For this reason, it is practically not used for kitchen worktops, as it scratches, absorbs fats and various colored liquids, such as wine and juices, which can leave stains that cannot be cleaned. An ideal finishing material for walls, bathroom surfaces, fireplace finishes, shower rooms, saunas, heated massage tables, etc.

Granite

Granite is one of the hardest, most durable and easiest to maintain natural materials. Granite is a safe material from a fire safety point of view, as well as resistant to scratches and heat. It has a low absorption coefficient for liquids and dyes. Ideal for use in both interior and exterior finishes. It will last forever. It will not be affected by changing weather conditions and temperature fluctuations, which are prevalent in Latvia.

Travertine

Sometimes jokingly, this stone is called Latvian stone because of its light and calm tones. It reminds us of the so familiar tone of sand and dolomite, which is the most common mineral in Latvia, which is so often used as a construction material. We have noticed that customers also like the porous structure of travertine, which looks very decorative and unusual. Porous travertine is more often used for various wall decors. Holes in floors are more often chosen already sealed with a special invisible mastic so that debris does not accumulate in them. In any case, when choosing travertine, you should think about whether the place where it will be located will not be exposed to the influence of fats, acids and various coloring liquids, such as wine, jams, juices, etc.

Onyx

Onyx has very similar properties to marble. The difference is that it is translucent. By illuminating it from the other side, you can get a unique painting-like effect. It is often used in illuminated wall panels, bar counters, steam rooms. Less often also as flooring, but only in rooms with low traffic.

One slab, four different feels.

The top face is finished at the factory. The finish changes both how the stone looks and how it feels under your hand.

Polished

Polished surfaces are light-reflecting and shiny, because when processing the stone, the pores of the stone are closed. Polishing reveals the natural beauty of the stone, making it brighter and more expressive. This type of processing could be called classic, because it is the most popular and preferred of all processing types. It is used for kitchen and bathroom countertops, external facades, building plinths, internal stairs, floor areas — especially in rooms with high traffic.

Antiqued

Antique surfaces do not have a glossy appearance — they are velvety matte. This type of treatment reduces the slipperiness of the surface and is slightly more embossed than polished surfaces. It is currently very relevant and in demand for kitchen and bathroom worktops in a minimalist style. It can also be used for other finishes — wall panels and various decors. Those who choose this option believe that it is the antiqued type of stone treatment that is as close to nature as possible due to its rough and seemingly untreated appearance.

Flamed

The burnt surface has a high coefficient of friction, is rough and bumpy. Ideal for outdoor areas and steps, as it does not slip. Unlike a polished surface, the color of the burnt surface is not as intense. Experts recommend renewing the surface protective layer once a year by impregnating the surface with a special chemistry intended for stone.

Leather silk

You want to constantly touch this stone because of its properties, which are already described by the name itself. It is matte, smooth, slightly embossed. Unlike polished — not so bright and shiny, but not as rough as antiqued. A hit of recent years, which is very popular with designers who create modern and minimalist interiors. Recently, we have noticed that lovers of classic interiors are also starting to choose this processing method.

Stone is chosen in person.

The catalogue shows only part of the materials we offer. Contact us to confirm availability in the quantity you need.