Contemporary use of Pietra Serena

Pietra Serena is a homogeneous gray sandstone, with a very fine grain and shiny dots.

It is quarried in Tuscany: currently most of the quarries are concentrated in the area of Firenzuola (FI) where there is also the Pietra Serena museum (for the technical data sheet of the pietra serena click here).

It is a material with a great history: the Etruscans already used it and built the walls of Fiesole while the Romans used it in Florence to build the temple of Mars.

The highest moment was reached in the Renaissance when it was used by Brunelleschi for his Florentine masterpieces such as the basilica of Santo Spirito and the church of San Lorenzo, where the contrast between the uniform gray color of the stone and the white plaster was maximized covering the masonry. After Brunelleschi we find this stone in the loggia of the Uffizi and in the facade of the church of San Giovannino degli Scolopi.

Pietra Serena was also used for architectural decorations and sculptures as Donatello did but also for the flooring of the historic centers of Florence, Siena and Arezzo.

This ancient material rich in history is still used today for both interiors and exteriors and there are numerous applications in construction, sculpture and furniture.
In interior architecture it is used to create thresholds, window sills and countertops, coverings, skirting boards and also in more rustic furnishings for sinks or kitchen tops typical of country houses.

As far as external environments are concerned, sidewalks and garden paths can be in Pietra Serena as well as various decorative elements such as fountains, statues, tables and benches, columns and bas-reliefs.

It is resistant to wear, with good compressive strength and lends itself very well to combinations with other materials such as metal, wood and plaster. However, outdoor use is limited by the non-excessive resistance of this material to atmospheric agents, especially in areas with a more rigid climate where the wind and the cycles of freezing and thawing can cause exfoliation.

Where Pietra Serena is used for outdoor furnishing elements, we recommend periodically carrying out treatments with specific water-repellent products.

This sandstone has a pleasant aesthetic effect and is already appreciated in the rough version, called “top saw“.
It is easy to work and among the most common processes we have:

sanding, which is the commonly adopted finish for ornamental elements such as fountains, statues and tables;
flaming, which gives the stone a rustic and natural appearance as it creates an appearance similar to what is obtained following exposure to the elements;
sandblasted or bush-hammered, with a uniform and slightly rough surface that is well suited to stairs, porches and thresholds.

If you need more information on the use or maintenance of Pietra Serena, contact us by phone or write to us by filling out the form below.