Common Countertop Finishes

Common Countertop Finishes

There’s a lot of different stone countertop finishes that you might see as you shop for your kitchen or bathroom remodel. What’s the difference between them and what should you choose?

Let me touch on a few of the most popular and why you should or should not choose them depending on your style and use of the countertop.

Polished

This is the most classic finish option. It’s shiny, reflects light, and what you will see in most houses. Quartz, natural and ultra compact stones all come in polished options, depending on the specific color that you are interested in.

Suede

Also known as a matte option, suede is going to be less shiny and reflective. Suede is still going to be smooth to touch, only more dull than polished. It’s less classic and common and a little more modern in style. It’s just as durable as polished, however if you have a darker colored suede stone, you may notice greasy fingerprints a little more than a lighter color suede. Honed is similar to a suede or matte finish.

Leathered

This finish is mostly in natural stones. It has a matte touch to it but it’s not smooth. Leathered finish has more texture to it. You can feel the natural ridges and fissures in the stone. This finish looks the most like the way the stone comes naturally. It would look great on a fireplace or an outdoor kitchen wh, but don’t shy away from putting this in your kitchen. Whatever you choose, the texture will be a focal point.

When choosing your stone, you’ll want to figure out if the finish or the color is most important to you. If you only want a suede finish, let your design consultant know this from the beginning because there are only specific stones that are going to come in a suede finish. They can show you the suede options and then you can choose the best color for you. But if the finish isn’t that important to you, choose the color you like best first, then see which options you have for finishes. As mentioned earlier, polished is the most common. But matte finishes are becoming more popular as modern styles come about.