About Gneiss

Gneiss (pronounced "nice") is a high-grade metamorphic rock formed under extreme temperature and pressure, causing minerals to separate into distinctive alternating light and dark bands. This banding gives gneiss its characteristic striped or foliated appearance, distinguishing it from the more uniform speckled pattern of granite. Despite the visual difference, gneiss shares most of granite's practical properties: it is hard, durable, frost-resistant, and acid-resistant.

The most famous commercial gneiss is Pietra di Luserna from Piedmont, Italy - a grey-green stone that has paved Northern Italian towns for centuries and is widely used across Europe for exterior cladding, flooring, and stair treads. Other popular varieties include Vals Quartzite (actually a gneiss from Switzerland) and various African and Brazilian gneisses marketed under exotic names.

Gneiss is composed of quartz, feldspar, and mica, making it siliceous and fully acid-resistant. The mica content gives some varieties a subtle shimmer. Like granite, gneiss requires minimal maintenance and is one of the most practical natural stones for both interior and exterior use in all European climates.