Surface and performance
Four finishes, one set of trade-offs
A finish is not a look. It is a process, an appearance and a set of correct and incorrect uses. We cut riven, honed, polished and sawn faces at our own polishing yard in Karnataka. Slip and wear figures below are independently tested and declared for every finish.
Full comparison
All four finishes, side by side
| Finish | Process | Appearance | Wet slip | Correct use | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riven | Split by hand along the stone's natural bedding plane. No mechanical surfacing. | Natural cleft texture, slight variation in level between pieces from the same batch. | PTV 60–63 wet (EN 16165 Annex C) | External paving and terraces | Level variation between pieces is inherent to the process — approve on a sample from the batch, not a single piece. |
| Honed | Progressive abrasive heads to an even matte surface. | Flat matte finish, no reflection, colour reads slightly deeper than riven. | PTV 38–42 wet (EN 16165 Annex C) | Internal floors, wall linings, stair treads | Suitable for internal wet areas such as bathrooms when sealed; not recommended unsealed in continuously wet conditions. |
| Polished | Honing continued with a final buffing pass to a reflective surface. | Reflective, deepest colour saturation of the finishes offered. | PTV 22–27 wet (EN 16165 Annex C) | Internal floors and feature wall panels, low-traffic areas | Limestone is calcite and will etch from acidic spillage. Not recommended for external or wet use given the lower wet-pendulum value of a polished face. |
| Sawn | Gang saw or block cutter, no secondary surface treatment. Saw marks remain visible. | Flat, dry surface, faint parallel saw marks, colour reads lighter than a worked face. | PTV 45–50 wet (EN 16165 Annex C) | Bedding faces, cladding rear faces, cut-to-size blanks | Not generally specified as a visible floor or paving finish. Saw texture varies piece to piece. |
Finish 01
Riven
Split by hand along the stone's natural bedding plane. No mechanical surfacing.
Natural cleft texture, slight variation in level between pieces from the same batch.
- Wet slip
- PTV 60–63 wet (EN 16165 Annex C)
- Wear
- 16–19mm wear depth (BS EN 14157)
- Use
- External paving and terraces
Level variation between pieces is inherent to the process — approve on a sample from the batch, not a single piece.
Finish 02
Honed
Progressive abrasive heads to an even matte surface.
Flat matte finish, no reflection, colour reads slightly deeper than riven.
- Wet slip
- PTV 38–42 wet (EN 16165 Annex C)
- Wear
- 18–21mm wear depth (BS EN 14157)
- Use
- Internal floors, wall linings, stair treads
Suitable for internal wet areas such as bathrooms when sealed; not recommended unsealed in continuously wet conditions.
Finish 03
Polished
Honing continued with a final buffing pass to a reflective surface.
Reflective, deepest colour saturation of the finishes offered.
- Wet slip
- PTV 22–27 wet (EN 16165 Annex C)
- Wear
- 16–21mm wear depth (BS EN 14157)
- Use
- Internal floors and feature wall panels, low-traffic areas
Limestone is calcite and will etch from acidic spillage. Not recommended for external or wet use given the lower wet-pendulum value of a polished face.
Finish 04
Sawn
Gang saw or block cutter, no secondary surface treatment. Saw marks remain visible.
Flat, dry surface, faint parallel saw marks, colour reads lighter than a worked face.
- Wet slip
- PTV 45–50 wet (EN 16165 Annex C)
- Wear
- 18–21mm wear depth (BS EN 14157)
- Use
- Bedding faces, cladding rear faces, cut-to-size blanks
Not generally specified as a visible floor or paving finish. Saw texture varies piece to piece.
Questions
Finish questions we get most often
Which finish is right for external paving?
Riven is our standard finish for external paving — it is the natural cleft face the stone splits to along its own bedding. Sawn is offered where a flatter, more formal lay is wanted. Both are independently tested and rated for UK wet-slip and freeze-thaw conditions.
Does polished limestone work outdoors?
We do not recommend polished limestone for external or wet use. Limestone is calcite and a polished face etches from acidic spillage and rain, and no slip data yet exists to support external use. Polished is offered for internal floors and feature panels only.
Can a finish be matched on a repeat order?
We aim to match finish within the tolerance stated for that process once tolerances are confirmed by testing. Riven pieces vary naturally in level from the same batch — approve a sample from the batch, not a single piece, before ordering.
See the surface, not the swatch
Order a finish sample before you specify
Photographs do not carry slip resistance or texture depth. Request a physical sample box of the finishes you are deciding between, or send us the application and we will quote.