Surface Information

At Cullifords we have a vast and varied selection of slabs on display in our impressive yard, sourced from all over the world. A visit here is highly recommended, not only can you view a large variety of blocks and slabs for your project, you can benefit from the knowledge and experience of our staff who can guide you through the selection process advising on suitability, finishes, and textures.

Natural stones and man-made surfaces are a complex subject, we have names and classifications of surface types, such as Hard Granites and Soft Quartzites to try and make it easier to understand. Please be aware that these are our in-house labels and not intended for geological and technical identification.

Select a product type below to understand its properties:

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

No.

Will it etch with general use?

No.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Possibly, being a natural material it can have very slight areas where a crystal is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of he surface. Sometimes areas can be filled with resin. This would be evident on selection of material.

Can I cut on it?

Yes, but you will blunt your knife or get metal transfer, which is the metal of the knife or utensil leaving residual metal on the surface.

Will it stain?

No, essentially it is near non porous, but you may get a film of something that remains on the surface, but this would come off in 99% of cases with a good clean, being darker, the colours would hide most things.

Can I put hot pans on it?

Yes, Lundhs is the only natural stone to be officially tested for heat resistance.

How will it last over time?

Everyday life in the home and outside will bring to your surfaces different oils and greases that will darken the surface a little over time, with some regular cleaning Lundhs will always look like new.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

No.

Will it etch with general use?

No.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Possibly, being a natural material it can have very slight areas where a crystal is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of the surface. Sometimes areas can be filled with resin. This would be evident on selection of material.

Can I cut on it?

Yes, but you will blunt your knife or may get metal transfer, which is the metal of the knife or utensil leaving residual metal on the surface.

Will it stain?

Not if well sealed, many of the dark harder granites do not need sealing but fabricators may seal them to be sure.

Can I put hot pans on it?

Yes, in most cases it would be fine, and we hear of customers doing this a lot. The Lundhs materials are the only natural stone to be officially tested, so for hard granites which are similar it should be fine. However, in order to err on the the side of caution we would have to advise using a trivet to be safe as thermal shock can possibly occur.

How will it last over time?

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

Possibly, if you are not careful. We would advise using a chopping board.

Will it etch with general use?

Yes, if the liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spills to be cleared up immediately.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Can I cut on it?

We would advise using a chopping board, although in most instances it would be unlikely you could scratch it.

Will it stain?

Not if well sealed. Most staining is down to poor sealing, upkeep, or if the sealant has worn off over time. Speak with the fabricator about the sealant they are using. In most cases we rarely hear of customers resealing their tops, but it’s a relatively easy process if you wanted to do it.

Can I put hot pans on it?

As the softer granites may contain more resin on their surface we would advise on using a trivet to be safe.

How will it last over time?

Everyday life in the home and outside will bring to your surfaces different oils and greases that will darken the surface a little overtime. There are plenty of cleaners on the market that can revitalise the surface. If using outside you may find that the softer materials weather more quickly than a harder one, they may lighten or the surface may crackle.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

No.

Will it etch with general use?

No.

Can it have pits/little holes?

In essence, no, most manufacturers produce to a warranty, significant defects from the production are normally covered by these warranties.

Can I cut on it?

Yes, but you will blunt your knife or get metal transfer, which is the metal of the knife or utensil leaving residual metal on the surface.

Will it stain?

No, essentially it is near non porous, but you may get a film of something that remains on the surface, this will come off in 99% of cases with a good clean. Whites and plainer colours would naturally show more problems. Darker ones can show issues in different lighting situations.

Can I put hot pans on it?

No. Always use a trivet or chopping board.

How will it last over time?

Everyday life in the home will bring to your surfaces different oils and greases that will darken the surface. There are plenty of cleaners on the market that can revitalise the surface. Over a longer period, Engineered Quartz will dull a little due to its man made nature. UV can effect an Engineered Quartz surface over time because of its resin content, we don’t reccomend using Engineered Quartz outside as it will lighten and crackle on the surface over time.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

No.

Will it etch with general use?

No.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Can I cut on it?

Yes, but you will blunt your knife or get metal transfer, which is the metal of the knife or utensil leaving residual metal on the surface.

Will it stain?

Not if well sealed. There are some materials in this section that, although they are very hard, are porpous, so attention needs to be made to the sealing. Please ask your sales person or fabricator about this.

Can I put hot pans on it?

We would recommend using a trivet although we rarely hear of problems, its best to err on the side of caution.

How will it last over time?

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

Possibly, if you are not careful. We would advise using a chopping board.

Will it etch with general use?

Yes, if the liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spills to be cleared up immediately.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Can I cut on it?

