LAMINAM® Fokos Piombo

LAMINAM® Fokos Piombo is a porcelain large-format slab from the Italian premium manufacturer Laminam, from the Fokos concrete-look collection. The slab shows a deep lead to anthracite grey ground tone ("Piombo" – Italian for lead) with soft, cloudy cement-like ground structures and subtle light grey shimmer areas – a calm, velvety industrial and architectural character with a pigmented concrete quality. At ROSSITTIS we fabricate Fokos Piombo into heat- and acid-proof kitchen worktops, islands, interior floors, wall claddings, bathroom fit-outs, external floor coverings, pool surrounds and rear-ventilated façade systems with a modern concrete-look effect.

Sinterkeramische Großtafel (Sintered Stone) der italienischen Premium-Marke Laminam (System-Gruppe, Fiorano Modenese) – kein gewachsener Naturstein, kein Quarzkomposit und kein klassisches Porzellan. Variante „Fokos Piombo" innerhalb der industriell-orientierten Beton-Look-Kollektion der Marke, mit tief blei-anthrazitgrauem Grundton („Piombo" = ital. für Blei) und weichen, wolkig-zementartigen Schliffstrukturen. Inspiriert von pigmentiertem Sichtbeton oder gespachteltem Tadelakt-Putz mit ruhig-industrieller Anmutung.

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Available as: Slabs

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About LAMINAM® Fokos Piombo

Background. Laminam® is the Italian premium brand for porcelain large-format slabs, founded in 2001 in Fiorano Modenese (province of Modena) as a subsidiary of the System group. Laminam is one of the European pioneers of large-format porcelain and has played a decisive part in shaping the format of thin, large mineral slabs in design terms. The Fokos collection is one of Laminam's industrially oriented series – inspired by urban, concrete-based and mineral-pigmented surfaces, with a soft velvety feel and a calm architectural character. "Piombo" (Italian for lead) denotes the darkest, anthracite lead-grey tonal variant within the Fokos family.

Material structure and manufacture. A Laminam slab consists of around 100 % mineral raw materials – feldspar, quartz, clay minerals and pigments – without polymer binders. The mixture is compacted in a patented pressing process in a mould, provided with decorated pigment layers for the surface appearance and then sintered at temperatures above 1,200 °C in a tunnel kiln. In this sintering the mineral particles partly fuse into a closed crystalline mineral structure – the end product is a fully mineral, through-sintered slab with no resin content. From this follow decisive technical advantages over engineered quartz: water absorption below 0.1 %, very high heat resistance (hot pans can be set down directly), full UV resistance and therefore suitability for external use, frost resistance and almost complete acid resistance.

The Fokos Piombo variant. The ground tone is a deep, slightly warm-toned lead anthracite grey with a subtle black underground. Distributed across the surface are soft, cloudy ground structures that read like pigmented fair-faced concrete or trowelled tadelakt – with subtle light grey shimmer areas that give the slab depth without showing a hard vein pattern. From a middle distance the surface appears almost uniformly deep lead grey with a calm mineral character; close up, one discovers the fine pigmented concrete quality with a light velvety sheen. The grade lives not from dramatic veining but from calm, pigmented concrete depth.

Formats and thicknesses. Laminam supplies the Fokos slabs in several large formats: 100 × 300 cm in the thicknesses Laminam 3 (3 mm), Laminam 3+ (3.5 mm) and Laminam 5 (5 mm) – particularly suited to wall claddings, furniture fronts and composite applications, as well as 162 × 324 cm in the thicknesses Laminam 5 (5 mm), Laminam 5+ (5.5 mm), Laminam 12+ (12 mm) and Laminam 20+ (20 mm) – standard for interior floors, external floor coverings, kitchen worktops and façade elements.

Thermal and chemical properties. Unlike engineered quartz, there is no polyester resin here – so the typical weaknesses fall away: Fokos Piombo is heat-proof (hot pans can be set down directly, the slab is unaffected well beyond 200 °C), almost completely acid-proof (wine, lemon, tomato, vinegar leave no traces) and fully UV-stable (suitable for external use). Frost and weather resistance are given. Water absorption: virtually zero (below 0.1 %, as is typical of porcelain).

