Solid serpentine in its Verde Giada and Verde Vittoria varieties has a coarser grain than split serpentine, with less marked foliation, and so lends itself well to a range of surface treatments: sawn, honed, brushed, polished, sand-blasted, lashed, flamed and water-jet. Thanks to its physical and aesthetic properties, it is perfect for interior and exterior cladding of buildings, lining stoves and furnishings.
With its fine grain and marked foliation, natural split serpentine is processed mainly into sheets of varying thicknesses. Light and impermeable, it has been used for roofing since time immemorial, though it has a range of other applications as well, from flooring to stairs, cladding, cobbles, sills, etc.
The properties listed below make serpentine a unique, exceptionally durable material:
- low (virtually zero) water absorption
- high breaking strain
- high breaking strain even after freeze-thaw cycles
- high resistance to alkaline and acid chemical attack
- resistance to freezing and atmospheric agents
- remarkable heat resistance
Serpentine embodies both strength and refined aesthetic qualities, given by:
- various colours obtained according to finishing process (different colours for the same material)
- various shades (from marked green to grey) according to the source quarry
- product consistency