We would advise using a chopping board, with all softer materials you will get little scratches over time as the stone gets its own patina.

Will it stain?

Not if well sealed. Most staining is down to poor sealing, upkeep, or if the sealant has worn off over time. Speak with the fabricator about the sealant they are using, in most cases we rarely hear of customers resealing their tops, but it’s a relatively easy process if you wanted to do it. Being a softer material, if you do get a stain, there is a good chance that it can be removed with a poultice.

Can I put hot pans on it?

As the softer Quartzites may contain more resin on their surface we would advise on using a trivet to be safe.

How will it last over time?

Everyday life in the home and outside will bring to your surfaces different oils and greases that will darken the surface a little overtime. There are plenty of cleaners on the market that can revitalise the surface. Some Natural Quartzites will have an element of resin on the surface, this may go lighter or crackle over time if used outside. Being a softer material, it is possible to re-polish, we can give you details of companies that will do this should you wish to bring more lustre back to the surface.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

Possibly, if you are not careful. We would advise using a chopping board. Being textured such as honed or satinato can reduce the amount of scratching you could see.

Will it etch with general use?

Yes, if the liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spill to be cleared up immediately. Being textured such as honed or satinato can reduce the amount of etching you could see.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Can I cut on it?

We would advise using a chopping board, with all softer materials you will get little scratches over time as the stone gets its own patina.

Will it stain?

Can I put hot pans on it?

As some hard marbles may contain more resin on their surface than average, we would advise on using a trivet to be safe.

How will it last over time?

Everyday life in the home and outside will bring to your surfaces different oils and greases that will darken the surface a little overtime. There are plenty of cleaners on the market that can revitalise the surface. Some Natural Quartzites will have an element of resin on the surface, this may go lighter or crackle over time if used outside. Being a softer material, it is possible to re-polish, we can give you details of companies that will do this should you wish to bring more lustre back to the surface.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

Possibly, if you are not careful. We would advise using a chopping board. Being textured such as honed or satinato can reduce the amount of scratching you could see.

Will it etch with general use?

Yes, if the liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spills to be cleared up immediately. Being textured such as honed or satinato can reduce the amount of etching you could see.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Yes, it can have very slight areas where a crystal is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of the surface, we call these Tiroli. Sometimes areas can be filled with resin. This would be evident on selection of material.

Can I cut on it?

We would advise using a chopping board, with all softer materials you will get little scratches over time as the stone gets its own patina.

Will it stain?

Can I put hot pans on it?

As some marbles may contain more resin on their surface than average, we would advise on using a trivet to be safe.

How will it last over time?

Everyday life in the home and outside will bring to your surfaces different oils and greases that will darken the surface a little overtime. There are plenty of cleaners on the market that can revitalise the surface. Some Natural Quartzites will have an element of resin on the surface, this may go lighter or crackle over time if used outside. Being a softer material, it is possible to re-polish, we can give you details of companies that will do this should you wish to bring more lustre back to the surface.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch?

Yes, we generally don’t offer these materials for work surfaces, their application is more normally suited to feature walls, bathrooms, hallways or other architectural features. But the classification is so varied, as are the clients desires in this area, please speak to your sales person about the attributes of the material you are looking at in this section.

Will it etch?

If used close to water, many of these softer materials will etch, darker stones such at Nero Portoro or Marquina are best to keep away from wet areas, but as mentioned before, some clients are happy to throw caution to the wind in selecting different materials. It can depend on your project and the level of maintenance you are expecting. Or in some cases, you are just happy for the product to fade and get its own patina. Please ask your sales person.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Yes, it can have areas where a crystal is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of he surface. Sometimes areas can be filled with resin. Also repairs can be made to the stones using glues and resins. This would be evident on selection of material.

Will it stain?

Not if well sealed. Most staining is down to poor sealing, upkeep, or if the sealant has worn off over time. Speak with the fabricator or installer about the sealant they are using, in most cases we rarely hear of customers resealing their surfaces, but it’s a relatively easy process if you wanted to do it. Being a softer material, if you do get a stain, there is a good chance that it can be removed with a poultice.

How should I maintain it?

We would recommend regular cleaning with a soft solution cleaner sold by Lithofin or Dry Treat. Each cleaner would depend on the stone. Further guidance can be found at their respective websites.

How will it last over time?

The surface will age and get its own patina, much like the grand house or palaces that these materials have been used in for centuries. Being softer, there are plenty of restoration companies who can re-polish these surfaces, but sometimes they are best left to mellow.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch?

Yes, we generally don’t offer these materials for work surfaces, their application is more normally suited to bathrooms, hallways, or cloakrooms. However, with the right understanding, the use of travertine can be for so much more.

