The New Valverde is a grey limestone, with a fairly consistent grey colour, with some slight colour tone variation and occasional shells/inclusions. Unlike the original Azul Valverde, this limestone is quite hard, accepting basically all kinds of surface finishings. The consistent grey colour combined with the surface finishing versatility is what makes the New Valverde such an interesting limestone.

The New Valverde is therefore an interesting grey limestone that can compete with other grey limestones like the Jura Grey from Germany and others. It can be used on a wide diversity of applications, both interior and exterior. Below, we present you some of the most popular surface finishes for this great limestone from Portugal.

New Valverde limestone – honed

New Valverde limestone – sandblasted and brushed

New Valverde limestone – sandblasted

New Valverde limestone – flamed

For more details about this new grey limestone or other types of grey limestones from Portugal, you can contact us directly or check any of the following sources:
– Azulvalverde
– Portugalimestones

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Both the Jura Grey and the Moleanos Blue are very popular and on-demand limestones that are commonly used on projects both on exterior and interior applications. They share common technical characteristics as well as visual ones. Below, we describe each individual limestones, showing what their similarities and differences.

1. Moleanos Blue limestone

The Moleanos Blue is a light blue / grey coloured limestone that is extracted in Portugal by few quarries. It presents a pale blue / silver colour, with a fairly uniform background and slightly darker areas with a specific pattern. It may also present some brownish darker spots, but generally the limestone does not present too much calcite nor fossils, having a pretty “clean” surface.

The Moleanos Blue is also a fairly hard limestone that is normally used on both exterior and interior applications, in the vast majority of countries, regardless of weather conditions.

Main Features: Light grey / blue coloured background; considerable hardness; little variation.

Recommended for: Exterior and interior applications in general.

2. Jura Grey limestone

The Jura Grey is a grey coloured limestone that is extracted in Germany by several quarries. This is in fact a direct variation of the well-known Jura Beige limestone, but presenting a grey / silver colour. The Jura Grey limestone presents a different structure than the Moleanos Blue, consisting on a messy and unpredictable structure, with strong signs of calcite, as well as diverse grey colour tone variation from dark to light. In addition, it presents regular signs of fossils and metal elements (that may rust if in contact with water). All-in-all, this is a cold coloured stone that has become increasingly popular for its particular look and great technical properties.

The Jura Grey is a type of limestone that is used basically on any kind of application, both interior and exterior.

Main Features: Irregular and messy structure; considerable hardness; strong signs of fossils and calcite.

Recommended for: Exterior cladding and interior applications.

Final comparison

Despite the comparison, we are talking about fairly different limestones, with different structures and overall look. White the Moleanos Blue presents a fairly plain colour, look and background, the Jura Grey presents a more messy structure, with strong signs of calcite and fossils. They both present the cold / cement look of the light silver colour, but with different look.

With a honed surface, these difference are pretty evident. However, if we add a popular surface finishing used on exteriors such as the sandblasted + brushed, we will see more uniformity and a tendency for both limestones to look the same. This specific surface finishing on the Moleanos Blue will carve a little more the stone and make it look very plain, basically looking like concrete. Whereas on the Jura Grey, this specific surface finishing will not change it dramatically, due to its hardness, the sandblast hardly carves out the surface of the stone, making it only slightly lighter than usual.

In any case, we are talking about two limestones that, despite being strong competitors, are not that similar if we look close enough. They look slightly different, have different structures but share the colour and overall cold feel that is much appreciated these days.

For more information about these limestones, visit Juragreylimestone or Moleanos. Or check the video with the comparison here.

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Honed surface

This type of finishing presents a plain and uniform colour and background. It makes the stone look very uniform, with a consistent grey colour, where the slight colour tone variation of the stone becomes very discreet and any possible elements will fade. This is probably the most popular surface finishing used on this limestone, being found on applications such as cladding, interior and exterior flooring, decoration and much more.

Flamed surface

The flamed surface process consists of burning the surface of the stone, giving it a slight rough appearance, but with a fairly plain and uniform colour with little variation. Again, this is a very uniform surface finishing, which adds to the fact that has a considerable anti-slippery capacity. This is a great surface finishing to be used on exterior flooring for example, but is also found on interior applications, decoration, cladding and more.

Sandblasted + brushed surface

This finishing consists on sandblasting the surface of the stone, which will make the whole surface fairly white or light coloured with a slight roughness. The brushing will then remove some of the roughness, while bringing back the natural grey colour of the limestone. The final result is a fairly plain surface, uniform. This is a very popular type of surface finishing that is today used on all sorts of interior and exterior applications.

