Marble Shop Glossary: The Terms You Will Hear, in Plain Words

Stone, blocks and sizes

The words used for the stone before it becomes your floor or worktop.

• Block (بلوك) — A large rough piece of stone as it comes out of the quarry, before it is sliced.
• Slab (بلاطة / سلاب) — A large full sheet sliced from the block, used for worktops, stairs and pieces cut to size.
• Ready-cut tiles (ترابيع / أرضيات مقصوصة) — Pieces pre-cut to standard sizes for floors and walls.
• Free sizes (مقاسات حرة) — Pieces cut to the exact measurements of your space instead of standard sizes.
• Grade (فرز) — How the stone was sorted by background, veining, spots and flaws; first selection is the cleanest looking.
• Calibration (كالبريشن) — Grinding the back of tiles so they all have the same thickness, which makes a flat floor easier to lay.

How the stone looks

Terms for the pattern you see in the stone.

• Vein (عرق) — The lines running through marble; their colour, width and direction shape the look.
• Grain (فص) — The specks and crystals seen in granite, often described as small or large.
• Book-match (كتاب مفتوح) — Two neighbouring slices opened side by side so the veins mirror each other like an open book.
• Mosaic (موزاييك) — Small pieces of stone set in a pattern, often on a mesh backing, for walls, floors or borders.

Surface finishes

The finish changes how the stone looks, feels and grips underfoot.

• Polished (مجلي) — A glossy, reflective finish that shows the colour at its deepest.
• Honed (مطفي) — A smooth matte finish with no shine, which hides scratches and marks better.
• Flamed (مشعلل) — A rough, grippy surface made by heating granite with a flame, used outdoors and on steps.
• Leathered (جلدي) — A soft, lightly textured finish with a low sheen that feels like leather to the touch.
• Brushed (مفرشح) — A finish made with stiff brushes that leaves a gently wavy, textured surface.
• Antique (أنتيك) — An aged look with softened edges and a worn surface, often made by tumbling.

Edges

Edge profiles for worktops, steps, sills and copings.

• Edge (حرف) — The visible front side of a piece, which can be shaped into different profiles.
• Rounded edge (مبروم) — An edge with its corners rounded off so it is soft to the touch.
• Bevelled edge (مشطوف) — An edge with its corner cut at an angle.
• Half-round edge (نص دائرة) — An edge shaped into a full half circle from top to bottom.
• Doubled edge (دبل) — A strip of stone glued under the edge so the piece looks thicker.

Floors, stairs and building parts

Names of the pieces you will see on a quote for a flat or a villa.

• Skirting (وزرة) — The low strip of stone along the bottom of a wall where it meets the floor.
• Stair tread (درج) — The flat part of a step you stand on.
• Riser (قائم) — The upright piece at the front of each step.
• Landing (بسطة) — The flat area between two flights of stairs.
• Threshold (عتبة) — The stone piece under a door where one floor meets another.
• Window sill (شباك) — The stone piece at the bottom of a window opening.
• Coping (دروة) — The stone covering the top of a balcony, roof or garden wall.
• Cladding (تجاليد) — Stone pieces fixed to a wall, inside or outside.

Kitchens

Words you will hear when ordering a kitchen worktop.

• Backsplash (ظهر المطبخ) — The stone on the wall behind the worktop.
• Sink cut-out (فتحة الحوض) — The opening cut into the worktop for the sink.
• Undermount (تحت الرخامة) — A sink fixed under the worktop, so the polished edge of the opening shows.
• Top mount (فوق الرخامة) — A sink dropped in from above, with its rim resting on the stone.

Cutting, fixing and care

Terms from the workshop, the site and the years after.

• Waterjet (ووترجت) — A machine that cuts stone with a high-pressure jet of water and abrasive, used for curves, shapes and inlays.
• Adhesive fixing (لصق) — Fixing stone with cement-based or stone adhesive, used for floors and smaller wall pieces.
• Mechanical fixing (تركيب ميكانيكي) — Fixing heavy or high pieces with metal anchors behind them, common on facades.
• Expansion joints (فواصل تمدد) — Planned gaps filled with a flexible material so stone can move with heat without cracking.
• Grouting (ترويبة) — Filling the joints between pieces with a matching grout.
• Floor polishing (جلي) — Grinding and polishing a marble floor by machine to level it and bring back the shine.
• Sealer or wax (تشميع / سيلر) — A protective product; sealer soaks into the stone to slow stains, while wax sits on top for shine.