Natural Stone Finishes, Side by Side
The finish is the last thing to happen to a stone — and the first thing you notice. It decides how a surface catches light, how it feels underfoot and how it grips when wet. Here is every finish in our range, photographed on the actual stone we stock.
The Brushed (Antiqued) Family
Brushing — also called antiquing — happens after the stone is sawn: rotating abrasive brushes sweep the face again and again, wearing away the softer minerals and leaving the harder grain standing proud. The result looks and feels naturally weathered, as if the stone had been walked on for a century — with none of the wait.
The grit number tells you how coarse those brushes are, exactly like sandpaper. Low grit means aggressive brushes and deep, rustic texture; high grit means fine brushes and a soft, velvety surface. We produce three grades — and the difference between them is the difference between a farmhouse courtyard and a five-star spa deck.
16 GRITRustic & BoldDeepest texture · old-world character · maximum wet grip
36 GRITThe Balanced ClassicClearly antiqued · comfortable underfoot · in or outdoors
80 GRITVelvet-FineFine ripple · suede-soft sheen · barefoot luxuryBrushed 16 Grit — Rustic & Bold
Brushed with our coarsest 16-grit heads, this is the boldest texture we make. The brushes carve deep into the softer veins of the limestone, leaving a rolling relief you can read with your fingertips — the closest a new stone comes to centuries of genuine wear. That depth does real work outdoors: rain, grit and foot traffic disappear into the texture instead of showing on it, and the surface keeps a confident grip even when soaking wet. Choose 16 grit for driveways, garden paths and anywhere old-world character is the point — it pairs naturally with traditional architecture and hides the everyday scuffs that would show on a smoother face.
Available on: white limestone pavers · limestone patio pavers · all products
Brushed 36 Grit — The Balanced Classic
The middle grade of the family, and the one most projects land on. 36-grit brushing keeps an unmistakable antiqued character — in low sun you can watch the grain shadow across the surface — but softens the peaks so the stone sits comfortably under bare feet, dining chairs and daily life. It is the true all-rounder: textured enough for open-air paving that sees rain, refined enough to carry through covered terraces and interiors without feeling rough. If you want the antiqued look and intend to actually live on the surface — patios, pool surrounds, alfresco kitchens — 36 grit is the classic answer, and the benchmark the other two grades are measured against.
Available on: white limestone pavers · shellstone pavers · all products
Brushed 80 Grit — Velvet-Fine
Our finest brushing grade, and the finish we are proudest of. At 80 grit the brushes stop carving texture and start refining it: what remains is a barely-there ripple that scatters light into a soft, suede-like sheen — yet under your hand the stone feels close to velvet. This is the finish for projects where limestone should feel as luxurious as it looks: pool decks you cross barefoot, terraces off a master suite, floors that run from living room through glass doors to the garden without changing character. And because the fine ripple survives, it keeps meaningfully more wet grip than any honed or polished surface can offer.
Available on: white limestone pavers · limestone patio pavers · all products
Honed 60 Grit — Silky Matte
Honing takes the opposite road from brushing: instead of texturing the face, diamond abrasives grind it perfectly flat to an even, silky matte. At 60 grit the surface is smooth and shadow-free with no gloss — so the stone itself does the talking. This is the finish that shows limestone most honestly: fossil traces, soft cloud patterns and gentle tonal drift all read clearly across a honed floor. Cool, contemporary and easy to clean, it is the default choice for interior floors, bathrooms, wall cladding and covered terraces. For open-air paving that sees rain we usually steer clients to the brushed family or bush-hammered basalt instead — honing trades texture for refinement.