To check full video, please visit our youtube channel. For more information about this limestone, please check the following sources:
– Portugalimestones
– Moleanosportal
– Moleanos

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As a direct variation to the Moleanos limestone, this particular limestone displays most of the given elements, since both share the same structure and are extracted from the same quarries. The Moleanos Blue is fairly hard with a relatively uniform background and a light blue greyish colour. The grain can range from fine to medium and the surface can contain all sort of elements, such as fossils, shells and some lighter and darker spots. Despite being quite famous internationally, this is a natural stone whose supply doesn’t always meet the demand, due to shortage of resources. The recommended applications for the Moleanos Blue covers about everything in both interior and exterior scenarios, like cladding, flooring, stonework, masonry and wall coverings. On the other hand, each application normally requires a specific type of finishing. Learn more below.

Honed

The honed finishing produces a very uniform and consistent background, while removing the natural shine of the stone. The result is a matte surface with almost no reflection and a significant porosity. Additionally, the colours lose intensity and become lighter – a pale blue-greyish colour is the main tonality in this finishing. All the core elements of the Moleanos are quite visible and well preserved through the numerous shells, fossils and occasional shaded areas. The honed finishing is recommended for flooring applications in general, but it is also commonly found in exterior projects that include cladding and wall coverings.

Main Features: Uniform background; matte surface; natural elements; subtle blue-grey colour.

Top Applications: Interior and exterior flooring.

Polished

The general appearance of the polished finishing is very similar to the honed one, with the main difference laying on the surface’s intense shining. The polished finishing also enhances the original colour of the Moleanos Blue, where the blue and grey tonalities are greatly highlighted. All the typical Moleanos elements, like shells and fossils, are even more visible in this finishing, since the increased shining makes them more perceptible. Additionally, the limestone becomes more resistance and durable with almost no porosity. The polished type is ideal for indoor applications, including wall coverings, decoration, bath design and flooring.

Main Features: Shiny surface; increased durability; intense blue-grey colour.

Top Application: Interior flooring.

Flamed

The flamed finishing is a result of directly exposing the stone to high temperatures, which creates a rough surface. This technique generates a protective layer made of thin roughness, an endurance feature that is ideal for all types of exterior applications, such as cladding, flooring, paving and landscaping. This finishing presents a very rough and anti-slippery surface, followed by a fading natural colour in the shape of a lighter and pale blue-greyish colour. Despite of still preserving most of the Moleanos core elements, the flaming type is quite abrasive and uniform, which smooths the visibility of some elements, like shells and fossils.

Main Features: Rough and non-slip surface; increased durability; subtle blue-grey colour.

Top Application: Exterior flooring.

Sandblasted-Brushed

The technique combination of sandblasted and brushed is one of the most popular finishings for exterior flooring with Moleanos Blue, mostly because it produces a fairly rough and anti-slippery surface that increases endurance and durability.  The core elements of the Moleanos limestone are also visible across the background, specially shells and fossils. Also, the sandblasted generates very small craters that slightly highlights the natural colours of the stone. Therefore, the colour becomes slightly lighter. Finally, this finishing obtains the best results on exterior projects, with a particular focus on flooring and paving.

Main Features: Rough and non-slip surface; increased durability; highlighted blue-grey colour.

Top Application: Exterior flooring.

Check our blog for more content on other natural stone finishings. For special deals, supply or business inquiries, contact us directly.

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With a growing reputation, Portuguese grey limestones are quite reliable, especially in terms of background uniformity and colour consistency. They usually present a very considerable hardness and an impressive versatility, that makes them suitable for about any type of application or project. Also, they present a high availability and a competitive pricing – ideal conditions when it comes to business. There is certainly a huge variety of grey limestones from Portugal, but only a few have been able to enter the international market. At the current time, there are four limestones that have been growing in both, popularity and demand at a global level.

1. Moleanos Blue Limestone

The Moleanos Blue is possibly the most famous blue-grey limestone from Portugal. It displays a set of superior attributes, including a very smooth and uniform background. Additionally, it presents a pale blue-grey colour, followed by some darker areas and occasional natural elements, like fossils, shells and calcite. This grey limestone is recommended for almost any sort of application, due to its versatility and increased hardness. However, cladding and flooring are generally the most common applications when it comes to Moleanos Blue projects.

Main Features: Uniform background; increased hardness; consistent grey-blue colour.

Recommended for: Exterior and interior applications in general.

