Waller Creek — Portugal Beige Limestone Nightstands
484 solid stone nightstands and stone stools for a 242-room hotel — round and oval Portugal beige limestone pieces in four models, hammer-and-chisel pitched sides with honed matte tops, fabricated and shipped door to door in three 40-foot containers.
From block selection to three shipped containers in ten weeks
This project was a custom production run of 484 solid stone nightstands and stone stools, commissioned by a U.S. design firm for the 242-room Waller Creek hotel project in City of Industry, California — the same hotel for which we also produced the Sicilian Grey marble vanity basins. Each nightstand was fabricated from a single block of Portugal beige limestone, with the side cut in a semi-circular arc and hand-pitched with hammer and chisel to a natural rock-face surface, while the top was honed to a matte finish. A CNC-routed through-slot crossed each piece to receive a black metal pedestal base.
Four Models Across 242 Rooms
The order totalled 484 pieces across four models — two round and two oval. The round nightstands, each 18 in in diameter, were produced in two versions (179 and 110 pieces); the oval nightstands, 28 × 18 in, were produced in two versions (185 and 10 pieces). Room fit-outs mixed the models: 175 rooms took one large and one small piece, 57 rooms took two round pieces, and 10 rooms took two oval pieces.
Each round piece weighs roughly 75 kg and each oval roughly 125 kg, for a total shipment of about 46 tonnes across three 40-foot containers, delivered door to door. Every unit was shaped, pitched, honed and packed against an approved shop drawing, and each of the four models was produced to a consistent template so the black metal base seated the same way on every piece.
What made this project complex
Minimum Machining Head Reach vs. the 180 mm Hole
The original drawing specified a 180 mm hole depth, which exceeded both the operating height of the equipment and the roughly 150 mm tooling limit. Layered carving would have missed the delivery window. After negotiating with the client, the hole depth was confirmed at 127 mm (5 in) on 2025-08-26, the stone thickness moved from 12 in to 10 in, and the overall 25 in height was held — the through-slot and base fit stayed correct and the run stayed on schedule.
White Marks & Efflorescence on the Pitched Face
The hammer-and-chisel pitching left small white chatoyant marks at the impact points. An acid-based chemical wash was trialled first, but Portugal beige is a limestone: the chemical absorbed into the body and, in humid weather, surfaced as grey efflorescence. After repeated experiments we switched to 500 kg high-pressure water, rinsing the pitched points and faces multiple times. The water carries no contamination and does not react with the stone, visibly softening the white marks toward the natural colour. Only once the client accepted the surface was the waterproofing sealer applied.
Direct updates, careful decisions
The decisive conversations were about manufacturability and standards, not scheduling alone. Representative exchanges from the project record, with the client's name, company and email redacted — the wording, dimensions and item codes are the originals.
"Our engineer confirmed the maximum hole depth we can make is around 140–145 mm, not 180 mm — the cutter head cannot reach that deep. We made a test piece: with a 127 mm hole the table stands perfectly stable, with no rocking or tipping. We suggest 127 mm and can reduce the stone height from 12 in to 10 in, keeping the overall 25 in height unchanged."
Rather than discover the 180 mm depth on the production floor, we reported the tooling limit, supplied a physical stability result at 127 mm, and proposed a redesign that preserved the designer's overall height.
"Confirmed — please proceed with the 10 in stone height and the 127 mm hole, keeping the 25 in overall height. We will update the drawing and send it for your records."
The designer confirmed the revised geometry the same day; the change was locked on a reissued drawing before the run proceeded, so both sides built against one dimension set.
"We will produce one complete sample first and send dated photos with all measurements before we continue with the rest, so you can confirm the finish and the base fit."
A first-piece gate meant the pitched texture, honed top and metal-base fit were approved against the real product, not a promise, before the remaining 483 pieces were finished.
"Please review the attached photos and the measured dimensions of the sample. If these are approved we can proceed immediately and do not need to ship the physical sample, which would add time."
The client was able to approve on documented evidence, keeping the ten-week schedule without a trans-Pacific sample shipment.
"The acid wash reacted with the limestone and left efflorescence in humidity. We have stopped it and switched to 500 kg high-pressure water — it carries no chemical and is taking the white marks back to the natural colour. We will send photos before we apply any sealer."
When the first fix failed, we reported it rather than hiding it, changed method with the stone's chemistry in mind, and gated sealing on the client's visual acceptance.
Solid Portugal beige limestone, fabricated to approved shop drawings
All 484 pieces were fabricated from solid blocks of Portugal beige limestone. Each nightstand has a semi-circular sculpted side cut in an arc and hand-pitched with hammer and chisel into a natural rock-face finish, while the top is honed to a matte surface. A CNC-routed cross-shaped through-slot carries the black metal pedestal base. The project was produced in four models — two round and two oval — and delivered door to door in three 40-foot containers.
| Drawing | Approved client shop drawing — nightstand set |
|---|---|
| Material | Portugal Beige Limestone (solid stone) |
| Models & Quantities | Round, Ø 18 in — version 1: 179 pieces Round, Ø 18 in — version 2: 110 pieces Oval, 28 × 18 in — version 1: 185 pieces Oval, 28 × 18 in — version 2: 10 pieces |
| Total Quantity | 484 pieces |
| Room Fit-Out | 175 rooms: one large + one small · 57 rooms: two round · 10 rooms: two oval |
| Finish | Side faces: hammer & chisel pitched natural split-face · Top: honed matte |
| Base | Black metal pedestal base seated in a CNC-routed cross-shaped through-slot |
| Unit Weight | Round ≈ 75 kg · Oval ≈ 125 kg |
| Total Weight | ≈ 46 tonnes across 3 × 40-ft containers |
| Delivery | Door to door, 3 × 40-ft containers |
| Quality Control | Client-appointed independent inspection agency, staged inspection with its own independent reports |
Why Apexstone was the right factory for Waller Creek
This job combined hand-finished stonework at volume with a detail that was unmanufacturable as first drawn. The points below show how we handled both — and the manufacturing strengths we bring to every solid stone furniture order.
