Slab Formats, Thicknesses and Finishes
Five formats in production, three thicknesses and six surface types. The rule is simple: 6 mm for walls and facades, 9 mm for small areas, 12 mm for anything that carries load.
The choice starts not with size but with thickness: thickness determines which applications are permissible. Format is then selected within the chosen thickness.
Formats in production
| Format | Thickness | Finishes | Slab area and weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3200 × 1600 mm | 12 mm | matt, polished, soft, full body, color body | 5.12 m² · ≈148 kg |
| 3200 × 1600 mm | 6 mm | matt, polished, soft | 5.12 m² · ≈77 kg |
| 2800 × 1200 mm | 6 mm | matt + microtech, polished, soft | 3.36 m² · ≈50 kg |
| 2700 × 1200 mm | 6 mm | matt, polished, soft | 3.24 m² · ≈49 kg |
| 1200 × 1200 mm | 9 mm | matt + microtech | 1.44 m² · ≈32 kg |
Thickness determines the application
| Thickness | Weight | Application |
|---|---|---|
| 6 mm | 15 kg/m² and up | floors, walls, ceilings, facades — indoors and out |
| 9 mm | 22 kg/m² | floors in smaller areas, indoors and out |
| 12 mm | 29 kg/m² | floors, stairs, worktops, facades, car parks |
6 mm — floors, walls, ceilings and facades, indoors and out. At 15 kg/m² and up it allows existing walls to be clad without stripping the old finish, and lowers the load requirement on facade sub-framing.
9 mm — floors in smaller areas, indoors and out. Weight 22 kg/m².
12 mm — floors, stairs, worktops, facades and car parks. The only thickness for loaded scenarios: treads, worktops with cut-outs, parking deck surfaces. Weight 29 kg/m².
Choosing by task
| Task | Thickness | Format and finish |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen worktop | 12 mm | sink cut-outs weaken the slab |
| Stair treads | 12 mm | preferably full body, so the edge matches the surface |
| Bathroom walls | 6 mm | 2800 × 1200 covers the full height without a horizontal joint |
| Ventilated facade | 6–12 mm | six where weight is constrained |
| Car park floor | 12 mm | necessarily R10–R11, meaning matt or soft |
| Floor in a small area | 9 mm | 1200 × 1200 mm |
Practical arithmetic
A 3200 × 1600 mm slab is 5.12 m². At 12 mm and 29 kg/m² it weighs around 148 kg: moving it needs lifting frames and a crew, not two people. At 6 mm the same format weighs about 77 kg.
Surface finishes
| Finish | Class | Where to use |
|---|---|---|
| Matt | R10–R11 | floors, facades, high-traffic areas |
| Polished | R9 | dry rooms where a mirror effect is wanted |
| Soft | R10–R11 | a compromise: colour depth while keeping the class |
| Microtech | R10–R11 | relief matched to the pattern — the imitation reads by touch |
Matt — an even, glare-free surface, class R10–R11. The default choice for floors, facades and high-traffic areas: it does not flare under artificial light and shows less wear.
Polished — a gloss polish with a mirror effect. It emphasises the pattern and the depth of colour and visually expands a space. Class R9, dry rooms only. Fingerprints and micro-scratches are more visible on a polished surface.
Soft — a light semi-matt sheen, pleasant to the touch. A compromise between matt and polished: it keeps R10–R11 while giving more colour depth than pure matt.
Microtech — a relief synchronised with the printed pattern: where the image shows a vein, the surface physically follows it. Unlike ordinary embossing the relief is not random but matched, so the imitation reads by touch as well as by eye.
Body construction: full body and color body
Full body — the pattern runs through the entire thickness. A cut section looks the same as the surface. This is critical wherever the edge stays exposed: treads, chamfers, worktop ends.
Color body — the base colour is introduced into the body. The pattern does not repeat in section, but the overall tone holds: a chip or a cut does not leave a contrasting pale line.
In a wet area the choice of finish is a safety question, not an aesthetic one. The R class is determined to DIN 51130 by a ramp test, and the difference between R9 and R11 is measurable.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest sintered stone slab?
3200 × 1600 mm, that is 5.12 m². At 12 mm such a slab weighs around 148 kg, at 6 mm around 77 kg: moving it needs lifting frames and a crew.
What thickness does a kitchen worktop need?
12 mm. Cut-outs for the sink and hob weaken the slab, and 12 mm is the only thickness cleared for loaded scenarios.
How does full body differ from color body?
With full body the pattern runs through the entire thickness and a cut section looks like the surface. With color body only the base colour is introduced into the body: the pattern does not repeat in section, but a cut leaves no contrasting pale line.
