Three Different Types of Countertop Finishes

There are so many ways to customize your countertops: splash, edge type, color, finishes and more! Although most home-owners come into our showroom with an idea of their preferred color and edge type, they might not know about the multiple options for finishes. We offer 3 different types of finishes: polished, honed, and leathered. Let’s review what this means for your countertop care and look.  

Polished

This finish is usually the most common and is the one that most of our stones display. A polished finish gives your stone that glow and shine that most desire. You don’t have to work very hard to give it that extra wash, because it always looks squeaky clean! This option also brings out the color in your stone and is less porous. This means no bumps for food or dirt to nestle in so you don’t have to worry about frequent wipe downs. This doesn’t mean you can slack on your cleaning routine though. Make sure you are continuing to use gentle cleaners appropriate to your type of stone. See our previous blog titled “How to Clean Quartz Countertops” to learn more. 

Honed

This can also be defined as a matte finish. This finish is smooth with a softer glow. They lack the reflective and shiny characteristics that polished offer, but they can give your surface a more rustic and modern feel. This type of finish would work beautifully with a more subtle stone – one with little variance in color and veining.  The surface is a more subtle look and can blend scratched or imperfections much better than polished. In fact, imperfections will give your stone more character with a honed finish. However, this finish tends to be more porous and might require a more frequent seal compared to polished.

Leathered

This is your go-to finish if you’re looking to bring texture and depth into your space. A leathered finish brings out the natural qualities and movement of the stone, allowing the surface to vary in elevation. You will be able to feel the small bumps and movement on the surface – similar to the way its namesake (leather) looks and feels. This stone is more porous than the previously mentioned finishes though, so it will require more thorough cleaning and more frequent seal.

As we fabricate and install the different types of finishes, we are seeing an increase in leathered for the Lincoln, Nebraska area.  Although most people are familiar with polished, the honed stone has been popular in some apartment complexes in Hickman and the Benson neighborhood in the Omaha Metropolitan area. We encourage you to reach out for more information or for a tour of our showroom today.