Honed marble finish is undoubtedly one of the most common marble stone finishes. Honed marble finish is a processing which aims at making the surface homogeneous, without scratches, levelled and smooth: in other words, to restore the surface to its original condition, eliminating the signs caused by wear over time.
The marble surface texture of honed marble is smooth, without imperfections, with a satin appearance and without reflections. This marble finish can be performed both on marbles and on travertine, granite, slate, sandstone and is suitable for both internal and external applications as it makes the surface very long-lasting.
Honed marble is not all the same: depending on the abrasive plate used, in fact, there are different degrees of marble honing and therefore of final result on the surface of the honed marble tile. There is high honed marble which is obtained with a 60-grit abrasive plate. Standard marble honing is called medium honed marble and it can be obtained with a 120-grain abrasive plate. A fine honed marble, on the other hand, can be made with a 220-grit abrasive plate. Finally, there is the semi-gloss or satin honing which is performed with a 400-grit abrasive plate. In the latter case, since it is a very fine honing, the surface may have a certain degree of gloss.
You can choose honed marble at the time of purchase or this processing can also be applied on existing floors and surfaces. In this last case, honed marble finish is considered a maintenance intervention which can be carried out by specialized Companies: let’s no answer to the question “what is honed marble?”.
Honed marble finish is a treatment that is part of a broader procedure, which starts with cleaning and ends with the actual honed marble processing or, in some cases, with polishing. In fact, the first step is represented by washing the floor with specific detergents diluted in hot water so as to prepare the surface to accommodate the grout. The second step is, in fact, the application on scratches, cracks and holes of a grout of a color compatible with that of the marble to be treated. Once the grout is dry, the so-called flattening or leveling procedure is performed, i.e. the elimination of any unevenness on the floor. As a last step, there is the actual honed marble finish, an operation that requires a specific machine, namely the polisher (or sander).
The polisher is a professional machine specific for honing marble floor finish as well as for polishing and it can be orbital or random orbital. In recent years, experts have preferred the use of the random orbital sander as it is able to eliminate a greater amount of damaged material and is considered more suitable for the treatment of more delicate surfaces (thanks to the ability to adjust its speed).
From the information above it is understandable why marble floors honing by inexperienced people is not recommended. Yet, it is always advisable to contact Companies specialized in honed marble floor and polishing. In many cases these activities even represent the tradition of a family, with techniques and procedures that are handed down from father to son: this is the reason why honed marble finish for floors remains the prerogative of a few experts.
Nowadays, in some cases it is preferred to opt for micro-sanding. Micro-sanding is a maintenance treatment capable of removing scratches, halos or very light stains. It has a number of advantages, including being faster, quieter and cleaner than the classic honed marble finish; moreover, the cost per square meter is about 30% lower. However, since it is a more superficial marble processing, micro-sanding is not able to restore very damaged floors as it does not resolve any unevenness between the slabs, does not fill holes or cracks and does not correct deep scratches.
The frequency with which it is advisable to schedule marble floor honing depends on a number of factors, the most important of which is undoubtedly the use made of the surface to be treated. If the affected surface is subjected to constant and frequent trampling, obviously it will have to be honed more frequently than the floor of a holiday home. An always valid indication is to keep the honed marble floor in good condition by treating it regularly with delicate products (e.g. warm water and Marseille soap) or specific products for honed marble. Constant care of the marble surface means that honed marble finish can last for years in the same conditions, while maintaining its beauty unchanged.
The honed marble price undoubtedly depends on the extent of the surface to be honed and its general condition (if the floor is very damaged, with unevenness or many scratches to be grouted, the price rises accordingly). Generally, the price of marble floor honing is between € 18,00 and € 27,00 per square meter.
In any case, before opting for honed marble floor treatment, it is always necessary to carry out an inspection and a preliminary analysis of the surface or floor to be treated. A qualified Company such as Dedalo Stone will be able to identify any problems (if there are, for example, movable slabs to be consolidated), to recommend other marble treatment techniques to be performed before honed marble finish, opt for a completely different stone finish or indicate the best application for the honed marble chosen by the Customers for their home.
Luxurious furniture in lightweight marble
Dedalo is a company from Carrara that designs and produce monolithic luxurious furnishings in lightened marble, with a contemporary design. Our goal is to reaffirm the use of marble in everyday life without renouncing, for reasons of weight, to its three-dimensional vocation, proposing sculptural and extremely engaging shapes.