Caught an unmanufacturable detail before any block was cut
The original drawing called for a 180 mm leg-hole depth, beyond the machine head reach and the roughly 150 mm tooling limit. We flagged it immediately, tested the tooling, and built a physical stability trial at 127 mm (5 in). With the designer we reduced the stone height from 12 in to 10 in while holding the 25 in overall height — the base fit and stability stayed correct and the schedule held.
Hand-pitched curved rock-face, consistent across 484 units
The semi-circular side of every piece was pitched with hammer and chisel so the natural split-face reads cleanly and repeatably — a hand skill applied to a curved surface at production volume, rather than a uniform machine texture.
Solved the white-marks problem with the stone's chemistry in mind
Pitching left white impact marks. A first acid wash absorbed into the limestone and caused efflorescence in humidity; after trials we switched to 500 kg high-pressure water rinsing — clean and non-reactive — which took the marks toward the natural colour before sealing.
Worked to the client's own independent inspection standard
The client appointed a third-party inspection agency that checked the run in stages and issued its own reports. We also produced the first piece as a sample and accepted approval against dated photos and dimensions, removing the delay and cost of shipping a physical sample.
46 tonnes of heavy furniture, door to door with no damage
At 75–125 kg per piece, every unit was foam-cradled and crated and the 484 pieces were planned across three 40-foot containers for door-to-door delivery with no damage in transit.
One factory carries the whole chain from block to crate
Block sourcing, cutting, CNC shaping and slot routing, hand pitching, honing, sealing and export crating all happen inside our own workshop. Keeping the chain in-house — with no outsourcing — is what lets a 484-piece furniture run stay consistent model to model and container to container.
Shop-drawing discipline before the first cut
We review every client drawing line by line — geometry, radii, clearances, finish — and resolve manufacturability up front, then lock a template for each model. That front-end review is how custom hotel and residential furniture reaches the site to the same standard as the approved sample.
Ten stages, one uninterrupted factory chain
Each stage of the run had its own discipline — sourcing the Portugal beige limestone blocks, cutting and shaping, pitching the curved faces, honing the tops, routing the bases, washing, sealing and packing. The sequence below follows the physical flow of the factory, and each step was documented with photos.
Project Metrics
Factory video documentation
Every critical stage of the run was recorded in the factory — from block selection to container loading. The clips below follow the production order.
Block Sourcing
2025 · Portugal beige limestone block walk-around at the yard.
Pre-CNC Review
2025 · Program review against the approved drawing.
CNC Routing
2025 · Shaping and cross-slot CNC routing.
Back Pitching
2025 · Hammer-and-chisel pitch on the back face.
Top Honing
2025 · Honing the top to a matte finish.
Quality Discussion A
2025 · Surface finish review during production.
Quality Discussion B
2025 · Follow-up review of the pitched natural faces.
Pre-Seal Washing
2025 · High-pressure washing before sealing.
Surface Adjustment & Alignment
2025 · Pressing and aligning a round limestone component on the marked work table.
Leg Fit
2025 · Fitting the black metal pedestal base.
Third-Party Inspection
2025 · Independent inspection agency on site.
Pre-Pack A
2025 · Staging and measuring before packing.
Pre-Pack B
2025 · Protection and check before crating.
Packing
2025 · Final wrapping and crating for export.
The Full Production Arc
Client Original Shop Drawing — Nightstand Set
The approved shop drawing provided by the design firm and reviewed line by line before any block was cut — top, front and section views with dimensions, the cross-slot for the black metal base, and the 25 in overall height. The copy shown here has been redacted only of the client's name and company; all dimensions, item codes and the drawing geometry are the original.
Ten weeks of close collaboration
A carefully sequenced production run, from drawings to the door-to-door shipment.
The design firm sends the nightstand shop drawings for all four models. We review every dimension — the curved side radius, the honed top spec, the cross-slot position and base clearances — and flag details that need confirmation before any block is cut.
Portugal beige limestone blocks are sourced and inspected, with shade and structure checked against the approved reference.
The original drawing called for a 180 mm hole depth, beyond the machining head reach and closer to the ~150 mm tooling limit, with layered carving unable to hit the delivery window. After discussion with the client, the hole depth was confirmed at 127 mm (5 in), the stone thickness moved from 12 in to 10 in, and the overall 25 in height was held — resolving the constraint.
All 484 pieces are CNC-shaped, hand-pitched, honed and routed. Early on, the pitching left white chatoyant marks; an initial acid wash was trialled but absorbed into the limestone and caused surface efflorescence in humid weather. After repeated trials we switched to 500 kg high-pressure water rinses over the pitched points and faces — clean, non-reactive, and visibly reducing the white marks toward the natural colour. Once the client accepted the surface, the sealer was applied.
The client-appointed independent inspection agency carried out staged inspections and issued its own reports; the first report cleared the opening phase and the run completed under that independent standard.
Every piece is foam-cradled and crated, and the 484 pieces are loaded into three 40-foot containers for door-to-door delivery.
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