Honed or Polished Marble?

Performing any type of renovation can be difficult, but having a basic knowledge of the project you’re working on can help tremendously. Choosing a marble for your countertops is a step in the right direction, but did you know there is a difference between honed marble and polished marble?

Choosing Between Honed Marble vs. Polished Marble

Marble is both beautiful and durable, making it the stone of choice for interior decorating in both residential and commercial properties. The color of marble varies and can come in many shades of neutral, green, brown, and red.

How strong the color comes out depends on the type of finish. Polished marble provides a glossy finish while showing off the stone’s deepest color and natural qualities. Honed marble has
a matte, flat finish which is less slippery and better for casual spaces or bathroom flooring.

Polished Marble

Polished marble has a glossy finish and is super smooth. All polished marble is honed first, then sanded with smaller abrasives until the surface flaws are removed, and the marble is consistent.

A polished stone has more protection from stains as the process closes natural pores, creating a protective barrier to prevent liquid from staining the marble.

What Is Polished Marble Best For?

There is a coating on polished marble that protects the natural stone from staining easily. Its smooth and glossy appearance makes it a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Its elegant design makes it suitable for use in commercial buildings, restaurants, homes, and more.

Honed Marble

The term honed marble refers to a slab of stone that has been ground to a flat and even surface. Leaving the marble unpolished gives the stone its velvety matte look and is the signature look in honed marble.

A honed marble finish provides a flat and smooth surface and a warm ambiance. Honed marble is more popular with homeowners due to its elegant look and is not as shiny as polished marble.

The matte finish makes the honed marble more resistant to scratches. If your marble does get a scratch, it will be less noticeable when light reflects off of it. A honed marble finish is porous and soaks up spills, so make sure to clean them quickly.

What Is Honed Marble Best For?

A polished stone is best for families as it has a built-in layer of protection against stains and liquids. It is also perfect for high traffic areas in the home since scratches are less noticeable. These high traffic areas may include the kitchen, bathroom, and foyer.

Maintenance Differences

How marble handles staining, scratching, and etching depends on whether the marble is honed or not.

The proper sealing reduces the chance of your honed marble staining but does not prevent it from staining. The same goes for polished marble, but keep in mind that stain resistance does not mean it is stain-proof.

Scratches are essentially dull marks left on your marble when another object scrapes it. Honed marble is the better choice when hiding scratches as its matte appearance masks them. On polished marble, the dull mark will be more noticeable on a glossy finish, rather than on a matte, honed surface.

On honed marble, etches occur when a spilled drink is left on the marble for too long. It then becomes a dull spot on your marble, so you will need to be careful when handling liquids.

Etching is also noticeable on polished marble as it leaves dull spots, taking away from the beauty of the stone. Like honed marble, it is necessary to be cautious of spills.

Hone vs. Polished Marble?

The answer depends on what look you are going for. If you have a family with children, then honed is probably the better marble. It is, however, crucial to clean up spills immediately to avoid ruin.

Honed polish has little to no shine while polished marble has a high-quality sheen. Since honed marble is a flat finish, this type is better for flooring than polished. Polished floors can be very slippery when wet and can cause someone to get seriously hurt.

When deciding between the two, it boils down to your current situation, your wants, and needs. If you have a large family or are constantly having people over, then choose the honed marble. Be sure to have plenty of paper towels on hand!

Custom Installation

Once you pick out your marble type of choice, call CCT Natural Stone Designs for high-quality custom installation. Our specialists will take their time as they carefully help you bring your idea to fruition. Our team of professionals will help you with any questions or concerns you may have to help you achieve your goals.