Available on: white limestone pavers · basalt tiles · all products
Bush-Hammered Black Basalt — Maximum Grip
A bush hammer peppers the sawn face with thousands of tiny carbide impacts, fracturing the surface into a uniform, pocked micro-texture. On black basalt the effect is striking: the fractures scatter light and lift the color to a speckled steel-grey, while the surface becomes the most slip-resistant finish in our range — the natural specification for pool decks, ramps, steps and public walkways where grip is non-negotiable. Underfoot it feels crisp and mineral, closer to fine gravel than sandpaper, and it flatters dark stone that would show every splash and footprint if polished. If a surface will be wet, barefoot, sloped — or all three — this is the finish we recommend before you finish asking.
Available on: black basalt pavers · basalt hexagon pavers · all products
Two More Finishes, Photography In Progress
Honed 120 Grit
The finest honing stage — the same perfectly flat face as 60 grit, taken one step silkier. For interiors and bathrooms where touch matters as much as looks. Samples available now.
Polished & Filled
Natural surface voids are filled flush, then the face is polished to a smooth, light-catching sheen — the dressiest finish in the range, for interior floors and feature walls. Samples available now.
Compare Every Finish
| Finish | Texture | Sheen | Wet grip | Feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brushed 16 grit | Deep, rolling relief | Fully matte | Excellent | Boldly rustic | Driveways, courtyards, garden paths |
| Brushed 36 grit | Medium relief | Matte | Excellent | Textured yet comfortable | Patios, pool surrounds, indoor-outdoor |
| Brushed 80 grit | Fine ripple | Soft suede sheen | Very good | Velvet | Barefoot pool decks, terraces, interiors |
| Honed 60 grit | Ground flat | Even matte | Good (covered/dry) | Silky smooth | Interior floors, cladding, covered patios |
| Honed 120 grit † | Ground flat | Fine matte | Moderate | Silkier still | Interiors, bathrooms |
| Bush-hammered | Uniform pocked | None | Outstanding | Crisp, mineral | Pool decks, ramps, wet & public areas |
| Polished & filled † | Filled flush | Reflective | Interior use | Glass-smooth | Interior floors, feature walls |
† Photography coming soon — samples of both finishes are available now. Wet-grip ratings are qualitative comparisons within our own range.
Three quick rules: if the surface gets wet and bare feet cross it, start with bush-hammered basalt or brushed 16/36 grit (80 grit where comfort leads). If the project is interior elegance, start with honed. If old-world character is the brief, nothing beats 16 grit. Wholesale pricing for every product is published in our Natural Stone Price Index.
See Them in Your Own Light
Photographs are honest, but stone is physical. Order samples of any finish on this page — wet them, walk on them, hold them against your walls — and they will be at your door within 3 working days.
Request Finish Samples or browse the full product rangeStone Finish Questions, Answered
What is the difference between brushed and honed limestone?
Brushed (antiqued) limestone is textured: rotating abrasive brushes wear away the softer minerals, leaving a naturally weathered relief with excellent wet grip. Honed limestone is ground perfectly flat to an even matte, so it feels silky-smooth and shows the stone’s natural pattern clearly. Brushed suits open-air paving; honed suits interiors and covered areas.
What does the grit number — 16, 36, 80 — actually mean?
The grit number describes how coarse the finishing abrasive is, exactly like sandpaper. Low numbers are coarse: 16 grit brushes carve the deepest, most rustic texture. Higher numbers are finer: 80 grit leaves only a fine, velvety ripple. 36 grit sits in between — clearly textured, but comfortable underfoot.
Which stone finish is best around a pool?
For maximum slip resistance choose bush-hammered black basalt — its pocked micro-texture grips even when soaking wet. For a softer barefoot feel with strong wet grip, brushed limestone in 36 grit is the classic pool-surround choice, and 80 grit adds extra comfort where slopes are gentle.
Can I order the same stone in different finishes?
Yes. The finish is applied during production, so most of our limestone and basalt formats can be supplied brushed, honed or bush-hammered to order. Tell us the finish you want when you request a quote and we will confirm availability for that size and thickness.
How can I see these finishes before ordering?
Order samples — they will be at your door within 3 working days, so you can judge each finish in your own light, wet it, and walk on it before committing to a full order.