When you purchase stone worktops for your kitchen or bathroom, you might wonder whether you should have the stone polished or honed. There are a lot benefits to both options but, for the most part, the difference really is aesthetic.
Honed surfaces are preferred by some simply on a personal basis. Some believe that honed stone is tougher to scratch but this is not necessarily true. Light scratches might be somewhat more difficult to notice but this does not mean that they aren’t there.
For the most part, the greatest difference is noticed when you use black stone. Polished black stone tends to show dust, fingerprints, and smudges much quicker than honed black stone. Another common misconception is that honed stone needs to be sealed more often. Honed stone requires regular sealing just like polished stone. It is best to test your stone regularly by spraying the surface lightly with water and checking for any porous areas. As long as you see beads of water form on the surface, your sealant is in tact.