Natural Stone Industry Glossary

Glossary is usually defined as an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge. This Natural Stone industry glossary provides a collection of industry terms that define many products and technical terms. These terms are arranged alphabetically, but you can quickly jump to specific term by selecting its first letter from the index of the glossary below.

ALL A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Search Results: 24 Terms Found

HAIRLINE CRACKING
The naturally occurring superficial thin cracking of a concrete surface.

HALF BULLNOSE
An edging option for stone surfaces such as a granite countertop that is convex.

HALF ROUND
An edging option for stone or other hard surfaces such as a countertop that as a semi-circular finish.

HALITE
Colorless cubic crystals including rock salt.

HAND CUT RANDOM RECTANGULAR
The process in which stones are hand-cut into geometric shapes with consistent joints for a patterned finish.

HARD-BURNED
Clay products, for example bricks, that have been fired at extremely high temperatures to a nearly vitrified state.

HARDNESS
The measurement of hardness in stones and other surfaces as determined by the Mohs Scale.

HEAD JOINT
A vertical joint between masonry stones where mortar is placed.

HEAD
In masonry, the end of a stone or rock that has been machine or hand-tooled to match the face of the stone. These heads are used as corner pieces for door jams, windows or other areas where corners are visible.

HEADER
Also referred to as a bonder, in masonry is a unit that overlaps adjacent units.

HEADSTONE
The principle stone in a construction project such as a keystone or cornerstone.

HEARTH
A fire-proof, typically raised, section of the floor directly in front of a fireplace or wood-burning stove.

HEMIHYDRATE
A crystalline hydrate that contains one water molecule for every two molecules of the compound.

HERRINGBONE
A pattern for setting tiles or stones in a slanted design in alternating polarities.

HEWN STONE
A finish for stones created by chipping with a mallet and chisel.

HIGH-STRENGTH ADHESIVE
A high-strength adhesive and bonding agent used to join pieces of stone and other materials.

HONE FINISH
A type of finish available for stones and other hard surfaces that has a smooth satin appearance.

HONES/HONE FINISH
A type of finish recommended for commercial flooring constructed from marble, granite and quartz that has a smooth satin finish.

HORNEBLEND
A dark green, black or brown mineral that can be found in igneous stones including granite.

HYDRATE
A mineral composition that was formed by a combination of organic elements and compounds with water.

HYDRATED LIME
The product of heating limestone that creates this caustic substance.

HYDRAULIC
In masonry projects it refers to the process of hardening with or under water.

HYDROPHILIC
The characteristic in which substances absorb, mix with, or dissolve in water.

HYDROPHOBIC
The inherent characteristic in substances that repel water.