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LAMINAM® Pietra di Cardoso Nero

LAMINAM® Pietra di Cardoso Nero is a large-format porcelain slab from the Italian premium manufacturer Laminam in a deep black-anthracite dimension stone look. The slab shows a very dark, almost black ground tone with subtle cloud and grind structures as well as isolated lighter mineral points – stylistically an allusion to the darkest tonal value of the classic Tuscan Pietra di Cardoso sandstone from the Apuan foothills. At ROSSITTIS we work the slabs into heat- and acid-resistant interior floors, stairs, wall cladding, furniture tops, external floor coverings, pool surrounds and façade elements with a dark, mineral dimension stone effect.

A large-format porcelain slab (sintered stone) from the Italian premium brand Laminam (System Group, Fiorano Modenese) – not a naturally formed stone, not an engineered quartz and not a classic porcelain. Variant “Pietra di Cardoso Nero” as a design quotation of the darkest tonal value of the classic Tuscan Pietra di Cardoso sandstone (Monte Cardoso near Stazzema, Versilia, Apuan pre-Alps), with an almost black anthracite base tone and a fine, cloudy ground sandstone character.

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Available as: Slabs

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About LAMINAM® Pietra di Cardoso Nero

Background. Laminam® is the Italian premium brand for large-format porcelain 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 decisively shaped the design of thin, large mineral slabs.

Material composition 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 mould in a patented pressing process, provided with decorated pigment layers for the surface look 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, sintered-through slab with no resin content. This yields decisive technical advantages over engineered quartz: water absorption below 0.1 %, very high heat resistance (hot pots can be set down directly), full UV resistance and thus suitability for external use, frost resistance and almost complete acid resistance.

The natural stone model Pietra di Cardoso. Pietra di Cardoso is one of the most tradition-rich Tuscan dimension stones. The deposits lie on Monte Cardoso near Stazzema in the Versilia area (Provincia di Lucca), in the Apuan foothills above the Versilia coast. Petrographically it is a metamorphosed slate with sandstone components from the Oligocene/Miocene, consolidated by Alpine metamorphism. The stone has been used in Tuscan architecture for centuries – for stair treads, floor coverings, window sills, fountain surrounds and door frames in classic Renaissance and farmhouse architecture. Alongside the classic medium-grey grades, the natural stone deposit also yields particularly dark, almost black tonal values – and it is this rare, darkest tonal value that the Pietra di Cardoso Nero grade takes up in design terms.

The Pietra di Cardoso Nero variant. The ground tone is a very dark, slightly warm-toned black anthracite with a subtle grey veil. Across the ground are distributed fine cloudy grind structures with soft, almost textile-like gradations, as well as isolated lighter mineral points and short diagonal grind lines. From a middle distance the surface appears almost uniformly dark black with subtle depth; close up the fine, natural-stone-like sandstone grind feel shows itself. Compared with the brighter sister grade Pietra di Cardoso Grigio, the Nero variant is markedly deeper in tonal value, with reduced horizontal lineation and a more cloudy rather than layered look.

Format and thicknesses. Laminam supplies the slabs in several large formats – the standard format is around 162 × 324 cm and 100 × 300 cm. The thicknesses are graded at 3, 5, 12 and 20 mm; the 3 and 5 mm slabs are particularly suited to wall cladding, furniture fronts, internal doors and façades, while the 12 and 20 mm slabs are standard for interior floors, external floor coverings and kitchen worktops.

Thermal and chemical properties. Unlike engineered quartz, there is no polyester resin here – which removes the typical weaknesses: Pietra di Cardoso Nero is heat-resistant (hot pots can be set down directly, the slab is unaffected well beyond 200 °C), almost completely acid-resistant (wine, lemon, tomato, vinegar leave no traces) and fully UV-stable (suitable for external use). Frost and weather resistance are given.

ROSSITTIS range. The surface finishes currently in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down. From them we fabricate interior floors in large format or tile format, external floor coverings under cover and in the garden, pool surrounds, stairs with treads and risers, wall cladding, bar counters, buffet and furniture tops, window sills and above all façade elements. The calm, deep black dimension stone feel comes into its own most strongly in large-area floor coverings, façades and dark architectural concepts; in combination with warm oak, Corten steel, brass and Mediterranean wall colours, a modern architectural look with a calm dark depth emerges.

Comparison. Within the Laminam portfolio, the Pietra di Cardoso line belongs to the natural-stone-based dimension stone slabs and stands in contrast to the dramatic marble-look slabs (Noir Desir, the Calacatta lines) or the industrial Calce concrete slabs. The sister grade Pietra di Cardoso Grigio is markedly brighter in tonal value. Stylistically related is the Pietra di Savoia family from Piedmont (brighter, with a different geological model). Compared with genuine black natural stone such as Nero Assoluto or black granite, Pietra di Cardoso Nero appears softer as a dimension stone and less formally smooth – in design terms the grade lives from the sandstone feel, not from high gloss and crystalline depth.

Honest assessment. Pietra di Cardoso Nero is a powerful, natural-stone-based choice for interior and exterior surfaces where a deep black dimension stone feel and technical resilience are wanted at the same time. The slab works particularly strongly as a large-format interior or exterior floor, as a façade panel and as wall cladding in modern architectural or darkly elegant concepts. Anyone looking for a characterful marble look with veins or a high-gloss, mirroring solid black should reach for other grades.

