Trade terms, explained simply
Tile layout plan, honed finish, rectified porcelain stoneware, PVD, herringbone — the words we use on material sheets and quotes, defined without jargon.
Brushed brass
Brushed brass is a surface finish on brass (a copper-zinc alloy) obtained by mechanical brushing with an abrasive wheel, producing fine directional striations and a matte feel. The result is a warm, slightly textured surface that catches the light without reflecting it harshly. On taps, handles and accessories it brings a material warmth that polished chrome lacks and dialogues well with light marbles, woods and earthy tones. Untreated brushed brass patinates naturally over time (oxidation, warmer tone); brushed brass with a PVD coating (see PVD finish) keeps its original tone indefinitely.
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Chevron
Chevron is an installation pattern where rectangular slabs are mitred at their ends (typically 45°) and set so they form perfectly aligned arrowheads with continuous ridges. Unlike herringbone, where whole slabs form zigzags, chevron produces a cleaner, more geometric, more formal drawing. Historically used in parquet, it has been transposed to tile and terracotta. Installation requires custom-cut pieces (or pre-fabricated chevron units) and a very precise layout plan. It is one of the most signature patterns for a floor or a splashback.
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Herringbone
Herringbone — bâton rompu in French — is a zigzag installation pattern in which rectangular slabs are set at 90° to one another, forming a central ridge that runs across the room. Each slab stays whole; cuts happen only at the perimeter. Used in parquet floors since the 17th century, it has been transposed to tile (porcelain, terracotta, zellige) and stone. The pattern reads as a dynamic graphic motif and visually enlarges the room along the chosen direction. The close cousin is the chevron, where slabs are mitred so the ridge is perfectly clean.
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Honed finish
A honed finish is a natural stone surface state obtained by mechanical abrasion with progressively finer abrasives, stopping short of mirror polish. The result is a matte, soft-to-the-touch, slightly velvety surface that keeps the stone's natural colour without turning it reflective. Honed finishes are ideal for residential floors (less slippery than polished), bathroom tops (less prone to water marks and rings) and understated splashbacks. They are widely specified on light marbles (Calacatta, Thassos) and travertines, for a calm reading of the material.
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Large format
Large format refers to porcelain stoneware slabs whose longest side exceeds 100 cm. Common formats today: 90x90, 100x100, 120x120, 120x240, 160x320 cm. Extra-large formats reach 300x150 cm at Cotto d'Este and 160x320 cm in 6 mm at Lea Ceramiche. The point is to reduce the visible number of grout lines for a near-continuous reading of the material, ideal for marble, stone and concrete effects. Installation requires specific tooling (vacuum suction cups, lifting bars) and a perfectly flat substrate (screed mandatory). At Atelier Matière we systematically validate layout and substrate preparation before ordering.
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M1 fire rating
The M1 classification is part of the French NF P 92-507 standard on the reaction-to-fire behaviour of construction and interior materials. It designates non-flammable or hardly flammable materials, allowed in most ERP (public buildings) in France. The scale runs from M0 (incombustible — natural stone, concrete, porcelain stoneware) to M4 (easily flammable, banned in ERP). For wall textiles, soft wall coverings and wallpapers, M1 is often required by fire safety committees. Publishers such as Arte, Pierre Frey and Thévenon offer most of their collections with an M1 treatment on request.
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Porcelain stoneware
Porcelain stoneware is a fine ceramic fired at very high temperature (1200 to 1300°C), made of purified clays, feldspars and sands. Its signature feature is a water absorption rate below 0.5%, which makes it virtually waterproof, frost-proof and resistant to common acids, wear and impact. It comes as glazed porcelain (pattern on the surface) and full-body porcelain (the pattern runs through the thickness, so a cut edge reads the same as the face). Contemporary large formats (up to 160x320 cm at Lea Ceramiche, 300x150 cm at Cotto d'Este) have transformed floors, walls, splashbacks and countertops thanks to their photo-realistic effects (marble, stone, concrete, wood).
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PVD finish
PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) is an industrial process that lays down a nanometric metallic layer on a substrate — typically brass — inside a vacuum chamber. Applied to taps and bathroom accessories, it delivers coloured finishes (English Gold, Brushed Nickel, Antique Bronze, Copper, Chalk, Powder) that are extremely stable over time, non-oxidising and resistant to scratches and common household products. TREEMME, STELLA and Zucchetti offer most of their collections in PVD, guaranteed to hold their colour for decades.
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Rectified tile
A rectified tile is a tile whose edges have been machined (rectified) after firing to obtain a perfectly straight, sharp and calibrated edge. As a result, slabs assemble with a minimal grout line (1 to 2 mm) and read as a near-continuous surface — ideal for large formats and marble or concrete effects where the joint must disappear. A non-rectified tile keeps the slightly rounded fired edge, which forces a wider grout line (3 to 5 mm). Rectification is the norm for all contemporary large formats (Lea Ceramiche, Florim, Cotto d'Este, Inalco) and is stated on every technical sheet.
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Roman opus (opus romanum)
Roman opus — also known as opus incertum romanum or opus Palladianum — is a pattern of stone or ceramic slabs in multiple sizes laid out on a strict modular grid. Born in Roman antiquity for villa and bath floors, it combines four or five modular formats (for example 40x40, 40x60, 20x40, 20x60) repeated on a calibrated matrix. The drawing looks random but the installation is strictly codified. It is widely used for natural stone floors (travertine, limestone) and glazed terracotta (Fornace Brioni), in heritage settings or when a warm, classical gesture is called for.
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Self-levelling screed
A self-levelling screed (ragréage in French) is a substrate preparation step before installing a floor, consisting of pouring a self-levelling mortar to correct flatness defects (dips, bumps, slight slope) and obtain a perfectly planar surface. It is mandatory for large-format porcelain and stone (any flatness defect immediately translates into a visible and felt lippage), and strongly recommended for all glued floors. Screed thickness ranges from 2 to 20 mm depending on the product. It must be perfectly dry before installation. Our sister company Atelier Moderne steps in ahead of a project to validate and execute this stage.
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Tile layout plan (calepinage)
A tile layout plan — calepinage in French — maps out exactly where each slab will be installed: cuts, veining orientation, grout line alignment, and the position of technical features (drains, outlets, linear channels). It is a critical step for large formats, strongly veined stones and patterned installations (herringbone, chevron, Roman opus). A good layout plan avoids awkward cuts in sightlines, aligns wall-to-floor grout lines where possible and minimises waste. At Atelier Matière, our studio systematically produces a layout plan before ordering large formats, for review by the architect and the installer.
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Walk-in shower
A walk-in shower — douche à l'italienne in French — is a shower with no raised tray, where the floor sits at the same level as the rest of the room, with a slight integrated slope (1 to 2%) toward a linear channel or a central drain. It makes the room feel larger, simplifies access (ideal for reduced-mobility users) and allows continuity of tile or stone between shower and bathroom. It requires a reinforced waterproofing membrane (SPEC or SEL) applied before the finish, precise layout of the slopes and careful execution of singular points (wall-to-floor junction, drain seal).
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Let's see the material for real
A technical term fully makes sense once the material is in your hands. We welcome you by appointment in our Passy and Brunel showrooms to compose with you.