What is honing natural stone?
Honing (in Dutch zoeten) is a surface finish for natural stone in which the stone is ground with progressively finer abrasives until it is smooth and no scratches are visible to the naked eye. The result is matt to satin. After honing the stone can, if desired, be polished to a high gloss.
Method
- Coarse grinding: the stone is first ground flat with a coarse abrasive to remove saw marks and unevenness.
- Finer grinding: progressively finer grits follow. Each step removes the scratches left by the previous one.
- Honing: the final fine passes, until the surface is evenly smooth and scratch-free.
In the past this was done by hand with rubbing stones and sand. Today stonemasons use machines with grinding discs, usually wet, to prevent dust and overheating.
Finish grades
Suppliers often distinguish several grades, from a light hone with little sheen, through a matt sheen, to an almost glossy finish. The finer the last grit, the darker and shinier the stone looks.
Effect on bluestone
On Belgian bluestone, honing makes the stone darker and deeper in colour, with a soft, non-reflective sheen. Roughly worked bluestone, such as bush-hammered or sawn, looks light grey instead.
Uses and practical points
- Floors, window sills, worktops and stair treads are often honed: smooth and easy to clean, but less slippery than polished stone.
- Slip resistance: a honed floor is less slippery than a polished one, but outdoors and in wet rooms a rougher finish such as flamed, sandblasted or bush-hammered is safer.
- Maintenance: scratches and dull patches on a honed surface can often be removed by re-honing. Never use acidic cleaners on calcareous stone such as bluestone and marble.
Related terms
- Natural stone finishes
- Bluestone
- Polishing
- Bush hammering
- Natural stone maintenance
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.