# Honed vs polished vs leathered stone finishes

> Polished suits walls and quartz worktops, honed suits floors and marble, leathered adds soft texture. Nine stone finishes compared for grip and care.

URL: https://datumsurfaces.com/guides/honed-polished-leathered/

Guide · 8 min read · Updated 9 October 2026

# Honed, polished or leathered stone finish

On this page

How finishes are madePolishedHonedLeatheredAntiquedSandblastedBush-hammered and flamedGroovedThe nine finishes comparedSlip resistanceStaining, sealing and careWhere each finish worksNext step

Polished suits walls, vanity tops and quartz worktops, while honed suits floors and marble worktops, where wear and etching show less. Leathered gives granite and quartz a soft texture, and rougher finishes add grip for outdoor paving and pool surrounds.

A finish changes how stone looks, feels and wears, but the material underneath still sets the limits.

## How finishes are made

Smooth finishes come from grinding with ever finer abrasives. Textured finishes come from brushing, blasting, hammering, heat or cutting.

Datum offers nine finishes: polished, honed, leathered, brushed, antiqued, sandblasted, flamed, bush-hammered and grooved. Availability depends on the material, as the table below shows.

## Polished

Polishing grinds the surface with ever finer abrasives, then buffs it to a high gloss.

A polished face shows the deepest colour and the sharpest contrast between ground and veins. It feels smooth and cool under the hand.

It is also the most slippery finish when wet. Keep it to walls, worktops, vanity tops and dry indoor floors.

On marble, polishing leaves the surface a little less absorbent. Acids still leave dull etch marks that stand out against the gloss, and scratches show clearly.

Quartz comes polished as standard, and terrazzo, marble, granite and onyx all take a polish. Polished, [Calacatta Oro](https://datumsurfaces.com/quartz/calacatta-oro/) shows its gold veins at full strength on an island or reception desk.

## Honed

Honing follows the same grinding steps but stops before the final polish. The surface is flat and smooth, from fully matt to a low satin sheen.

Colours look lighter and softer than when polished, and veins show less contrast. Honed stone feels silky rather than glassy.

Honed floors generally give more grip than polished ones, but the surface is still smooth.

On marble, etch marks show less, because the surface is already matt. A honed face is more open, though, so it can absorb stains more readily.

Honed is the usual finish for floors, stairs and bathrooms in marble, limestone and travertine. [Bianco Carrara](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/bianco-carrara/), honed, suits a bathroom floor, or a kitchen where some etching is accepted.

Datum supplies quartz honed on request. It needs no sealing, but it can show fingerprints and grease more than polished quartz.

## Leathered

Leathering starts from a honed surface. Brushes with abrasive or diamond filaments then wear away the softer parts of the stone, leaving a gentle ripple.

The sheen is low, but the colour stays deeper than on honed stone. It feels soft and slightly uneven, like leather.

The texture breaks up reflections, so fingerprints and water spots tend to show less than on honed stone. Grease can sit in the dips, so give the surface an occasional scrub with a soft brush.

Leathering suits hard stones such as granite, and some marbles. [Shanxi Black](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/shanxi-black/) granite, leathered, suits a kitchen worktop or island. Datum supplies quartz leathered on request.

Brushed is a lighter version of the same process, offered on natural stone. It suits marble, limestone and travertine.

## Antiqued

Antiquing gives new stone the worn surface of an old floor. It typically uses coarse abrasive brushes, sometimes after a mild acid wash on marble and limestone.

The face turns matt with a soft ripple, and the edges can look worn. Colours look muted next to the same stone polished.

The texture gives more grip than honed, but dirt can settle in the hollows. Seal porous stone and clean it with a brush.

Antiqued stone suits floors, walls and fireplace surrounds in period or rustic rooms.

## Sandblasted

Sandblasting fires abrasive grit at the surface under high pressure. It strips a thin layer and leaves an even, fine-grained texture.

Colours turn paler and veins soften. The surface feels like very fine sandpaper and gives good grip. Granite and limestone both take it well.

