Français
Aged or chiseled/bush-hammered finish for natural stone ?
How to choose the finish for natural stone building elements ?
We manufacture numerous elements used in constructing buildings for both public and private domains: gate pillars, boundary markers, door frames, thresholds, sills, cornices, corner stones, arches, baseboards, dormers, and bull's eye windows.
Beyond the choice of stone, the question of finish arises. The two main options are weathered or chiseled and bush-hammered finishes, although others exist in the building industry : Roughened, Old Burgundy Slabs, Rustic Old Slabs...
The criteria that lean towards one or the other are :
1-The environment surrounding the stone structure
For instance, the weathered finish is typically used in a suburban house, whereas a farmhouse or historic stone building would more readily accommodate the chiseled-bush-hammered finish. However, it also comes down to personal taste, and a chiseled-bush-hammered finish will enhance the beauty of your home in any case.
2-The budget
The chiseled-bush-hammered finish is 15 to 20% more expensive compared to the weathered finish.
Weathered Finish - Natural Stone
The weathered finish is one of the simplest and also one of the most commonly used because it complements various styles of homes: stone houses, suburban homes, and more.
In practice, a stone cutter will manually brush the stones (voussoirs or pillar caps, molded cornices...) with a metal brush. This process removes saw marks from the cutting (known as rough-sawn finish) and opens up the stone, particularly semi-hard stones from Châtillonnais, giving it an aged appearance. This is also referred to as a brushed weathered finish.
Chiseled / Bush-Hammered Finish - Natural Limestone
The chiseled-bush-hammered finish is more intricate than the weathered finish. Chiseling is done around the perimeter of the stone piece, while the bush-hammered finish is applied to the center. Chiseling is carried out using a chisel, typically in strips that are 2-3 cm wide. The bush hammer is a stonecutter's hammer (either manually operated or rotary) with square heads tipped with diamond points. The bush hammer also provides a rough, non-slip finish on stair treads or tactile paving slabs.
Historically, this finish served a practical purpose rather than just aesthetic, especially for stonecutters working on cathedral sites. They would chisel to level irregular stones and then use the bush hammer to achieve a uniform surface level.
