Aid For Granite Buyers: Granite Finishing, Polished or Honed?

Buying a natural stone is something that few folks have experience in and most of them lack the insight that is needed to make a smart selection. However, when it comes to buying natural stones like granite, the process could be a lot easier, if you are familiar with some basic terms that are often used by granite stone vendors. There are various types of granites that are offered in terms of having different finishing. Both, polished and honed granite surfaces are different from each other because of the radically diverse surface finishing that they offer. It is crucial to understand that natural stones like granite are supplied and then sold in a variety of ways. Each of these supply formats determines the overall cost of the stone and also affects some of the aesthetic features associated with it. Many stores offers finished stones, whereas some chose not to polish the slabs and others offer polishing services and even provide custom cutting or installation services.

Finished—Polished Granites
When it comes to granite, creating a high-gloss finish is not a difficult task, as the crystals that are embedded in its surface tend to provide a natural medium that tends to reflect light, adding to the sparkle-like surface appearance. As a result, most granite surfaces will appear glossy in appearance when polished and with some degree of minimal care, this finish can be retained for decades. It makes the stone appear much darker, the color shades seem brighter and the grains look embedded deeper. Granite vendors have individual packages to offer when it comes to offering polishing services for granite stones, for example, the ones being offered for polishing granite countertops. Therefore, it makes sense in enquiring about the price of polished and un-polished granite slabs or countertops and the charges that would be incurred for getting a granite polishing at the time of installation.
Some immediate advantages of polished granite:
· Makes the granite surface resistant against retaining finger prints or permanent stains
· Makes the slab/countertop easier to clean, as the dirt is not able to enter beyond the upper surface
· The amount of moisture or chemical absorption is reduced, making the surface more durable

Recommended Use: It is recommended for use in kitchen and bathroom countertops where gleaming surfaces added to the visual style quotient.

Finished—Honed Granites
The honed granite surface is also smooth but unlike the polished surface, it does not have the typical shiny appearance to it. When creating the honed look, powder abrasives are not used to polish the surface and as a result, the amount of light reflected off the surface is restricted. To create the typical honed appearance, granite is rubbed with much coarser materials that leads to the creation of the defining Matte finish and in fact, honed granite is often referred to as ‘matte granite’, which basically refers to a non-polished finishing touch.

Note — granite with a honed finish will eventually need more daily maintenance as compared to its polished counterpart.
Recommended Use — the non-polished look works best for places where friction needs to be reduced, like floors or staircases and in places where water spillage chances are also high.
Drawbacks — honed granite surfaces tend to retain marks of daily wear-and-tear and the shade variations are also clearly visible, along with being less aesthetically appealing.