The palette behind every staircase.
A working reference for the four primary materials we specify — structural steel and stainless, architectural glass and laminates, hardwoods, and marble finishes. What each material does best, and where it earns its place in Dubai's climate.
Carbon, mild, and stainless — and what they really mean
A staircase rarely uses a single steel. The visible handrail, the hidden stringer, the bracket bolted into the slab — each is sized to a different brief. Strength matters; so do corrosion resistance, weldability, finish, and what the local market can deliver on a sensible lead time. The figures below show how the grades we specify compare on the metrics that drive the choice.
Yield strength by grade
How much load each grade carries before it deforms permanently — the foundation of every structural decision.
Load per kilogram
Specific strength — the metric that decides slim sections on long cantilevers.
How each grade ages outdoors
Performance in humid, coastal, sun-exposed environments — the UAE brief.
Weldability, cutting & finishing
How easily each grade is fabricated by the team on the floor — a quiet but decisive factor in cost and lead time.
Where each grade earns its place
Our default specification by staircase element type.
| Grade | Family | Best applied to | UAE sourcing |
|---|---|---|---|
| S275 · Mild steel | Carbon | Hidden stringers, sub-frames, brackets, baseplates — all painted | Local · same-day |
| S355 | Carbon | Long-span stringers, cantilevered floating staircases | Local · same-day |
| Q235 · GB/T 700 | Carbon | Imported coil for fabricated components and non-structural sub-assemblies | Imported · planned |
| S460 HSLA | Carbon | Slim cantilevers and visually thin profiles under heavy load | Specialty order |
| 304 Stainless | Stainless | Indoor handrails, balustrade posts, fittings — dry environments only | Local · stocked |
| 316 Stainless | Stainless | Coastal handrails, exterior balustrades, pool surrounds, marine air | Local · stocked |
| 2205 Duplex | Stainless | Slim glass-rail posts where the steel must be both visible and structural | Specialty · premium |
The grade is never the question. The question is which element of the staircase, in which environment, finished in which way — and the steel answers itself.
Architectural glass — clarity, safety & the role of low-iron
On a CAworks staircase glass is rarely just glass. It is the balustrade you brush against on the way up, the laminated stringer carrying the whole flight, sometimes the tread itself. The choice between clear and low-iron defines whether the colour beneath reads true. The choice between monolithic and laminated decides whether the panel is allowed inside a residence at all. The figures below show how each substrate, build-up, and treatment compares.
Visible light through 6 mm glass
How much daylight each substrate lets through — and whether the panel adds its own colour to the room.
Colour cast at the edge
How much green or grey the substrate adds to its own visible edges — critical where panels meet handrails or stand on standoffs.
How much each treatment hides
From fully transparent to fully obscure — the toolkit for managing sightlines between floors.
Horizontal line load on balustrades
Force per metre that each build-up resists at the top rail — the metric that determines whether a balustrade meets code for residential, commercial, or crowd-loaded use.
Indicative values for a 1100 mm balustrade height with typical mounting. Actual capacity is governed by panel height, span, fixing method (clamped, point-fixed, base-channel, frameless), edge condition, and interlayer specification — every project requires PE-stamped calculations on the exact build-up.
Distributed load on glass treads & floors
Vertical load per square metre that each build-up carries when used as a walking surface — and why walk-on glass is always triple-laminated, never double.
Indicative values for a typical staircase tread span (~900 mm) with edge support on two sides. Actual capacity is governed by tread length, support condition (two-, three-, or four-edge), interlayer (SGP versus PVB), thickness of each ply, and the sacrificial top layer specification — every walk-on panel requires PE-stamped calculations.
Build-up by application
The thicknesses and lamination patterns we specify for each part of a staircase.
| Application | Build-up | Processing | Notes | Code / standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infill panel · framed | 10 mm monolithic | Toughened | Captured top and bottom — single panel is sufficient | EN 12150-1 · EN 12600DBC Part K |
| Balustrade · post-fixed | 12 mm monolithic | Toughened · HST | Heat-soak test mandatory above ground level | EN 12150-1 · EN 14179-1DBC Part K · UAE FLSC |
| Balustrade · clamped | 8+8 laminated | Toughened lam | UAE-compliant standard — most common residential build-up | EN 14449 · EN 12150-1DDA guardrails · UAE FLSC |
| Frameless cantilever | 21.5 mm (10+10) laminated | Toughened · SGP | SGP interlayer for post-breakage retention; low-iron specified | EN 16612 · EN 16613 · EN 14449DBC Part K · UAE FLSC |
| Flying glass stringer | 21.5 mm laminated | Structural lam | PE-stamped engineering calculations required per panel | EN 16612 · EN 16613PE-stamped · UAE FLSC |
| Glass tread · walk-on | 8+8+8 or 10+10 + sacrificial top | Walk-on lam | Anti-slip frit, fritted dots, or sandblasted top face — never bare polished | EN 14449 · EN 16612EN 16165 (slip) · DBC Part B |
| Acoustic panel | 6+1.14+6 acoustic PVB | Acoustic lam | For staircases adjacent to bedrooms or media rooms | EN 14449EN ISO 717-1 (Rw) |
Substrates, tints & decorative treatments
Where each finish earns its place on a CAworks staircase.
| Substrate / treatment | Character | Best applied to |
|---|---|---|
| Clear float | Standard | Hidden infills, where edges are concealed and the panel is thin |
| Low-iron · ultra-white | Crystal | All thick laminates, all exposed edges, all white-walled interiors |
| Tinted grey / bronze | Solar | South-facing atria — controls heat gain and softens harsh daylight |
| Tinted green / blue | Atmosphere | Atmospheric statement walls; less common on stairs proper |
| Frosted · acid-etched | Diffused | Bedroom-adjacent balustrades; full-height privacy panels |
| Sand-blasted | Pattern | Decorative pattern work, gradient frosts, logo etching |
| Back-painted | Solid colour | Riser cladding on glass-tread stairs; bold accent walls |
| Digital UV print | Imagery | Bespoke artwork, botanical motifs, calligraphy, brand graphics |
| Gold-leaf · verre églomisé | Heritage | Statement panels for villas and showrooms — our signature finish |
| Switchable · PDLC | Functional | Glass between staircase and bedroom; on-demand privacy |
| Interlayered · mesh / fabric | Couture | Bronze mesh, silk, gold-finish weave laminated into the panel — bespoke commissions |
Clear glass is the default everywhere except where it actually matters. Once the edge is visible, only low-iron will do.
Low-iron compared — DIAMANT, G-Crystal and the UAE “Crystal Clear”
Once a project calls for low-iron, the next question is whose. Three names come up on Dubai jobs: Saint-Gobain DIAMANT® — a European name now floated in India for this market, Jinjing G-Crystal from China, and whatever a local supplier is calling “Crystal Clear” — usually an unbranded low-iron float. Optically there is almost nothing between them. What separates them is what each will put in writing.
The three, parameter for parameter
Published manufacturer figures at 6 mm. DIAMANT per EN 410; G-Crystal per its own product manual. Values marked Est. are representative low-iron benchmarks, not published data. Note on origin: DIAMANT® is a Saint-Gobain brand of European heritage, but the stock supplied into the Gulf is floated at Saint-Gobain's India complex (Sriperumbudur, near Chennai) — not in France or Germany. G-Crystal is floated by Jinjing in Zibo, Shandong. Ask any supplier for the batch certificate to confirm the mill of origin for the glass on your site.
| Parameter | Saint-Gobain DIAMANT® | Jinjing G-Crystal | UAE “Crystal Clear” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | India (SG float) | Zibo, Shandong, China | UAE or imported, varies |
| Process licence | Saint-Gobain, in-house | PPG (USA) licensed | Vitro / ex-PPG, if EFG substrate |
| Iron oxide (Fe2O3) | Not published | 0.01–0.015% — published | ~0.01% Est. |
| Light transmission | 91% | 91.08% | ~91% Est. |
| External reflection | 8% | 8% | ~8% Est. |
| Total solar transmission | 90% (g-value) | 90% (total penetrate) | ~90% Est. |
| Direct energy transmission | 89% | 89% | ~89% Est. |
| Energy absorption | 3% | 3% | ~3% Est. |
| Colour rendering Ra | 99.5 — published | Not published | Not published |
| U-value, monolithic | ~5.7 W/m²K | 5.7 W/m²K | ~5.7 W/m²K Est. |
| Acoustic Rw | Not on datasheet | 32 dB — published | Not published |
| UV transmission | Not on datasheet | 70% architectural / 86.5% solar | Not published |
| Thickness range | 2–19 mm | 2–25 mm | 3–19 mm typical |
| Max sheet | 6000 × 3210 mm | 3660 × 12500 mm | Not published |
| Documentation | Full TDS + EPD | Manual + stamped TDS 2022 | None public |
| Standards held | EN 572-2 · EN 410 | CE marked · RoHS | Request batch certificate |
Where the two diverge (barely)
Published visible-light transmission, DIAMANT against G-Crystal, through the full thickness range we specify.
| Thickness | 4 mm | 5 mm | 6 mm | 8 mm † | 10 mm | 12 mm | 15 mm | 19 mm | 25 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIAMANT® | 91% | 91% | 91% | 91% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 89% | — |
| G-Crystal | 91.38% | 91.3% | 91.08% | 90.89% | 90.62% | 90.44% | 90.09% | 89.73% | 89% |
The one thickness where both publish everything
8 mm is the only thickness covered by a stamped single-sheet TDS from Jinjing as well as Saint-Gobain's EN 410 table. Every parameter both mills publish, side by side.
| Parameter @ 8 mm | DIAMANT® | G-Crystal | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible light transmission | 91% | 91% | None |
| Visible light reflection | 8% | 8% | None |
| Direct energy transmission | 88% | 88% | None |
| Total solar transmission | 89% | 89% | None |
| Energy absorption | 4% | 4% | None |
| Colour rendering Ra | 99.3 | Not published | DIAMANT only |
| U-value, monolithic | Not on datasheet | 5.7 W/m²K | G-Crystal only |
| Acoustic Rm / Rw | Not on datasheet | 31 / 34 dB | G-Crystal only |
| UV transmission | Not on datasheet | 68% (architecture series) | G-Crystal only |
| Iron oxide (Fe2O3) | Not published | 0.01–0.015% | G-Crystal only |
UV transmission — and why it matters on a staircase
Low-iron glass is normally a poor UV filter. G-Crystal is split into two series that behave very differently. The stamped 8 mm data sheet lists the architecture series only, at 68%.
| Series | UV transmission @ 6 mm | Intended use | Effect on interiors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar series | 86.5% | PV cover glass, solar collectors, greenhouses | Passes UV deliberately — wrong choice indoors |
| Architectural series | 70% | Balustrades, partitions, display, interiors | Blocks more UV — slows fading of timber, fabric, art |
G-Crystal figures are corroborated by two Jinjing documents: the ultra-clear product manual covering 2–25 mm, and a stamped single-thickness technical data sheet for 8 mm dated 28 June 2022. Where both cover the same parameter they agree exactly. DIAMANT figures are from Saint-Gobain's EN 410 datasheet (rev. 12/2017). Jinjing notes that its published values are for glass as manufactured and that prolonged ultraviolet exposure may lower some of them. Where a UAE supplier quotes “Crystal Clear” without naming a mill, assume nothing: low-iron floats from all reputable producers fall within about 1% of each other, but only a batch certificate ties the glass on your site to the numbers in a table.
Every reputable low-iron performs the same. What you are really buying is the certificate that says so.
Annealed, heat-strengthened, tempered.
How float glass is heat-treated decides where it is allowed to go on a staircase. The three classes below differ in raw strength, in how they break, and in whether a code will permit them next to a person. On a CAworks flight the balustrade you lean on, the laminated stringer that carries the load, and the tread underfoot each call for a different answer.
Characteristic bending strength
Design bending strength of each glass class to the European standards — the higher the bar, the more stress the pane carries before it fails.
Why toughened glass is strong
Tempering freezes a force-balanced stress field into the glass. The surfaces are held in compression; the mid-plane sits in tension — a locked-in balance the standards call the residual stress.
Where it starts to fail
Both faces carry a compression layer; the core carries tension. The edge is where that balance is most exposed — and where nearly every real-world break begins.
| Glass class | Standard | Surface compression | Vs. annealed | How it breaks | Where it goes on a stair |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annealed float | EN 572 · baseline | As-cast (none induced) | ×1 ≈45 MPa | Large, sharp shards | Never unprotected near a person; only where laminated or non-safety-critical. |
| Heat-strengthened Kind HS |
ASTM C1048 Kind HS · EN 1863-1 | 24–52 MPa (3,500–7,500 psi) | ≈×2 ≥70 MPa | Larger interlocking pieces — not a safety break on its own, but ideal in a laminate | Laminated stringers and structural panels where post-break retention matters more than dicing. |
| Fully tempered Kind FT |
ASTM C1048 Kind FT · EN 12150-1 | ≥69 MPa (10,000 psi) surface · ≥67 MPa (9,700 psi) edge | ≈×4–5 ≥120 MPa | Dices into small blunt fragments — a safety glass (EN counts ≥40 per 50 mm² at 4–12 mm; ≥30 at 15–19 mm) | Frameless balustrades, doors, shower screens, and treads (always laminated). |
Tempered — the EN definition
Toughened (tempered) float glass thicker than 4 mm must meet, for mechanical strength:
- Bending strength of 120 MPa (17,405 psi) — or the surface compression that correlates to it; and
- A minimum fragment count of 40 particles (4–12 mm) or 30 (15–19 mm) within a 50 mm square.
Tempered — the ASTM definition
Fully tempered glass (Kind FT) is up to five times stronger than annealed, evidenced by either:
- Surface compression > 10,000 psi and edge compression > 9,700 psi; or
- Satisfaction of ANSI Z97.1 or CPSC 16 CFR 1201 fragmentation (weight of the 10 largest crack-free pieces).
Heat-strengthened — ASTM
Heat-strengthened glass (Kind HS) is about twice as strong as annealed:
- Surface compression 3,500–7,500 psi.
- Edge compression is not defined in the current spec (was > 5,500 psi in an older C1048 edition).
- The fragmentation (dicing) test does not apply.
Heat-strengthened — EN
Heat-strengthened glass to the European standard must show:
- Minimum strength 70 MPa — or the surface compression correlating to it; and
- A break pattern matching the reference drawings in EN 1863-1.
When the balance breaks on its own
The same locked-in tension that makes toughened glass strong also carries its one rare, unprompted failure. A microscopic nickel-sulphide (NiS) inclusion, left in the float, can slowly change phase and expand inside the tension core — and months or years later trigger a spontaneous break with no impact at all. The safeguard is the heat-soak test (EN 14179): the toughened panes are held at roughly 260–290 °C so susceptible inclusions fail in the factory, not on site. It clears the great majority of at-risk panes — residual risk falls to on the order of one break per 400 tonnes of heat-soaked glass. Heat-strengthened glass, with its lower core tension, is far less prone to it in the first place, and a laminate holds every fragment in place regardless — which is why safety-critical CAworks glass is laminated, and toughened glass in overhead or barrier positions is heat-soaked.
What actually holds the panel together.
On a staircase, monolithic toughened glass is rarely enough by itself. Balustrades, stringers and every glass tread are laminated — two or more plies bonded by a polymer interlayer that keeps the panel in one piece and, with the right interlayer, keeps it carrying load even after a ply breaks. Three polymer families cover almost every laminate we build: PVB, ionoplast (SGP) and EVA. They are not interchangeable. The interlayer decides how stiff the panel is, how it behaves after breakage, whether its edges can be left exposed, and how it survives a Dubai summer. It is a structural decision, not a cosmetic one.
Two plies, one panel — if the interlayer lets them
When a laminated panel bends, the plies try to slide past one another. The interlayer's job is to transfer that shear. A stiff interlayer couples the plies so the laminate bends like a single thick pane; a soft one lets them slide, and the panel behaves like two thin panes stacked loose — far weaker. Because interlayers are viscoelastic, that coupling depends on temperature and load duration: European practice (EN 16612 with interlayer data to EN 16613) classifies each interlayer into stiffness families per load case, and the calculation uses an "effective thickness" that can swing dramatically between a cool, short gust load and a hot, sustained crowd load. Two laminates with identical glass can differ in real structural capacity by a factor of several — purely on interlayer choice.
| Interlayer | Character | After a ply breaks | Where CAworks uses it |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVB standard |
Polyvinyl butyral — the default safety film. Flexible, optically clean, blocks over 99% of UV. Hygroscopic: exposed edges can whiten and delaminate, so edges want a frame or cap. Autoclave-processed. | Holds the shards, but the panel goes soft and can sag out of plane — the "falling blanket". Needs a frame to stay in the opening. | Fully framed glazing, indoor panels, general safety laminates — wherever the frame does the structural work. |
| Acoustic PVB comfort |
A tri-layer PVB with a deliberately soft core that damps vibration — several dB quieter through the mid frequencies where a single pane is weakest. Softer still than standard PVB, so never structural. | As standard PVB — containment only. | Glass partitions and screens near bedrooms, offices and plant rooms — e.g. our 6+1.14+6 acoustic build-up. |
| Structural PVB stiff · framed |
Stiffened PVB grades (Saflex DG-type, Trosifol ES-type) — markedly stiffer than standard PVB at room temperature, with better edge stability. The catch: stiffness falls away steeply above roughly 30 °C. | Better than standard PVB — holds shape under modest load while cool. | Air-conditioned interiors where extra stiffness helps but full ionoplast isn't warranted. We do not specify it for exterior or sun-exposed panels in the UAE. |
| SGP / ionoplast structural |
SentryGlas-type ionoplast — on the order of 100× stiffer and 5× tougher than standard PVB, and it keeps that stiffness to around 50 °C. Moisture-insensitive; edges can be left exposed and polished. Clearer than PVB — pairs naturally with low-iron glass. | Stays rigid — holds the broken plies as a stable platform, resists creep and collapse, keeps the barrier a barrier. | Frameless balustrades, glass treads and floors, laminated stringers, cantilevered fins — anything walked on or leaned against. |
| EVA decorative |
Ethylene-vinyl acetate — cross-links when cured, so it is effectively waterproof with excellent edge stability. Flows generously during lamination, encapsulating fabrics, meshes and films. Vacuum-bag processed — no autoclave. Soft, like PVB: not structural. | Containment only — as PVB. | Decorative laminates — bronze mesh, silk and gold-finish weaves sealed in glass — plus wetrooms, shower screens and other humid, open-edge interiors. |
Interlayer shear stiffness vs temperature
How much shear each interlayer still transfers as the panel warms — the single most important curve for specifying glass in the Gulf. Logarithmic scale: each gridline is 10× the one below.
Indicative values for a one-minute load duration, drawn from manufacturer dynamic-mechanical data. Exact figures vary by product, load duration and test method — design uses the manufacturer's EN 16613 data for the specific interlayer and load case, never a generic curve.
A balustrade in Dubai is a hot balustrade
Summer air in Dubai passes 45 °C; a glass panel in direct sun runs hotter still, and a tinted or laminated panel hotter again — well beyond the point where standard PVB has gone soft. An exterior balustrade, a pool-side screen or a terrace tread spends every summer afternoon in exactly the temperature band where PVB-family interlayers stop working structurally. Indoors the calculus flips: an air-conditioned villa holds 22–24 °C year-round, comfortably inside every interlayer's working range. Our rule is simple — sun-exposed or free-standing glass gets ionoplast; framed, conditioned, interior glass may use PVB; and humid rooms with open edges get EVA or ionoplast, never standard PVB.
Sealing the artwork inside the glass
EVA earns its place in our workshop for a different reason: it flows. During its vacuum-bag cure it wraps around whatever sits between the plies — woven bronze mesh, silk, gold-finish fabric, printed films — and locks it there, bubble-free, permanently protected from touch, moisture and cleaning chemistry. Because cured EVA is cross-linked and hydrophobic, the edges of these panels can be left exposed in wetrooms and shower enclosures without the whitening that would creep into a PVB edge. Where a decorative panel must also do structural work — a leaned-on balustrade with a mesh inlay — we move the build-up to ionoplast and confirm the insert's compatibility on a sample laminate first.
What we specify where.
| Application | Interlayer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Frameless balustrade — clamped, point-fixed or base-channel | SGP | Free-standing glass must survive breakage as a barrier; only ionoplast holds rigid. |
| Glass treads, landings & floors | SGP | Triple-laminated with a sacrificial top ply; post-breakage load path is non-negotiable. |
| Laminated stringers & structural fins | SGP | The coupling effect lets the plies work as one section under permanent load. |
| Fully framed interior balustrade or screen | PVB | The frame retains the panel after breakage; standard PVB containment is sufficient. |
| Acoustic partitions near quiet rooms | Acoustic PVB | The soft tri-layer core damps mid-frequency sound a monolithic pane passes straight through. |
| Decorative panels with fabric, mesh or metal weave | EVA | Flows around the insert during cure; permanent, bubble-free encapsulation. |
| Wetrooms, shower screens, pool surrounds — open edges | EVA · SGP | Both are moisture-stable at the edge; standard PVB whitens and delaminates. |
Hardwoods for treads, handrails & cladding
Timber on a staircase is the surface that gets touched every day. Hardness decides how a tread survives a decade of stiletto heels and small dogs. Dimensional stability decides how it behaves between a chilled lobby and a 45°C terrace. Durability decides whether it can live near a pool. The figures below compare the species we keep on rotation — with a bias toward what is reliably available in Dubai.
Janka hardness
The force required to embed a steel ball half its diameter into the wood — the international standard for flooring and tread hardness.
Movement with humidity
How much each species swells and shrinks between a dry winter villa and a humid summer one.
