Materials
Artistic processing of Etna lava stone, expertly glazed and hand-decorated by skilled artisans. Each piece is custom-made, blending tradition with timeless quality.
CERAMICIZED LAVA STONE
THE HISTORY OF CERAMICIZED LAVA STONE, A NEW PROCESSING TECHNIQUE (THE CERAMICIZATION OF ETNA'S LAVA BASALT) TODAY ALLOWS THE ANCIENT LAVA STONE TO BE USED IN A TRULY ORIGINAL WAY. THE RESULT IS A HIGHLY INNOVATIVE PRODUCT: CERAMICIZED LAVA BASALT.
Etna's ceramicized lava stone and its processing
ONLY WITH THE CAREFUL CHOICE OF LAVA STONE AND WITH THE METICULOUS AND PERFECTIONIST PROCESSING THAT HAS CHARACTERIZED US IN THE SECTOR FOR OVER 30 YEARS, ARE WE ABLE TO OFFER OUR CUSTOMERS PRODUCTS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, DURABILITY, AND BEAUTY!
Ceramicized Lava Stone is:
- wear-resistant
- stain-resistant
- water-repellent
- acid-resistant
- frost-proof
- high impact resistance
- high tensile strength
- high heat resistance
- Hygienic
Kitchen tops, worktops for bars, restaurants, and tables are just some of the products that can be created. They are unassailable by vinegar, oil, lemon juice, and any other product. Each of our creations is entirely decorated by hand and therefore unique. Added to this is the exclusivity of the decoration, which can be customized upon request.
Extraction and selection of Lava Basalt
The men who work on Etna call this mountain the "gentle giant", because they have learned to live with its impetuous fury that sometimes destroys, but very often gives its exquisite fruits and plenty of raw material for the construction of the towns that arise along its slopes.
At the foot of the highest active volcano in Europe, in these huge quarries, work is carried out to extract these large basaltic blocks intended for the processing industry for a first treatment.
The blocks are then divided and intended for specific uses: public construction, urban furniture, private construction, furnishing accessories, artistic and decorative production. Only after this classification can we proceed to the creation of the first basic shapes to be sold to end users, who sometimes intervene directly in the sawmill to guide the creation of the rough artifacts based on the uses for which they were designed. Huge machines work day and night to cut and sand the semi-finished products.
We intervene directly already in this phase of the processing: our specialists evaluate the quality of the volcanic rock for supervision of the raw product. This is a fundamental quality control to guarantee the customer a perfect artifact from all points of view.
In this way, the subsequent cutting and shaping phase that takes place at our headquarters in Giarre (carried out with sophisticated and imposing equipment) has the guarantee of a final product of the highest quality.
Ceramicization and Decoration
The Lava Stone, once shaped according to the project dimensions, is ceramicized and hand-decorated by master decorators.
Ceramicization by enamel is the part that will subsequently be decorated and that will merge with the lava stone during firing. The Lava Stone absorbs the enamel, which once fired, gives this material the unique characteristics that distinguish it.
The choice of ceramic pigments and the mastery of hand-made decoration is a fundamental factor in obtaining a finished product of refined beauty.
Firing
Subsequently, after the shaped, glazed, and decorated material is baked at a temperature of about 950°C with special high-temperature blast furnaces for ceramicization.
In this very long and delicate phase, we check that everything happens optimally. A minimum temperature change inside the oven would be enough to nullify entire weeks of careful processing!
After about 56 hours necessary to reach high temperature and for cooling, the goods are taken out of the ovens and packed ready to be shipped. The final result of this quite long process is to have an absolutely hygienic – ecological – anti-stain and anti-corrosion product as it is glazed. Furthermore, it is very resistant, because it is indeed a very hard material, and therefore recommended for the creation of kitchen tops, bathroom tops as well as sinks, shower trays, and more.
Color palette of Artesole lava surfaces
Lava stone surfaces are multifaceted and splendid materials, they are used in architectural and design applications because they can be made in different colors and thicknesses.
Depending on the color chosen, different finishes and enamel effects can be used. The most common effects are:
Glossy:
This glaze has no special color changes. The color is therefore flat without subtle differences, making the surface uniform and suitable for any type of surface, whether horizontal or vertical. It can provide all colors, smooth surface effects, or soft matte tones. It is very resistant to stains and impacts.
Colored Crystalline:
Before placing the crystalline layer on it, the enamel is applied. Thanks to its glass-like composition, the crystal finish can create beautiful color variations, emphasizing the craquelé effects and making colors brighter by accentuating the chromatic depth of the surface.
Transparent:
The surface of the stone is covered with a thin layer of crystalline enamel, which merges with the gray stone to enhance its characteristics. Firing in the oven will produce a luminous effect that will make the surface shine, but at the same time will not cause any color change.
Technical Characteristics of Lava Stone
| Parameter | Value / Definition |
|---|---|
| Commercial name | lava basalt |
| Category | stone material |
| Origin | Etna Volcano |
| Extraction | irregular blocks |
| Petrographic definition | effusive rock |
| Chemical Composition | prevalence of silicates |
| Absorption coefficient | 1.62% |
| Hardness | 5/6 Mohs |
| Simple compressive strength | 109 MPa |
| After frost test | 108 MPa |
| Sliding friction wear | 9.21 mm |
| Impact breaking test | 60 cm |
| Knoop microhardness | 4,260 MPa |
| Resistance to chemical agents | Unaffected |
| Surface finishes | sawn, honed, polished, bush-hammered |
| Color | dark gray shades |
| Dimensions | free |
| Thicknesses | minimum 1 cm |
| Applicability | glue and mortar |
| Treatments | All possible treatments |
Chemical-physical analysis
Table of chemical analysis of major elements (% by weight). Variation ranges are reported.
| Elements | Casting 1886 | Casting 1910 | Casting 1669 | Recent series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiO2 | 48.95 – 49.57 | 49.61 – 49.67 | 48.01 – 50.05 | 47.15 – 49.20 |
| TiO2 | 1.38 – 1.47 | 1.43 – 1.52 | 1.21 – 1.43 | 1.51 – 1.87 |
| AI2O3 | 19.01 – 19.22 | 19.04 – 19.13 | 18.05 – 19.65 | 17.20 – 19.15 |
| Fe2O3 | 1.05 – 1.12 | 1.08 – 1.15 | 1.12 – 1.43 | 1.25 – 1.65 |
| FeO | 5.98 – 6.21 | 4.94 – 5.39 | 5.12 – 7.15 | 6.05 – 8.15 |
| CaO | 9.21 – 9.37 | 9.08 – 9.20 | 9.05 – 10.85 | 9.05 – 10.65 |
| MgO | 5.12 – 5.65 | 4.95 – 5.42 | 4.05 – 6.05 | 4.12 – 6.20 |
| Na2O | 3.51 – 3.75 | 3.55 – 3.78 | 3.05 – 3.95 | 3.12 – 4.05 |
| K2O | 1.42 – 1.65 | 1.45 – 1.68 | 1.05 – 1.85 | 1.12 – 2.05 |
Detected by the research laboratory of the Politecnico di Torino, they report the following declaration: The samples under examination do not contain toxic chemicals and presenting a global migration below the limits established by D.M. March 21, 1973, can be used for food purposes. Based on the chemical composition, the natural basalt under examination can be equated to category A lead-free glass objects.
Book that tells the history of ceramicized lava stone
The birth and invention of ceramicized lava stone began in the eighties in the city of Giarre on the slopes of the Etna volcano. A fascinating journey through art, fire, and tradition.