You’ve made the decision to go with granite countertops in your kitchen. First, congratulate yourself on one of the premier natural substances for use in the most visited room in your home. Now that you’ve chosen your stone, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to finish your Denver granite countertop. There are three different finishes for your granite – Honed, Rough, or Polished. Each has their own unique finish and will all depend on your personal tastes for what you end up with. Whichever you choose, rest assured you’ll be happy with your choice as they all end up looking beautiful.

• Honed Finish – Made by grinding heads with increasingly fine abrasive surfaces, honing stops just short of a polished, shiny look. Honed granite will be just as smooth as polished, but it won’t show the scratches and imperfections as much as a polished finish. A honed finish on granite gives it a non-reflective, satin-like finish. Natural stone surfaces using matte create a softer feel while not disrupting the countertops natural colors and patterns. Current trends along the Front Range are leaning toward the softer look and feel for kitchens (and bathrooms). Honed granite is especially appealing if your kitchen already has a considerable amount of highly reflective surfaces. A lot of natural light is also good because honed finishes on granite takes in and then redistributes the light throughout the room.
• Rough Finish – Not limited to just one, there are several different options of a rough finish for granite countertops. Some of the more popular rough finishes you might come across will include Antiqued, Brushed, Leathered, and Vintage. Unfortunately, these terms aren’t exactly standard across the industry. HTI Granite & Cabinetry’s selection of rough finishes might differ from those of another manufacturer. But, why would you even consider another supplier of granite countertops? The rough finishes for granite involves a lot of different and varied processes. A good majority of the time – in order to achieve a rough finish – an abrasive like a diamond brush is applied to a honed surface. The results are different levels of sheen and relief are dependent on variables like the hardness of the individual stone.
• Polished – These are by far the most popular granite countertops used across Colorado. Luckily, granite is extremely receptive to the high-gloss surfaces that are almost mirror-like. The makeup of granite includes feldspar, mica, and quartz – which all polish well and reflect more light than other natural stone components. If you use a polished finish on your granite countertop you should expect it to become the focal point of your kitchen.

At HTI Granite & Cabinetry, we like for you to know all the options available to you. If you have a multi-surface kitchen, there’s even the option of using different finishes throughout your kitchen. This will help make certain areas – like a kitchen island – really stand out while other surfaces don’t draw attention away. The possibilities are practically endless. Give us a call today to set up your free consultation.