Stone Finishes

Polished Finish

The first and most common finish is polished. This finish is best known for its ability to reveal the true color and character of the stone. Most stones come from the quarry with a polished face. When you picture a granite countertop, you likely picture a polished finish and sophisticated look that reveals the stone’s natural beauty, adds elegance, reflects light and draws attention to the stone and highlights your space. A polished finish would provide a smooth work surface. You can find polished finishes in any countertop, wall cladding and flooring applications.
Note that not all stones materials are capable of accepting polishing. es Here

Honed Finish

Honed finishes presents a satin buffed or matte appearance. This finish would have less reflection and shine than the polished finish, creating a softer look. Honed finishes are achieved through a grinding – sanding process and leaves marble and granites with a satiny-smooth surface. We can create a honed finish by stopping the final polish cycle described above before the surface becomes shiny and glossy. This is how we achieve the satin or matte appearance called Honed.

A honed finish will not show the color and textures as much as a polished finish would but can evoke a relaxed, casual vibe while still retaining the high class character of an elegant stone.
The surface is smooth and provides a good work surface for countertops. The finish will leave the surface less slippery than polished and may conceal flaws characteristics better since it does not have as high a reflection. A honed finish can also be good for flooring as it is less likely to show evidence of wearing. Honed finishes are moisture resistant but not as resistant as a polished finish.
This finish perfectly lends itself for pool decks, patio’s, bathrooms and backsplashes.

Leathered Finish

Leathered stone has a textured, pebbly surface with little pits similar to the surface of a fine piece of leather. A leathered finish is achieved by first removing the polished face. The next step is to grind the surface with leathering brushes that apply high pressure to the surface, this is done with long-bristled brushes. These brushes tend to create small undulations in the surface that ultimately result in the leathered finish. This process, like most, is done with high pressure and under the constant flow of water.

The overall effect is warm, inviting, and to some adds a little rustic luxury. Even though leathered stone is not glossy or polished and has little to no shine, it typically has a bit more depth than a honed finish. There is enough texture and sheen to show off the stone’s natural characteristics without having the higher maintenance of a mirror-finish. Typically a leathered finish will show less staining, scratches, smudges, and fingerprints.
A leathered finish is a great option for outdoor bar tops, fireplace covers, bathrooms, or even to top special table tops. Leathered is also often called as ‘brushed’ but they are identical.
Granite, Marble and Quartzite are considered the ideal materials for this textured finish.