Will it etch?

Yes, if liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spills to be cleared up immediately. Being textured such as honed or satinato can reduce the amount of etching you could see.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Yes, travertine is naturally full of holes, it can have areas where cement or resin filler is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of he surface. Sometimes areas can be re-filled with resin. Also repairs can be made to the stones using glues and resins. This would be evident on selection of material.

Will it stain?

How should I maintain it?

We would recommend regular cleaning with a soft solution cleaner sold by Lithofin or Dry Treat. Each cleaner would depend on the stone. Further guidance can be found at their respective websites.

How will it last over time?

The surface will age and get its own patina. Being softer, there are plenty of restoration companies who can re-polish or clean these surfaces, but sometimes they are best left to mellow.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch?

Yes, we generally don’t offer these materials for work surfaces, their application is more normally suited to bathrooms, hallways, or cloakrooms and flooring. However, with the right understanding, the use of limestone can be for so much more.

Will it etch?

Yes, if liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spill to be cleared up immediately. Being textured such as honed or satinato can reduce the amount of etching you could see.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Yes, it can have areas where cement or resin filler is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of he surface. Sometimes areas can be re-filled with resin. Varying amounts of shelling can occur which should be embraced and not avoided. Also repairs can be made to the stones using glues and resins. This would all be evident on selection of material.

Will it stain?

How should I maintain it?

We would recommend regular cleaning with a soft solution cleaner sold by Lithofin or Dry Treat. Each cleaner would depend on the stone. Further guidance can be found at their respective websites.

How will it last over time?

The surface will age and get its own patina. Being softer, there are plenty of restoration companies who can re-polish or clean these surfaces, but sometimes they are best left to mellow.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch?

The soft slates such as Italian Black slate is really only suitable for fireplace hearths, but harder slates such as brazilian black or green and Pietra Del Cardos can be used for many surfaces, including work surfaces.

Will it etch?

The softer slate definitely will, harder ones will be less susceptible to etching, but we would always advise that any liquids are cleaned up quickly.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Slates are fairly rustic materials, they can have little pits and holes, some slates are offered as riven, which is their natural split surface. Honed slates tend to be smooth, but as with all natural things there will be certain features that may give the surface some uneveness.

Will it stain?

How should I maintain it?

We would recommend regular cleaing with a soft solution cleaner sold by Lithofin or Dry Treat. Each cleaner would depend on the stone. Further guidance can be found at their respective websites.

How will it last over time?

If cutting on the softer black slate, you will create scratches, but these can often be masked by applying Linseed or similar oils. On the harder materials, small scratches will appear, and some etching. The surface will age and get its own patina. Being softer, there are plenty of restoration companies who can re-polish or clean these surfaces, but sometimes they are best left to mellow.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch?

Yes, we generally don’t offer these materials for work surfaces, their application is more normally suited to feature walls, bathrooms, hall ways or other architectural features.

Will it etch?

Yes, if liquid is left on there for a little time. We would advise all spill to be cleared up immediately. Being a delicate material it could be repolished fairly easily by a restorer.

Can it have pits/little holes?

Yes, it can have very areas where a crystal is so small that it does not stay bound to the rest of he surface. Sometimes areas can be filled with resin. Also repairs can be made to the stones using glues and resins. This is veyr typical with onyx, the surfce can appear cracked, even though it is not. Onyx is one of the most delicate materials that we offer. This would all be evident on selection of material.

Will it stain?

How should I maintain it?

We would recommend regular cleaning with a soft solution cleaner sold by Lithofin or Dry treat. Each cleaner would depend on the stone. Further guidance can be found at their respective websites.

How will it last over time?

The surface will age and get its own patina. Being softer, there are plenty of restoration companies who can re-polish or clean these surfaces, but sometimes they are best left to mellow.

UV Resistant

Scratch Resistant

Easy to Maintain

Stain Resistant

Heat Resistant

Will it scratch with general use?

No.

Will it etch with general use?

No.

Can it have pits/little holes?

In essence, no, most manufacturers produce to a warranty, significant defects from the production are normally covered by these warranties.

Can I cut on it?

Yes, but you will blunt your knife or get metal transfer, which is the metal of the knife or utensil leaving residual metal on the surface.

Will it stain?

No, essentially it is near non porous, but you may get a film of something that remains on the surface, but this would come off in 99% of cases with a good clean, whites and plainer colours would naturally show more problems. Darker ones can show issues in different lighting situations.

Can I put hot pans on it?

No. Always use a trivet or chopping board.

How will it last over time?

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Surface Information

Select a product type below to understand its properties:

discover more via our blog: