The Moleanos Classic is a well-established natural stone from Portugal, that is mostly known for its endurance and versatility. Uniform with a beige colour, the Moleanos is a true variety stone. Although, it can technically accept almost all types of finishings, there are four particular ones that stand out in the international market.
This beige limestone presents a light beige colour with slight greyish tonalities. In terms of grain, it can vary from thin to medium depending on the variation. It also shows dispersed brownish spots and some fossils. Overall, this is a very durable, uniform and versatile limestone, which can be used on almost all types of projects with no limitations. Thus, it is commonly used in both interior and exterior applications a bit all over the world. However, the differentiation comes with the type of finishing, since each one presents specific attributes that suit certain applications more than others. Below, we present the four most popular Moleanos Classic finishings.
Honed
With a substantial porosity and a matte surface, the honed finishing still shows all the elements of the Moleanos limestone, including the grain and shells. However, the natural shine is in the most part removed leaving a dull and very uniform surface with little to no reflection. Additionally, the original colour loses intensity, as it turns into a paler lighter beige. The honed finishing is very popular in the international market, as it can be used in about everything. Still, it is mostly recommended for both interior and exterior flooring, along with some cladding and coverings.
Main Features: Uniform background; matte surface; natural elements; subtle light beige colour.
Top Applications: Interior and exterior flooring; cladding.
Polished
The polished finishing is probably the most common type for the Moleanos limestone. This technique highlights the properties of the stone by making the surface really shiny with almost zero porosity. It makes the Moleanos grain and fossil elements quite visible and it enhances the natural colour by turning it into a very intense and bright beige. The polished finishing also improves the durability and resistance of the stone, which makes it highly recommended for many interior applications, such as flooring, wall coverings, decoration and kitchen countertops.
Main Features: Shiny surface; increased durability; intense beige colour.
Top Application: Interior flooring.
Sandblasted and Brushed
Combining the sandblasted and brushed techniques generate a slightly rough and anti-slippery surface, which is ideal for certain application types, like cladding, landscaping, paving and exterior flooring. This finishing keeps most of the elements of the Moleanos limestone through the visible grain and fossils. On the other hand, it highlights the natural beige colour, as it becomes quite intense and persistent. While the sandblast method enhances the colour, the brushed wears out of the softer part of the stone, giving it a rather aged appearance with increased durability.
Main Features: Non-slip surface; increased durability; persistent beige colour.
Top Applications: Cladding and exterior flooring.
Bush-Hammered
The bush-hammered finishing generates a non-slip rough surface. This technique is quite abrasive and it makes the Moleanos limestone lose most of its essence, including the original colour and visible fossils. As a direct result, the surface becomes very plain and uniform with a pale light beige tonality – a clear differentiation from the original limestone. Due to these singular properties, the bush-hammered finishing is typically recommended for high traffic external areas, thus its vast usage on exterior flooring, paving and landscaping.
Main Features: Uniform background; rough surface; non-slip properties; subtle light beige colour.
Top Applications: Paving and exterior flooring.
