La natural stone It is practically the only construction material that is applied to the construction site exactly as it comes from nature. During the production process, no changes occur to its structure, composition, or manufacturing beyond the cutting and grinding of the surface finish of the pieces.
Among the specific characteristics of natural stone, it is necessary to admit certain variations in color, veining, and morphology. These variations do not constitute defects but rather unique characteristics of the material, as established by European regulations. When a project or construction requires complete uniformity in finishes, natural stone is not usually the best option for interior or exterior flooring and cladding.
Thanks to nature we have a wide range of natural stones of different properties and colors depending on the geographical area in which we are located. Even within the same mine or quarry, there may be differences in the same stone due, among other things, to the more or less deep mining areas from which it is extracted at any given time.
The regulations are flexible and allow any visible variations, such as cracks, inclusions, cavities, statoliths, and veins, to be considered as material singularities, provided they are typical of the stone and do not negatively affect its performance as a construction product. On the other hand, broken pieces, pieces with open cracks on any face, cracks in the corners of pieces, or cracks or chips on edges are considered defects and are grounds for immediate rejection, as indicated by the regulations.
These specificities are often unknown to developers, builders, or individuals, who often only have access to a sample of the material. To avoid conflict, it is very important for the supplier to provide a reference sample before the start of work. This sample must be accepted by all parties (supplier, builder, construction manager, owner, etc.) and must be reflected in the contract in some way, through images, physical samples, or criteria. Furthermore, the reference sample does not imply strict uniformity between the sample itself and the actual supply; natural variations may always occur, but these are not known until the production process is completed.