As the demand for and use of natural stone continues to grow, so do the choices of colors and finishes. New granites are being discovered and brought into the market seemingly everyday. Now with advancements in stone processing and the progressive mindset of the stone industry, new and exciting surface finishes are being introduced.

Traditional polished finishes are giving way to honed, antiqued, flamed and brushed, or a combination of these to offer alternative design options. The added dimension of these new finishes now brings the sense of touch and feel to the process of choosing your countertops. Some of these finishes have a very “old world” feel to them reminiscent of centuries past when stones were used in their natural form and were less polished and refined.

            Honed or matte finishes have been a popular choice for flooring materials for many years and are now becoming more appealing as countertops. The process of honing is much the same as the polishing process. However, the last steps that bring the stone to a mirror polish are halted, leaving a smooth, satin, non-reflective finish which softens the color and reduces the gloss of the stone.

            To achieve a slightly textured finish, diamond abrasive brushes are substituted for polishing bricks during the finishing process. The brushes leave the material with a low gloss, leather-like patina. While the surface of the stone has a definite texture, the rich color hues are never diminished. For an even more textured finish, after the slabs are cut from the blocks they are then flamed (granite only), a process by which slabs pass under a row of torches, causing the very top layer of the stone to “burst” leaving a rough finish. Flamed or thermal finished materials are commonly used in many outdoor and commercial applications where a high slip resistance is required. For countertops however, the flamed slabs are then brushed with wire brushes, machining the abrasive surface to a low sheen with an evenly textured finish. The enhanced texture is soft to the touch with a beautiful luster and color clarity unlike common flamed finishes.

            These beautiful and alluring finishes can only be achieved on natural stone. Though the granite has been enhanced with these various finishes, the stone retains its superior durability over alternative countertop surfaces. Manmade quartz materials may be functional, but 100% natural they are not. The epoxies and resins used in these materials prevent them from being able to withstand the heat required to create the texture on the surface of natural stone.

            With the diversity of these various finishes and the endless color range of natural stone, there is a material to appease any and all design applications. Visit our showroom to see and feel the beauty of all that is natural.