Rot & weather resistance
How each timber performs in UAE coastal conditions — sun, humidity, and occasional water contact.
Where each species earns its place
Our default specification by staircase context.
| Timber | Character | Best applied to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meranti | Soft hardwood | Paint-grade cores, cladding substrates, hidden carcass work | Soft surface — never specify as a finished walking face |
| Beech | European | Interior treads in climate-stable rooms, lacquered finishes | Hard but moves with humidity — avoid open atria |
| Ash | European | Modern light-toned interiors, Scandinavian-style staircases | Excellent value; pairs well with white-painted stringers |
| Iroko | African | Warm-toned treads in semi-exposed locations; pool-adjacent stairs | The honest teak alternative — same oil content, same stability |
| Oak | European | The default tread for glass balustrade staircases; broad finish range | European white oak preferred over American red oak for stability |
| Walnut | N. American | Dark, luxury residential interiors — formal living rooms and libraries | Beautiful grain; softer than oak — light wear shows over years |
| Teak | Tropical | Premium villa staircases, wet areas, pool houses, exterior treads | The benchmark for everything; chain-of-custody certification matters |
A staircase is read with the hands and the feet before the eyes. The choice of timber is the moment we either honour that, or fail it.
Marble finishes for treads, risers & landings
On a marble staircase the choice of stone is the first question; the choice of finish is the second, and just as decisive. The same slab of Calacatta reads as a hotel lobby in polish, a private library honed, a coastal villa leathered. Beyond appearance, finish governs how the tread performs — its grip when wet, the way it ages under bare feet, how visible the next decade of wear will be. The figures below compare the seven finishes we specify, against the German DIN 51130 slip standard that UAE consultants now reference by default.
DIN 51130 ramp rating by finish
German ramp-test classification — R9 (low) through R13 (high). The standard now referenced by Dubai Municipality on residential stair specifications.
How well each finish hides wear
How obviously a decade of foot traffic and the occasional dropped object will register on the surface.
Ongoing care burden
How frequently each finish demands re-sealing, re-polishing, or specialised cleaning to keep its appearance.
Where each finish earns its place
Our default specification by staircase context and stone type.
| Finish | Character | Best applied to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polished | Formal | Showpiece lobbies, formal entrance halls — dry interiors only | Not slip-classified · re-polishing every 5–7 years |
| Honed | Contemporary | The default tread finish — residential, hospitality, contemporary interiors | Soft matte; reseal every 2 years |
| Leathered | Tactile | Premium villas, master suites — where the hand reads the surface | Light pebbled texture; conceals etch marks beautifully |
| Brushed · antiqued | Aged | Mediterranean-style interiors; rustic luxury villas | Wire-brushed surface; softens harder marbles visually |
| Sand-blasted | Matte | Modern interiors needing slip resistance without heavy texture | Uniform matte; good middle ground for kitchen-adjacent stairs |
| Bush-hammered | Architectural | External terraces, pool surrounds, semi-exposed entrance stairs | Aggressive texture; only on hard marbles like Emperador or Nero |
| Flamed | Exterior | External stair treads, ramps, hardscape adjacent to staircases | Generally for granite; only the densest marbles tolerate the process |
| Tumbled | Rustic | Heritage-style villas, traditional interiors with character | Rounded edges; the most informal finish in the range |
Stone varieties for stair work
The marbles we keep on rotation, and how each takes a finish.
| Variety | Origin | Character | Finish notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrara | Italy | Soft white-grey with fine feathered veining | Honed reads softest; polished can grey-over in damp interiors |
| Calacatta | Italy | Bold grey-and-gold veining on a clean white field | Polished maximises the veining drama; honed makes it residential |
| Statuario | Italy | The most premium white marble — pure ground, dramatic veins | Always polished or honed — never textured; reserve for showpieces |
| Crema Marfil | Spain | Warm beige with light, uniform veining; the workhorse warm marble | Takes every finish well; brushed and leathered look exceptional |
| Emperador | Spain | Rich dark brown, fine grain, dense and harder than the whites | Excellent for bush-hammered and flamed; outdoor-capable |
| Nero Marquina | Spain | Deep black field with sharp white veining | Polished is dramatic but high-maintenance; honed is the safer luxury |
| Botticino | Italy | Soft cream with cloud-like figuring | Forgiving across all finishes; honed is the residential default |
The marble decides the room. The finish decides the staircase. Choose the finish for how the tread will be used, not how it will be photographed.