Surfaces in natural stone are an interesting topic. Whether marble, travertine, granite or limestone, many people buy tiles, floors or worktops with a polished, honed, brushed (satin) or patinated surface.

In the past, the surfaces were finished by grinding with whetstones, various types of sand and lard. The natural stone could be finely honed using this technique. To polish a surface to a high gloss, soaps and beeswax were used to further process the natural stone. Today, a polished surface is created with the help of modern machines and grinding stones with ever finer grain sizes.

You can buy many tiles and floors made of marble, travertine, granite and limestone in our online shop. Here we briefly explain the differences between the 4 most common surfaces.

Polished surface

A polished surface means that it has been honed to the maximum. The degree of gloss increases becomes increasingly higher, up to a polished finish. A polished natural stone surface is smooth and glossy.

Not every surface of a tile, floor or worktop can be perfectly polished. The gloss of the polish is different for every natural stone. Depending on the mineral content and mineral distribution, significant differences in gloss are possible on a surface with the same finish.

With soft natural stones such as marble, a real polish can sometimes only be produced with the help of oxalic acids or even clover salt.

Honed surface

In contrast to a polished surface, honed natural stone tiles or floors are smooth but not shiny. Visible grinding marks in backlight or grazing light are possible and do not constitute a defect.

Even with a honed surface, significant differences in a surface are possible depending on the mineral content and mineral distribution.

The surface is honed with increasingly finer grits until the desired result is achieved. Due to the varying mineral distribution, it is rarely possible to perfectly determine the roughness of the surface.

Brushed surface

The brushed surface in natural stone, also called satin finish, is a perfect solution for natural stone with a lower hardness for private use. Many customers like to buy this surface as it has a pleasant feel.

The surface is slightly rough and not shiny. In contrast to a honed surface, sanding marks are usually not visible. The processing of a brushed natural stone surface is, as the name already mentions, carried out using machines by grinding and brushing.

Patinated surface

A patinated surface is often used for hard stones such as granite. To achieve this, the natural stone is flamed and then brushed. The result is a rough and matt surface. The patinated surface is uneven and non-slip.

To achieve this look and effect, the surface is flamed with high heat. This process causes small minerals to burst off. For a beautiful and natural appearance, the surface is brushed after flaming. This gives the patinated surface an attractive appearance that is very pleasant to the touch.

Other surfaces

Of course, there are many other finishing options in addition to the surfaces listed. Thanks to new techniques, processing options and machines, more and more interesting natural stone surfaces are becoming available to customers.

Some names and finishes for natural stone surfaces are sandblasted, water-blasted or bush-hammered. This list is not complete. There are always special surfaces. You are welcome to contact us for more information.

Summary

The 4 surfaces polished, honed, brushed (satin) and patinated are the most popular surfaces for tiles, floors, worktops and other work in marble, travertine or granite. Many customers buy these attractive surfaces.