That suits exterior paving, steps, terraces and façades. The open texture holds dirt, so seal porous stone and clean it with a stiff brush.

## Bush-hammered and flamed

Bush-hammering strikes the surface again and again with a hammer head studded with hard points. Each blow chips out a little stone, leaving a rough, pitted face.

The texture ranges from fine to coarse, and the colour turns much paler. Granite and limestone both take it well.

It gives strong grip for outdoor paving, steps, ramps and public squares. Where people walk barefoot, choose a fine texture.

The impact can weaken thin stone, so bush-hammering needs a thicker slab. Confirm the thickness with your quote, and see the guide to [slab thickness](https://datumsurfaces.com/guides/slab-thickness-12-20-30-mm/).

Flamed is the granite alternative. A very hot flame makes surface crystals burst, leaving a rough, even texture. It suits granite but not marble.

A grey granite such as [G603](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/g603/), flamed or bush-hammered, suits paving, steps and kerbs.

## Grooved

Grooving cuts parallel channels into the face with saws or milling tools.

On stair treads, a band of grooves near the nosing adds grip where feet land. On ramps, grooves running across the line of travel do the same.

On walls, close-set grooves make a ribbed or fluted panel. Grooves collect dirt, so plan to clean them with a stiff brush.

## The nine finishes compared

| Finish | How it is made | Look and feel | Grip, in general terms | Datum supplies it on | Good for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Polished | Fine grinding, then buffing | High gloss, deepest colour | Least grip, slippery when wet | Quartz (standard), terrazzo, natural stone | Walls, worktops, vanity tops, dry indoor floors |
| Honed | Ground, stopped before polishing | Matt to satin, softer colour | More than polished, still smooth | Quartz (on request), terrazzo, natural stone | Floors, stairs, bathrooms, marble worktops |
| Leathered | Honed, then brushed | Low sheen over a soft ripple | Some grip from the texture | Quartz (on request), natural stone | Worktops, islands, vanity tops |
| Brushed | Abrasive brushes over a honed face | Soft, slightly worn satin | Some grip from the texture | Marble, limestone, travertine | Floors, bathrooms, pool surrounds |
| Antiqued | Coarse brushing, sometimes after an acid wash | Matt, with a worn face | Some grip from the texture | Natural stone | Floors, walls, fireplace surrounds |
| Sandblasted | Grit blown at high pressure | Paler, with a fine even grain | Good grip | Natural stone | Paving, steps, façades |
| Flamed | Surface heated until crystals burst | Rough, even texture, paler colour | Good grip | Granite only | Paving, steps, façades |
| Bush-hammered | Struck with a pointed hammer head | Pale and rough, with small pits | Good grip | Natural stone | Paving, steps, ramps |
| Grooved | Channels cut into the face | Ribbed lines | Grip across the grooves | Natural stone | Stair treads, ramps, fluted walls |

Availability also depends on the individual stone. [Engineered marble](https://datumsurfaces.com/engineered-marble/) finishes vary by product, so confirm them with your quote.

## Slip resistance

Textured finishes give more grip than smooth ones, and polished gives the least. Beyond that, grip depends on the stone, on water, soap or oil on the surface, on footwear and on wear.

The same finish can perform differently on two stones. Traffic can smooth a floor over time, and some topical sealers and coatings reduce grip.

For floors, stairs, showers, pool surrounds and outdoor paving, ask for a slip test result on the exact stone and finish. Test methods and required levels differ between countries, so ask for the method your project uses.

## Staining, sealing and care

Marble, limestone, travertine and terrazzo are porous, as are some granites. Seal them with a penetrating sealer, which slows absorption but does not make stone stain-proof.

To check when to reseal, drop water on the surface. If it darkens within a few minutes, reseal.

Marble, limestone and travertine are calcium carbonate, so acids etch them on any finish. Etching shows most on a polished face.

