The SoCal Tiles Natural Stone Encyclopedia

A 1/16 in grout line is a tight, nearly seamless joint; 1/8 in is a little wider and more forgiving. Natural stone can vary slightly in size and edge, so a wider joint often makes straight lines easier, while a tight joint suits very uniform tile. Wider joints such as 1/4 in give a bolder, more rustic look. Your installer decides the right width for your tile. See the installation guide and marble subway tile.

Natural stone tile is cut from real quarried rock. The families we carry are marble, travertine, onyx, dolomite and limestone, and every piece varies in color and veining. Shop all tile and stone or read the buying guide.

Paving stones, or pavers, are stone pieces for outdoor floors such as patios, walkways and pool decks. Tumbled pavers have softened edges and an aged look; non-tumbled pavers have crisp edges and a cleaner look. See travertine pavers and pool coping, outdoor tile and tumbled travertine tile.

Floor tile is chosen to handle foot traffic, wear and traction. Wall tile is not meant to be walked on, and many floor tiles can also go on walls. Always check the product and ask your installer for the room. Browse wall tiles, natural stone floor tile and large-format tile.

Honed is a matte finish: smooth and flat with no gloss. Matte is the general word and honed is the stone term. See honed vs polished stone for the full comparison.

Honed stone is flat and smooth with crisp edges. Tumbled stone is rolled to soften its edges and surface for a worn, aged look. Both are available in travertine and marble: see honed travertine, tumbled travertine, honed marble and tumbled marble.

Polished is glossy and reflective; honed is matte. Travertine is most often sold honed (including Filled & Honed), while most marble comes polished or honed. Polished vs unpolished marble: unpolished usually means honed or tumbled. See honed vs polished stone, polished marble tile and honed travertine tile.

Vein-cut travertine is cut along the stone bedding, so it shows linear banding. Cross-cut travertine is cut across the bedding, so it looks cloudier and more uniform. Both appear in our travertine collection; look for "Cross-Cut" or "Vein-Cut" in the product name.

Dolomite is chemically distinct from marble. Marble is metamorphosed limestone (mostly calcite); dolomite is built around the mineral dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate). Visually they can look alike. See What is dolomite, What is marble and the dolomite collection.

Limestone is mostly calcite (calcium carbonate). Dolomite rock is mostly the mineral dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate). Travertine is a type of limestone. Browse limestone tile and dolomite tile.

Sealing helps marble resist stains because it slows liquids from soaking in. It does not stop acid etching. See how to seal marble tile and etching vs staining.

An eased edge is a slightly softened square corner. A bullnose has a rounded edge: half bullnose rounds one corner, full bullnose rounds both for a fully rounded edge. Browse bullnose trim and pencil liner trim.

Stacked stone is narrow stone pieces assembled in layers for a rough, textured wall. We do not carry it; for texture, see split-face stone tile.

White thinset is commonly used under white and light stone because gray mortar can show through. Gray is common under darker stone. Follow your installer and the stone supplier. See the installation guide.

A 1/2 offset is the classic brick pattern. A 1/3 offset staggers each row by a third of the tile for a more varied look. Horizontal is traditional; vertical makes a wall feel taller. See marble subway tile and the marble backsplash tile guide.

Filled travertine has its natural holes filled for a smoother face; unfilled keeps them open for a rustic look. Full comparison: filled vs unfilled travertine.