
Finish Textures
Finish textures affect a tile’s recommended application, benefits and advantages, and overall look and feel. Porcelain Stone offers a portfolio of distinctive finish offerings to add beauty and function to residential and commercial designs, both indoors and out.
- Unpolished (UPS)
- Cross-Sheen® is an integrated finish that greatly enhances the protection of Porcelain Stone tile from the majority of scuffs, stains, and even most graffiti. By creating an advanced, easier-to-clean tile surface, Cross-Sheen allows for fast removal of unsightly marks using only mild cleaner, resulting in hassle-free cleaning and long-term performance of your Porcelain Stone tile.
- Unpolished (UP)
- A subtle, unaltered finish that may incorporate subtle variations in texture or gloss
- Polished (PO)
- Polished Porcelain Stone® is a practical alternative to natural stone with its attractive, mirror-like finish and can be used with other surface textures to increase visual interplay and interest. Polished finish adds a look of elegance and sophistication to interior floors and interior and exterior walls. Polished finish is not recommended for wet areas where standing water may occur or for exterior horizontal and/or walking surfaces.
- Honed (HON)/Semi-Polished (SPO)
- A uniform, semi-polished finish that results from mechanically altering the surface.
- Exterior (EXT)
- A textured finish designed for exterior walking surfaces in residential and commercial environments where enhanced traction is desired. Exterior products are also suitable for interior paving, especially in wet areas.
- Cross-Slate® (CS)
- The Cross-Slate® finish combines the rustic and textured feel of slate with the through-body color and durability of Porcelain Stone® for strong commercial value where enhanced traction is needed. Cross-Slate is recommended for high traffic interior and exterior walking surfaces in both residential and commercial environments.
- Cross-Tread® (CTS)
- Enhanced traction and ease of maintenance make this texture a suitable choice for wet and greasy interior floor areas and exterior walking surfaces. The Cross-Tread® surface pattern is eye-catching, making it a great option for transitional areas and for use as an accent tile.
- FeatherSoft
- Silky and smooth to the touch, it combines comfort with practical slip resistance, making it ideal for interior flooring in both residential and commercial spaces.
- Leathered (LTR)
- Leathered finish creates a subtle glow, visual depth, and a smooth feel. The finish is achieved by running diamond-tipped brushes over the surface of fired porcelain tile, resulting in an incredibly soft feel and tremendous visual richness. While our Leathered finish may be soft to the touch, the DCOF remains high, making it suitable for residential and commercial interior floor and wall applications and exterior vertical surfaces.
- Patterned (PTN)
- A repeated, decorative texture or finish created for visual interplay and/or interest.
- Pearlescent (PRL)
- A soft and subtle light-reflecting finish created through advanced glazing and decoration techniques.
- Satin (SAT)
- A smooth, semi-matte finish that results from mechanically altering the surface.
- Textured (TX)
- The rustic appearance and texture of natural slate designed for improved traction on exterior walking surfaces.
Glossary
- Bullnose
- Rounded convex trim used to provide a smooth, rounded edge for countertops, stair steps, and building corners. This is the most used trim shape for wall tile installations. Wall tile bullnose is sometimes referred to as surface cap. It has one rounded finished edge on the tile and can be used horizontally or vertically. Left Bullnose Corner & Right Bullnose Corner are also referred to as Double Bullnose.
- Calibrated Tile
- Tiles that have been sorted to meet a pre-determined acceptance of variable range in size. AHF Products® recommends a minimum grout joint of 3/16 inch.
- Cove Base (Standard, round top)
- This cove base has a rounded finished top like bullnose and is used as a cove base in areas that will not have wall tile installed above it.
- Cove Base (Universal, flat top)
- This cove base has a finished, flat top. It can be used alone or with tile stacked on top.
- Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF)
- Sometimes called kinetic coefficient of friction. This is the ratio of the force necessary to keep a surface already in motion sliding over another divided by the weight (or normal force) of an object. This force is a materials property of the two surfaces. DCOF is usually less than SCOF for the same materials. Contaminants such as dirt, water, soap, oil, or grease can change this value.
- Modular
- Tiles of various dimensions are sized so that they may be installed together in patterns with a common specified joint width. The difference between Actual and Nominal is the grout joint.
- Rectified/Cross-Grid®
- A tile that has had all edges mechanically finished to achieve a more precise facial dimension. 3-4mm grout joint recommended.
- Through-body Color
- The color of the tile is the same through and through.