ROSSITTIS range. We carry Fokos Piombo with the naturale matt base surface with stock depth in 6, 12 and 20 mm thickness; further thicknesses from the Laminam programme are available on request. From the slabs we fabricate kitchen worktops, islands, bar counters, buffet and furniture tops, wall claddings, bathroom fit-outs (washstands, wall and floor tiles, showers with proper waterproofing), window sills, skirtings, interior floors in large format or tile format, external floor coverings, pool surrounds and rear-ventilated façade systems.

Comparison. Within the Laminam Fokos family, Piombo positions itself as the darkest anthracite lead-grey grade. Related Fokos grades are Cenere (lighter, ash grey), Roccia (mid-grey with subtle clouds) and Avorio (warm ivory). Within the Laminam portfolio, the Fokos line sits in the concrete-look segment in contrast to the dramatic marble-look slabs (Calacatta, Statuario, Noir Desir), the natural-stone-based dimension stone slabs (Pietra di Cardoso, Pietra di Savoia, Otta phyllite) and the oxidised, metallic-looking grades (Ossido). Related concrete-look lines are the Calce family (limestone-oriented), the Filo family (matt pigmented) and the Seta family (silky smooth). In competitive comparison with other porcelain brands (Neolith, Dekton, Caesarstone Lioli, SapienStone), Fokos Piombo is a particularly pigmented-looking concrete character with a calm industrial quality.

Honest assessment. Fokos Piombo is the optimal choice for any application calling for a calm, pigmented concrete-look character in a dark anthracite tonal value. The grade works particularly strongly as a large-area interior floor in modern architectural or loft-oriented rooms, as a kitchen worktop in industrial-style kitchens, as a wall cladding with an elevated material effect and as a rear-ventilated façade panel in contemporary architectural concepts. Anyone looking for a characterful marble appearance with veins should reach for Calacatta or Statuario grades; anyone wanting a warm creamy grade should switch to Fokos Avorio or the Pietra di Savoia family; anyone needing a more genuine concrete feel should consider an industrially trowelled fair-faced concrete or a tadelakt plaster.

Technical data

Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.

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Suitability by application

Finishes

LAMINAM® Fokos Piombo is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.

Naturale matt

Standardoberfläche im matten Keramik-Segment — die Originaloberfläche nach dem Brennen. Plan in der Anmutung, aber haptisch etwas rauer als poliert. Pflegeleicht, kratzunempfindlich und fleckenresistent — die alltagstauglichste Keramik-Veredelung für Küchenarbeitsplatten, Wandverkleidungen und Bodenflächen.

Care & fabrication

Cleaning. In everyday use, warm water, a soft cloth or a clean mop and a neutral to slightly alkaline pH cleaner are sufficient. Mild all-purpose cleaners, mild washing-up foam and all commercially available sanitary and kitchen cleaners without hydrofluoric acid (HF) are suitable. The porcelain is almost completely acid-proof – even acetic, citric and hydrochloric acid have practically no effect on the slab. Take up spilled liquids promptly, because on the dark surface every dried trace can remain visible as a lighter film; the material itself, however, is non-porous and therefore stain-proof.

Do not use. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) and fluoride-bearing cleaners are the only class of substance that can genuinely attack porcelain – they occur practically only in industrial glass and stone cleaners and are not relevant in the household.

Sealing. Not required – porcelain is inherently dense and non-porous, water absorption is below 0.1 %.

Naturale matt surface. The naturale matt surface reacts somewhat more sensitively to smear films and visible wiping streaks than a polished variant; isolated water droplets dry off less smoothly. We recommend prompt drying off with a soft microfibre cloth.

Dark concrete-look slabs – particular care notes. On a deep lead-grey porcelain, water marks, limescale spots, fingerprints, dust and matt abrasion marks are particularly clearly visible as lighter shadows. In everyday use this is the essential care difference compared with lighter grades. On dark kitchen worktops and bathroom surfaces, a consistent wipe-dry routine with a soft microfibre cloth is advisable. On interior floors with heavy traffic (entrance areas, showrooms), the microscopically fine abrasion marks caused by grains of sand can be removed with professional floor care routines.

Kitchen and bathroom. Technically almost unbeatable in kitchen and bathroom use: hot pans can be set down directly for short periods, acids such as vinegar, wine, lemon and tomato leave no traces, and anti-limescale sprays and all commercially available sanitary cleaners are approved.

