Why You Should Update and Transform Your Home With Natural Stone Honing
Natural stone is not a new building material. In its various forms, stone has been a top choice for floors and counter tops for decades due to its durability and range of colors and styles. Using natural stone in the design of your home adds an earthy element to any room. For some, the natural shine doesn’t align with their taste or design preferences. Stone honing is the best way to customize the look of your natural stone floors or counter tops and give your home a unique aesthetic.
What Is Stone Honing?
Stone honing is when a technician uses course pads to smooth out bumps and rough spots and create a more muted finish. The technician attaches the pads to a machine then sprays water while moving the pads over the polished surface. Sometimes powdered acid is also applied.
Natural stone materials like granite or marble have a naturally shiny surface that reflects light. By taking the same piece of granite or marble and grinding the surface down slightly, instead of a bright reflective surface, you’ll have one that looks smooth and flat. The end result is a matte or satin finish, rather than the shiny appearance of a polished surface.
Can Any Surface Be Honed?
Counter top and flooring materials have come a long way since the days when Formica and vinyl were the norms for kitchens and bathrooms. Today homeowners can choose from hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile, stainless steel (for counter tops, not floors), glass, and a variety of stone materials.
You can’t hone all counter top or floor surfaces. In some cases, the material itself won’t allow surface honing. Imagine applying a course rubbing action to a laminate or stainless steel counter top. Materials that do respond well to the honing process are:
You can also hone concrete and most man-made quartz.
Will I Love Honed Stone?
One of the biggest fears associated with making changes to a home’s decor is not liking the end result. Once you see the beauty of honed stone, we guarantee you’ll love it. Even so, here are a few things to think about before you decide on honed stone.
When choosing finishes for your counter tops and flooring consider two things:
- Intended use
- Personal taste
For example, if you lead a busy life and have kids, you want a finish that doesn’t highlight fingerprints and smudges. If that’s you, honed counter tops will be a hit!
If you’re drawn to softer more natural looking environments, you’ll love the warm ambiance created by a honed finish on stone floors /counter tops.
Looking for a scratch-resistant surface in high-traffic areas? Tired of slippery polished floors? Then you’ll like what stone honing can do for you.
Finally, if you’re transforming your design style from a traditional to a contemporary or industrial look, honed finishes will fit in well.
Ready for a Transformation?
There’s nothing like the rustic beauty of a natural stone surface. Stone honing can breathe new life into tired polished counters tops and floors, help mask flaws, and refresh the look of an entire room without the need for major construction or renovation. If you’re ready for a transformation, contact us today. Get ready for your stone make-over!