Clean textured finishes with a stiff brush and a pH-neutral cleaner, since a mop leaves dirt in the hollows. Polished floors show wear in walkways first, and polished or honed natural stone and terrazzo can be reground on site.

[Quartz](https://datumsurfaces.com/quartz/) needs no sealing on any finish. Avoid abrasive pads, strong solvents and oven cleaner.

## Where each finish works

### Kitchens

Polished quartz is the low-care choice for worktops and islands. Honed or leathered quartz gives a softer look.

Granite works polished or leathered. Marble suits a kitchen only with care: honed hides etching better than polished, and spills need prompt wiping.

For an outdoor kitchen, use granite, leathered or honed. Quartz stays indoors on any finish, as it is not UV stable.

### Bathrooms

Walls, vanity tops and bath surrounds can be polished, since grip is not needed there. Bathroom floors work better honed or textured.

Shower floors call for a textured finish, backed by a wet slip test on the chosen stone.

### Indoor floors

Honed is the usual choice for indoor floors, especially near entrances where shoes bring in water. Polished suits dry rooms with light traffic.

[Terrazzo](https://datumsurfaces.com/terrazzo/) comes honed or polished, for floors indoors and out. [Grigio Veneto](https://datumsurfaces.com/terrazzo/grigio-veneto/), honed, can run from an entrance hall out to the paving beyond.

### Outdoor paving

Outside, choose a textured finish: sandblasted, flamed or bush-hammered, with grooves on ramps and steps. Quartz and engineered marble are not for outdoor use.

For terrazzo outdoors, use the honed finish and ask for a wet slip test before specifying it.

### Pool surrounds

Wet, bare feet need grip, so choose a fine texture over a coarse one. Brushed [Roman Travertine](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/roman-travertine/) is one option to test, and the guide to [filled or unfilled travertine](https://datumsurfaces.com/guides/filled-vs-unfilled-travertine/) covers pool coping.

Pale stone stays cooler underfoot in strong sun than dark paving. Seal the stone, and rinse pool water off the surface regularly.

## Next step

Order [samples](https://datumsurfaces.com/samples/) of the stones you are weighing, and judge each finish wet and dry in your hand. Browse materials in the [catalogue](https://datumsurfaces.com/catalogue/), or email contact@datumsurfaces.com with the stone, finish and location for a written quote.

Surfaces in this guide

 [**Calacatta Oro Quartz**DQ-101](https://datumsurfaces.com/quartz/calacatta-oro/) [**Bianco Carrara Marble**White marble](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/bianco-carrara/) [**Shanxi Black Granite**Granite](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/shanxi-black/) [**G603 Granite**Granite](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/g603/) [**Grigio Veneto Terrazzo**DT-102](https://datumsurfaces.com/terrazzo/grigio-veneto/) [**Roman Travertine**Travertine and limestone](https://datumsurfaces.com/natural-stone/roman-travertine/)

[Download the catalogue](https://datumsurfaces.com/catalogue/) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdatumsurfaces.com%2Fguides%2Fhoned-polished-leathered%2F)

## More guides

Guide · 7 min read

### [Quartz or marble for a kitchen island?](https://datumsurfaces.com/guides/quartz-vs-marble-kitchen-island/)

Quartz suits most kitchen islands: it resists stains, food acids do not etch it and it needs no sealing. Choose marble if you accept etching.

Guide · 7 min read

### [FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP for a stone order](https://datumsurfaces.com/guides/fob-cif-dap-ddp-stone-order/)

Choose FOB with your own forwarder, CIF for freight to your port or DAP for delivery to site. DDP needs an importer of record.

Guide · 7 min read

### [Slab thickness: 12, 20 or 30 mm?](https://datumsurfaces.com/guides/slab-thickness-12-20-30-mm/)

Use 20 mm for most worktops and walls, 30 mm for islands and spans, and 12 mm only on a solid backing. Weights, edges, overhangs and transport.

Contact: contact@datumsurfaces.com (email only). Catalogue: https://datumsurfaces.com/catalogue/