2. Moleanos B1 Limestone

As a direct alternative to the Azul Valverde, the Moleanos B1 is a grey limestone with a high utility value. It presents a pale light grey colour and a quite uniform background, with hardly any visible elements. Overall, this is a limestone with a very plain and regular surface, which makes it a perfect choice for cladding, flooring and decoration projects. Despite this preference, the Moleanos B1 is recommended for all exterior and interior applications. Additionally, the Moleanos B1 is one of the main replacements for the well-known Azul Valverde, non-existent at the time.

Main Features: Very uniform background; increased hardness; consistent pale grey colour.

Recommended for: Cladding, flooring and decoration.

3. Moleanos B3 Limestone

Known for its diversity, the Moleanos B3 is a variation of the Moleanos limestone, which presents a little less purity. This is a multi-colour limestone, with light grey as the main colour and blue and beige as the secondary tonalities. The background is somewhat uniform, as it displays strong signs of natural elements, particularly fossils and calcite. Moreover, the Moleanos B3 is a very hard type of limestone, which together with its versatility makes it suitable for essentially any project.  Still, the main applications for this limestone are exterior ones, specifically exterior cladding and landscaping.

Main Features: Somewhat uniform background; increased hardness; strong signs of elements; multi-colour.

Recommended for: Exterior cladding and landscaping.

4. Perlato Limestone

The Perlato Limestone is a grey limestone that presents an interesting appearance, composed by the abundancy of calcite and fossils. These natural elements create some lighter areas but overall, this is a somewhat uniform limestone. In terms of structure, the Perlato displays a consistent grey colour, as well as an increased hardness. As a versatile limestone, the Perlato can be suitable for a wide range of applications. Despite the consolidate position in Portugal, the Perlato is not so known abroad and is still developing its own market.

Main Features: Somewhat uniform background; increased hardness; consistent grey colour.

Recommended for: Exterior and interior applications in general.

For more information about grey limestones from Portugal or any other natural stone, contact us directly for a specialized feedback.

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With an extraordinary reputation, the Jura Grey is probably the most popular and well-known natural stone from Germany. Despite having a demand focused on Europe, this limestone is also exported to several other parts of the world. There’s currently a huge availability for this natural stone, along with large reserves for future extraction. This limestone presents a thin to medium grain, with a non-uniform background and a substantial hardness. Additionally, the Jura Grey is mostly characterized by the presence of strong signs of fossils, with a darker colour sparsely distributed throughout the surface. There are mainly four types of Jura Grey finishings, in which all of them look slightly different, especially regarding the intensity of the colour.

Honed

Among all the Jura Grey finishings, the honed technique is probably the most popular one. This happens because the honed type highlights the natural elements of the stone. Therefore, inclusions and fossils become more visible, while the grey colour becomes more intense and consistent, with some silver tonalities. On the other hand, the background is quite irregular and the surface is matte, with very little reflection. In terms of applications, exterior cladding and interior applications, like flooring or coverings, are the most frequent choices.

Main Features: Non-uniform background; matte surface; natural elements; persistent grey-silver colour.

Top Applications: Interior flooring and exterior cladding.

Polished

Used mainly on interior projects, the polished finishing creates a very shiny surface, with a lot of brightness and reflection. It also highlights the natural elements of the limestone, such as fossils and inclusions. The colour also suffers some alterations, as it becomes rather clean and enhanced, with some silver shades. The background reveals to be irregular but with a very rich composition. The most popular usages for the polished finishing is certainly interior applications, where flooring is the most common one.

Main Features: Non-uniform background; shiny surface; natural elements; clean grey-silver colour.

Top Applications: Interior flooring and interior applications in general.

Sandblasted & Brushed

This finishing combination delivers a wide range of features that are highly appreciated for different types of applications, such as a strong anti-slippery capacity, a rough matte surface and a corrugated appearance. Between all the Jura Grey finishings, the sandblasted and brushed is certainly the most utilized on exterior flooring and exterior cladding. While the sandblast makes the stone whiter and more uniform, the brushed method brings back most of the natural elements of the stone, allowing it to maintain some authenticity and discreetness.

Main Features: Uniform background; matte surface; non-slip properties; natural elements; light grey colour.

Top Application: Exterior flooring and exterior cladding.

Sandblasted

The sandblasted finishing creates a quite uniform background with a concrete looking effect, due to the sand blasting silica procedure. The result is a matte surface, with a great anti-slippery capacity and a fairly rough texture. Most of the natural characteristics and elements disappear, while the grey colour loses both, intensity and variety. Additionally, the sandblasted Jura Grey presents a quite plain and discreet look and as so, it is mostly used on exterior applications, specially on cladding and coverings.

Main Features: Very uniform background; matte surface; non-slip properties; light grey colour.

Top Application: Exterior cladding.

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