Most specification arguments about finish are really arguments about maintenance nobody has had yet. Here is what each finish actually does to the stone, and where each one belongs.
Polished
Maximum colour saturation and depth, and the most reflective surface. Polish also makes a stone marginally less absorbent, because the pores are closed by the polishing process rather than by a coating.
The trade-off is that polish shows everything: etch marks on marble, scratches on dark granite, and every fingerprint. It is superb on vertical surfaces and feature walls, and demanding on a family kitchen worktop.
Honed
A flat matte surface with no reflection. Colour reads lighter and softer than polished, which surprises people who chose from a polished sample.
Honed hides scratches far better and is the sensible default for floors, bathroom surfaces and anywhere wet. It is more open than polish, so sealing matters more.
Leathered and brushed
A textured finish that follows the natural grain of the stone. It keeps more colour depth than honing while hiding fingerprints and water spots better than either polish or hone.
Excellent on dark granite worktops, where polished surfaces show every mark and honed surfaces can look flat.
Flamed, bush-hammered and sandblasted
Aggressive textures for exterior use. Flaming shocks the surface with heat so it flakes into a rough, high-grip finish; bush-hammering and sandblasting achieve texture mechanically.
These are slip-resistance finishes first and aesthetic finishes second. They lighten the stone considerably and should always be judged from a sample, wet.
Takeaways
- Judge every finish from a sample of the actual stone, wet and dry.
- Honed for floors and wet areas; leathered for dark worktops; polished for vertical features.
- Exterior finishes are chosen for grip, then for looks.