What is Tumbled Finish in Stone?

Tumbled tiles have a very soft, smooth and worn out antique look on them. Tumbling is a method in which stones, sand and water are added to a rubber or plastic drum. The drum is tumbled with these materials, the rocks and sand rubs on to the surface of the stone to give a tumbled finish to it. Large tiles or slabs of stone cannot be tumbled in this way as they will break in this process. The main characteristics of tumbled stone finish are –

• The process stimulates aging of the stone and creates very soft surfaces and edges on the stone.
• Once the stone is tumbled the pores must be sealed with sealants especially in Travertine stone.
• The process takes 3 to 5 weeks and minimum 3 stages to complete the tumbling process.
• Any type of stone can be converted into a stone tile with a tumbled finish. The most common stone that are tumbled are marble, granite, travertine, quartzite and limestone to name a few.
• The tumbled stone has a very rustic look. The looks can be enhanced with topical sealers which are usually applied after installation and grouting of the tile. It brightens the colour of the tile and removes the dusty layer from the tile.