Honed vs polished marble – what are the pros and cons? Customers always ask this question.

If you are thinking of restoring your marble surface but can’t seem to make a choice between the honed and polished look. No worries. NOVA Stone Care professionals are ready to help. Our knowledgeable team performs in person consultations and offers FREE estimates around the DMV area. We’ve decided to list the pros and cons for both finishes so you can make an informed decision about what type of finish works best on your marble.

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Honed Marble

Honed marble refers to the marble that has not been polished. It has a matte appearance and a velvety feel, rather than a distinctive shine of the polished marble. 

  • Honed marble is more durable than polished marble. It is resistant to scratches and chips. When it gets scratched, scratches are less noticeable because light doesn’t reflect off the matte finish the same way it does off the shiny finish of polished marble.
  • Because honed marble is not polished, it’s more susceptible to stains compared to its shiny counterpart.  
  • Honed marble is ideal for flooring. Due to the matte surface, it is less slippery than polished marble when wet.
  • Honed marble is easily maintained with regular and timely wipe downs with mild detergent and occasional resealing.
  • Because of its durability, honed marble is perfect for high traffic areas such as entryways, bathroom floors and stairs. 

NOVA-Stone-Care-Polished-Marble-Vanity

Polished Marble

Unlike honed marble, polished marble has a high-polish, glossy finish that is created through a special method of polishing with fine pads. Polished marble reflects light and creates rich saturation of colors. 

  • Polished marble has a mirror-like shine which means that scratches are more visible compared to honed finish. On the other hand it is more durable to stains compared to the honed version because of its extra layer of polish.
  • Polished marble is smooth which increases the risk of slipping and falling especially when the surface is wet. Polished marble is not a great choice for floors or high foot traffic areas. 
  • Like honed marble, polished marble is very easily maintained with timely wipe downs with mild detergent. 
  • Polished marble is a classic choice for kitchen, bathroom countertops and accent fireplaces. 

Honed VS Polished Marble? At NOVA Stone Care we recommend honed finish for high foot traffic areas and polished finish for countertops and accent pieces. Check out our project gallery section for more info and pictures. We breathe life into your stone.