This article explores various types of stone finishes, including polished, honed, flamed, and antique, highlighting their processes, unique characteristics, and applications.
Polished finish
The polished surface finish is mirror-like, featuring very few and small pores. This finish is achieved through a multi-step process:
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Surface Preparation: This includes thorough cleaning and any necessary repairs.
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Grinding: The stone slab undergoes coarse, fine, and precision grinding.
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Polishing: Polishing powders and agents are applied to enhance the surface.
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Buffing: The surface is buffed to further enhance the stone's natural color and texture.
As a result, the gloss level of many stones can reach between 80 and 90 gloss units (GU), with some types of stone even exceeding 100 GU. But there are also some stones which cannot be polished and can only achieve a honed finish at most. Generally, the higher the gloss level, the higher the price. Due to their aesthetic and sleek appeal, polished surfaces are commonly used in residential and commercial flooring, kitchen and bathroom countertops, tabletops, wall cladding, etc.
Honed finish
The honed surface finish refers to a smooth surface achieved using coarser resin abrasives and similar materials compared with the polished surface. It has a gloss level typically around 30-50 or 60, providing a certain degree of luster while reflecting light in a soft, diffused manner rather than creating a glossy reflection. The coarse grinding makes it more comfortable to look at under bright lighting conditions and less slippery, so it's widely used in outdoor flooring and also decorative furniture that require anti-slip properties.
Flamed finish
The flamed finish refers to a rough, textured finish that is non-reflective, quick to produce, and relatively inexpensive. This process utilizes high-temperature flames generated by fuels such as acetylene, propane, or liquefied petroleum gas reacting with oxygen. These flames burn off impurities and low-melting components from the surface. There are some types of stone cannot be processed with a flamed finish, as the results may be unsatisfactory. Additionally, there are specific thickness requirements for the stone to prevent cracking during processing, typically a minimum of 2 cm (0.79 inch), with some stones requiring even greater thickness. Furthermore, the color of certain materials may change during the process; for example, rusty yellow granite G682 may exhibit a light red hue after flaming, rather than its original color. Stones with a flamed finish are commonly used for exterior wall cladding, indoor flooring, and the facades of commercial buildings, providing both slip resistance and a unique decorative effect.
Antique finish (flamed + extra treatments)
To smooth out the jagged characteristic of a flamed surface, after flamed, the stone is then brushed with a steel brush 3 to 6 times, or uses other techniques such as water washing, acid etching to achieve an antique finish. It is an excellent surface treatment method that retains the texture of the flamed surface while feeling smooth to the touch, but also tends to be more expensive since the process of antique finishes can be time-consuming.
In today's world, where environmental awareness is on the rise, the emergence of the antique finish aligns with people's desire for a natural and rustic style. Through antique grinding and brushing, or water treatment, the stone surface presents an effect similar to natural weathering, making it both eco-friendly and aesthetically unique. This treatment method is widely used in interior decoration, creating a nostalgic atmosphere while maintaining a modern feel.
Bush-hammered finish
The bush-hammered finish, also known as the lychee finish due to its rough texture resembling the skin of a lychee fruit, is achieved by hammering the surface of the stone, either by machine or manual work. This finish is commonly found on the surfaces of sculptures and plaza stones.
Chiseled finish
A chiseled finish is one of the most common surface treatments for granite. It is achieved by using chisels and hammers to create small, uniform chips on the stone surface. Similar to a bush-hammered finish, it can also be categorized into machine-made and hand-crafted kinds.
Rough-picked finish
The rough-picked finish resembles the skin of a pineapple and is achieved using chisels and hammers. This finish is coarser than both the bush-hammered finish and the chiseled finish. It can be further categorized based on the coarseness of the surface.
Sandblasted finish
The sandblasted finish is a smooth, matte surface with a pleasing tactile quality, achieved by using a high-pressure stream of abrasive materials, such as river sand or silica sand against a stone surface instead of water. The introduction of sandblasting not only enhances the decorative quality of stone but also integrates it with art, as various patterns can be carved into the stone using a sandblasting machine. This technique is widely used in applications such as sculptures and engraved panels, opening up new possibilities for architectural decoration.
Mushroom finish
Mushroom finish refers to a stone finish created using chisels and hammers to form a surface that resembles undulating mountain shapes or mushroom caps. This finish also has specific thickness requirements for the stone: typically, the base must be at least 3 cm (1.18 inches), while the convex part should be 2 cm (0.79 inches) or more, depending on the specific requirements. Mushroom finish stone is widely used in landscaping, building facades, and other applications.
Natural cleft finish
Natural cleft refers to a processing method in which stone is split naturally using a hammer, resulting in a surface that is highly uneven and resembles the rugged texture of unprocessed natural stone. This finish is very coarse and is commonly used in products such as small blocks and curbstones. Natural cleft is one of the most basic processing methods, it is simple yet exudes a sense of natural beauty.
Groove finish
A grooved surface is created by cutting grooves of specific depth and width into the stone. This technique adds texture and can enhance both the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the stone, providing better grip and a unique visual effect. Grooved finish stones are often used in applications such as flooring and water features.