Floor and façade. One of the classic domains of Laminam Fokos is large-format interior floors, external floor coverings and façade systems. The naturale matt variant can be installed to certified standard with factory edge-strip reinforcement for rear-ventilated façades. For slip-resistant external surfaces we recommend the textured variant (on request).

Outdoors and frost. Fully suitable. The slab is UV-stable, frost- and weather-resistant and can be used as a rear-ventilated façade panel, external wall cladding, pool surround and external floor covering. Deep dark external surfaces heat up considerably in direct summer sun – that is a design consideration and one relevant to barefoot use, not a material defect.

Scratches and repair. Porcelain is very hard (about Mohs 7) and therefore considerably more scratch-resistant than most natural materials. Deeper damage cannot simply be re-polished – repair is carried out by replacing the affected workpiece.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of material is LAMINAM® Fokos Piombo?

A porcelain large-format slab (sintered stone) from the Italian premium brand Laminam (System group, Modena), from the Fokos concrete-look collection. Mineral raw materials (feldspar, quartz, clay minerals, pigments) are compacted in a pressing process without polymer binders and sintered at over 1,200 °C in a tunnel kiln. It is not a natural stone and not an engineered quartz, but a fully mineral, through-sintered slab.

What does the name "Fokos Piombo" refer to?

"Fokos" is the name of the industrially oriented concrete-look collection at Laminam, inspired by urban, concrete-based and mineral-pigmented surfaces with a soft velvety feel. "Piombo" is Italian for lead and denotes the darkest, anthracite lead-grey tonal variant within the Fokos family – inspired by the matt, lightly patinated appearance of oxidised lead or pigmented dark grey fair-faced concrete.

What exactly does Fokos Piombo look like?

A deep, slightly warm-toned lead anthracite grey as the ground tone, crossed by soft, cloudy ground structures that read like pigmented fair-faced concrete or trowelled tadelakt, with subtle light grey shimmer areas for a sense of depth. The grade shows no veining and no powerful marble quotations – it lives from calm, pigmented concrete depth and a velvety industrial quality.

Which slab formats and thicknesses does Laminam offer for the Fokos line?

Standard formats are 100 × 300 cm in the thicknesses Laminam 3 (3 mm), Laminam 3+ (3.5 mm) and Laminam 5 (5 mm) – particularly suited to wall claddings, furniture fronts and composite applications, as well as 162 × 324 cm in the thicknesses Laminam 5 (5 mm), Laminam 5+ (5.5 mm), Laminam 12+ (12 mm) and Laminam 20+ (20 mm) – standard for interior floors, external floor coverings, kitchen worktops and façade elements.

Is Fokos Piombo more care-intensive than light grades?

In material terms the care is identical – the slab is non-porous, acid-proof, heat-proof and UV-stable like all Laminam grades. Visually, however, water marks, limescale spots and fingerprints show up more clearly as lighter shadows on the very dark lead-grey surface than on light slabs. In everyday use a consistent wipe-dry routine with a soft microfibre cloth is therefore advisable.

Is Fokos Piombo suitable for external surfaces, façades and pool surrounds?

Yes, fully. Porcelain is UV-stable, frost- and weather-resistant and can be used as a rear-ventilated façade panel, external wall cladding, pool surround and external floor covering. In direct summer sun, however, deep dark external surfaces heat up noticeably – this should be taken into account in the design and for barefoot areas.

Which cleaners may I use?

Permitted are warm water, all neutral, alkaline or mildly acidic cleaners, mild all-purpose cleaners and all commercially available sanitary and kitchen cleaners. The slab is almost completely acid-proof. Taboo are exclusively hydrofluoric acid (HF) and fluoride-bearing cleaners – these are not relevant in the household.

Fokos Piombo or real fair-faced concrete?

Real fair-faced concrete appears geologically more authentic with characteristic weathering and patina formation, but is labour-intensive to work with, usable only for cast or formed applications, more acid-sensitive (because of the cement) and comes with uncontrollable colour variation between batches. Fokos Piombo remains predictable, acid- and scratch-proof as well as completely non-porous – the choice is one between craft concrete authenticity and a controlled, technically resilient material character with an identical appearance.