Popular Granite Countertop Finishes

At Unique Stone Concepts we carry a wide selection of granite that can be used for kitchen countertops. Our inventory includes various different styles and colors of granite slabs, but, in addition to the style and color, another important element that will determine the appearance of the countertop is the finish.

Depending on your preference, a finish can make your countertop appear glossy, matte, or textured…. Kind of similar to photo development. Below we cover three of the most popular granite finishes :

Polished

It is more than likely that you have seen a polished granite countertop on several occasions as it is the most popular choice. A polished finish leaves a clean, glossy, and almost slippery appearance – similar to a glossy photograph – that really makes the natural stone colors pop. Maintenance for a polished granite countertop is simple… clean using a ‘granite safe’ cleaning solution and from time to time reseal and polish.

Honed

‘Honed’ is pretty much just a fancy term for a matte finish. Once again it is similar to a ‘matte’ photograph… little to no gloss, but a non-slippery, non-reflective, satin appearance. Due to its non-reflective appearance, a honed finish hides flaws better than its polished counterpart; however it does require a bit more maintenance because it is not as slippery. Therefore, we recommend resealing more so than you would with a polished finish.

Suede

One of the more recent finish trends, a suede granite countertop finish is similar to suede leather… not only soft in appearance, but soft to the touch as well. Ideal for darker granite as it will not show fingerprints as much as polished finish. A suede finish also requires more maintenance than polished, but depending on your needs and design it maybe the best finish option.

To learn more about the different granite countertop finish options, we invite you to contact us today. One of our professional design consultants will be happy to assist you in selecting the best granite and granite finish option for your design and needs.