Granite Works

Marble is a great countertop material that comes in a wide selection of colors and textures. When looking amongst these options, your countertop dealer may ask you whether you want honed or polished marble. In today’s post, Granite Works shares a quick guide on the differences between these two options and how to choose between them. 

Honed Marble

The process of honing involves grinding the marble slab’s outer surface to a smooth surface and skips the additional step of polishing. This leaves honed marble countertops with a matte or satin finish even after sealing. Since it has a less reflective surface, scratches are not as noticeable as it would be on a polished countertop. It’s important to note that honed marble countertops, particularly those with unsealed surfaces, are more susceptible to stains. Therefore, it’s important to wipe it clean immediately in case of spills.

Polished Marble

During fabrication, marble may undergo polishing using grinders with progressively finer grit and then sealed. Polished surfaces are less porous and are, therefore, less susceptible to stains. This makes polished marble more forgiving when you can’t always attend to spills, as is often the case when you have a busier-than-usual kitchen. Polished marble is also a great option for bathrooms.

Which One Should You Choose?

Whether you choose honed or polished marble, they are made of the same type of material, and therefore have the same care and maintenance requirements. Having said that, honed and polished marble have distinct differences that go beyond surface texture:

• Honed marble tends to look darker than their polished counterparts, even when they’re made from the same slab.
• If your kitchen already has a lot of polished surfaces, honed marble can provide a nice contrast. The same goes for polished marble if your kitchen has a lot of matte or satin surfaces.
• If you plan on choosing marble flooring to match your countertop, honed marble may be more suitable, as polished marble floors can become slippery when wet.

Granite Works provides granite countertops to customers in Maryland and Washington, DC, as well as the surrounding communities. Give us a call at (301) 640-5010, or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.