Stone is a beautiful, natural material that can add texture and visual interest to any home. Most people choose it for their home’s flooring because it comes in an endless array of colours, textures, and finishes that can be used in any room of your house—from the kitchen to the bathroom to the living room. But with so many choices, what are the different finishes for stone flooring exactly? These are some things to know about finding the right one for your space.
Tips on choosing a finish
When choosing your stone flooring, you’ll have a variety of finishes to choose from.
First, decide whether you want the surface to be visible or hidden. If the natural beauty of your stone is essential, then it may make sense for you to go with an exposed finish such as honed. However, suppose your goal is for the flooring to look professional and polished without drawing attention away from other features in your home or business. In that case, something other than a honed finish might be suitable for you.
The next thing that matters is what kind of traffic you will be walking in this particular area of your home or business – do children use this space? Do pets use it? Or will there only be adults walking around on this floor? These factors play into how smooth or rough each type of finish feels when walking over it with bare feet (or even socks). Finally – while not always true – most people tend toward smoother surfaces because they feel more comfortable underfoot than rougher ones!
What are the different types of finishing?
Unfinished: No treatment added
With the most natural look, the unfinished stone is an excellent choice if you’re looking for something that looks like it grew underground. If your space is exposed to sunlight and the elements, this might be the finish of your choice!
You can also use this finish inside if you want it to look like an old-world farmhouse or rustic country home—it’s perfect for high-traffic areas with lots of foot traffic or families with kids who are likely to spill things on the floor!
Honed: A smooth surface
Honed is a popular finish and is the most economical choice for your stone flooring. The honed finish gives you the look of polished granite but is not polished at all. It has a smooth surface that can be slippery when wet, so it’s not recommended for high-traffic areas or bathrooms where people will be walking on wet feet often.
Polished: High shine and protection
A polished finish is the highest shine and provides increased protection against scratches, stains, and elements. Because it’s so shiny, this is a good option for high-traffic areas like hallways, kitchens, and bathrooms because it will withstand a lot of wear and tear without showing signs of damage as quickly as some other finishes would.
Polished stone flooring also tends to be slippery when wet (because it’s so smooth), so you should avoid installing polished flooring in your bathrooms or kitchens.
Flamed finish: Exposed to an open flame
In the case of stone paving, you can choose a flamed finish to increase non-slip properties on outdoor pavers and pool surrounds. A flamed finish is exposed to an open flame to create a rougher texture than brushing will produce, which provides good non-slip properties.
So, now you know about the different finishes for stone flooring, from unfinished to honed. Choose one depending on the kind of look you want, the location of your home, and what purpose it would serve in the long run.
