skip to content
The Sculptors Lexicon

Porosità

The proportion and character of void spaces within a stone or other material.

Short Definition

The amount and distribution of pore space within a material, affecting absorption, strength, weathering, staining, and finishing behavior.

Language Origin

Italian; ultimately Greek through Latin

Pronunciation

/po.ro.ziˈta/

Categories

Material Properties

Porosità means porosity: the presence and proportion of void spaces within a material. In natural stone, pore size, distribution, and connectivity affect the movement of water and other liquids through the stone.

Porosity influences absorption, staining, freeze-thaw performance, weathering, mechanical behavior, and how a stone responds to finishing and conservation treatments.

Etymology

Italian porosità, from poroso, 'porous,' ultimately from Greek poros, 'passage, pore.'

Sculptor Notes

For a carver, porosity is not only an engineering property: it can affect edge behavior, surface crispness, polish, staining, and the way abrasives interact with the stone.

References

https://marmo-botticino.it/en/the-identity-of-botticino-classico-marble/