Vein Cut and Cross Cut Stone

Before a slab becomes a slab, granite or travertine is pulled from the earth in the form of a block. Veins of various minerals, each of a unique color and texture, run through the block of stone. These mineral veins will give the future slabs their pattern and character. The nature of that pattern, however, is determined by what direction the stone block is sliced.

A massive block of natural stone containing veins can be cut one of two ways.

Vein Cut Stone

A vein cut slab shows the mineral veins running either lengthwise along the slab or vertically. This is also known as cutting “against the vein”.

Cross Cut Stone

A cross cut slab is sliced at a 90 degree angle to what the vein cut slab would have been. It shows a cross section of the veins and layers in the stone block. This style of cut is also called "with the vein".

Though two slabs from the same block share the exact same composition of colors and minerals, the results can be wildly different. The Tobacco Brown slabs from Italy, shown above, demonstrate the incredible differences between vein cut and cross cut granite.

To see what slabs we currently carry in stock, please see www.nssgranite.com or visit us in person at 425 N. Frontage Rd. in Nipomo California, 93444.