In stock

Current availability from our warehouse.

43 large-format slabs in stock · plus 8 blocks

Thicknesses: 1.2 & 2 cm · Finishes: naturale matt, Fiammato (flamed) · Available as: Slabs

Updated daily from our live stock.

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Finishes

LAMINAM® Pietra di Cardoso Nero is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.

Naturale matt

A standard finish in the matte ceramic segment — the original surface as it comes out of the kiln. Level in appearance, but somewhat rougher to the touch than polished. Easy to maintain, insensitive to scratches and stain-resistant — the most everyday-capable ceramic finish for kitchen worktops, wall cladding and floor areas.

Fiammato (flamed)

A more uneven and rougher surface whose feel is modelled on flamed and brushed natural stone, but with a distinctly more intense colour effect. Firing keeps the ceramic surface closed and easy to care for. A characterful choice for designed exterior surfaces, steps and wall claddings with a rustic character.

Care & fabrication

Cleaning. In everyday use, warm water, a soft cloth or a clean mop and a neutral to mildly 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-resistant – even vinegar, citric and hydrochloric acid practically do not attack the slab. Take up spills promptly, because on the dark surface every dried trace can remain visible as a lighter veil; the material itself, however, is pore-free and therefore stain-proof.

Do not use. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) and fluoride-containing 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 dense and pore-free in itself, and water absorption is below 0.1 %.

Naturale matt / fiammato surface. The surface finishes currently in stock are listed in the »Finishes« block further down. We recommend prompt drying off with a soft microfibre cloth.

Dark slabs – particular care notes. On a very dark, almost black porcelain, water rings, limescale marks, fingerprints, dust and dull abrasion marks are especially clearly visible as lighter shadows. In everyday use this is the essential difference in care compared with brighter grades. The flamed variant markedly reduces the visibility problem, because the textured surface breaks up reflections; the naturale matt variant, by contrast, shows every wiping streak more precisely. On dark kitchen worktops and bathroom surfaces, a consistent wiping-down routine with a soft microfibre cloth is advisable.

Kitchen and bathroom. In kitchen and bathroom use, technically almost unbeatable: hot pots can be set down directly for a short time, 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. The classic domain of Pietra di Cardoso Nero is large-format interior floors, external floor coverings, pool surrounds and façades. The flamed variant is slip-resistant and can therefore be used in certified fashion in areas with water contact.

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

Scratches and repair. Porcelain is very hard (around 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® Pietra di Cardoso Nero?

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

What does the name “Pietra di Cardoso” refer to?

The name refers to the classic Italian Pietra di Cardoso sandstone from Monte Cardoso near Stazzema in the Versilia area of the Tuscan Apuan foothills (Provincia di Lucca). Petrographically a metamorphosed slate with sandstone components, used in Tuscan architecture for centuries for stair treads, floor coverings and window sills.

How does Pietra di Cardoso Nero differ from Pietra di Cardoso Grigio?

Both grades come from the same Laminam line and quote the same Tuscan sandstone. The Grigio variant is a medium to dark grey anthracite with a fine horizontal lineation; the Nero variant is markedly deeper in tonal value, almost black, with reduced lineation and a more cloudy grind feel. The choice is a decision about tonal value and effect – Grigio for a calm Tuscan dimension stone effect, Nero for darkly elegant architectural concepts.

What slab formats and thicknesses does Laminam offer?

Standard formats are 162 × 324 cm and 100 × 300 cm, in thicknesses of 3, 5, 12 and 20 mm. The thinner thicknesses (3 and 5 mm) are particularly suited to wall cladding, furniture fronts, internal doors and façades; the 12 and 20 mm slab is standard for interior floors, external floor coverings and kitchen worktops.

Is Pietra di Cardoso Nero more care-intensive than brighter grades?

In material terms the care is identical – the slab is pore-free, acid-resistant, heat-resistant and UV-stable like all Laminam grades. Visually, however, water rings, limescale marks and fingerprints show up on the very dark surface as lighter shadows more clearly than on bright slabs. In everyday use a consistent wiping-down routine with a soft microfibre cloth is therefore advisable.

Is the slab suitable for external surfaces, façades and pool surrounds?

Yes – that is one of the central fields of application for this grade, above all with the fiammato/flamed standard surface. Porcelain is UV-stable, frost- and weather-resistant and can be used as a back-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 must be taken into account in design terms 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-resistant. Out of the question are only hydrofluoric acid (HF) and fluoride-containing cleaners – these are not relevant in the household.

Pietra di Cardoso Nero or black natural stone such as Nero Assoluto?

Black natural stone such as Nero Assoluto or black granite is deeper and more crystalline in effect, can be polished to a higher degree of gloss and is geologically authentic. Pietra di Cardoso Nero remains softer as a dimension stone with a sandstone grind feel, more acid-resistant and more scratch-resistant. The choice is one between crystalline depth (natural stone) and a calm, mineral dimension stone effect with full acid resistance (porcelain).

What does LAMINAM® Pietra di Cardoso Nero cost?

The price depends on the format, thickness, surface finish and fabrication — there is no serious flat rate per square metre. Business customers see prices once their B2B account is activated; private customers receive a complete quote through a fabricator near them.