Gneiss is metamorphic rock, it is derived from magmatic rocks, such as granites, and are formed from quartz crystals of feldspars and micas (same granite minerals, but with a different capability).

Often times it is characterized by oriented structure defined by different names, they may present a striated appearance.

Gneiss is stone with color ranging from light gray to dark gray to greenish-gray that alternates light areas with dark areas. The family also contains the Beola and Serizzo stones.

They are characterized by lamellar structure with easy divisibility in thick or thin flat slabs.

Gneiss is hard and resistant stone, and found a wide use is in road paving and structural elements of building. It is used for floors, walls and roofs, facade elements and as street stones. They are used for paving in gardens and for the traditional coverage of houses. In Interior design they are used for stairs, flooring, kitchen tops and bathrooms.

When blocks of gneiss, beola and serizzo have been prepared with sawn surfaces, they can be split with automatic H-frame machines with 4 blades, such as the P4 series, to be split in slabs with a small thickness.