Polished Vs Honed Quartz Countertop Finish

Quartz countertops are great if you’re looking for something durable and non-porous because natural stones are infamously porous and you have to seal them regularly. But did you know that quartz kitchen countertops have types of finishes? Two most common finishes of quartz are honed and polished. Here is a comparison between these two quartz countertop finishes.

The Surface

First things first, you have to understand the difference between honed and polished quartz countertops. If it’s your first-time getting countertops for your kitchen, then you’re bound to get confused by the sheer amount of options. Let’s make it simple for you.

Honed quartz countertops are countertops that have a slightly glossy finish. They’re very understated and neutral and they’re also known as matte countertops. If you like the appearance of light-absorbing surfaces that don’t hurt your eyes with a blaring glare, then honed quartz countertops will be right up your alley. You will love the look of these countertops in your kitchen, especially combined with the right décor.

Polished quartz countertops are exactly what they sound like. They’re countertops with a highly reflective surface. They make the light bounce off in different directions and add more illumination to the room. Polished surfaces are also loved by a ton of people and they just love the shiny and smooth surface of the countertops, which makes this finish downright irresistible. If you’re more skewed to polished and shiny surfaces, then you will love polished quartz, because this quartz finish is out of this world.

Maintenance

Maintenance is a really important thing to talk about, especially when it comes to countertops. When you’re choosing a material for your kitchen, you want it to be low on the maintenance side of things, because it’s not smart to spend all of your time and money on maintaining and taking care of the material.

Honed quartz countertops are a bit more heavy on the maintenance side of things because they’re not naturally shiny. The matte surface will absorb all of the light instead of reflecting it. This can accentuate any damage or uneven surface on the countertops, which can be unpleasant to look at. There is also an issue of fingerprints and smudges showing on honed quartz countertops and cleaning them over and over again can be a nightmare, to say the least.

Polished quartz countertops are a breeze to maintain. Thanks to their polished and highly reflective surface, polished quartz can bounce off light, diverting attention from any scratches that may be present on the surface. It also doesn’t leave any hand smudges on the surface either, because of the slippery shiny finish, making it a much better option.

When it comes to colors, neutral colors are low maintenance than dark or white countertops.

Availability

The next order of importance is the availability of each finish. Let’s face it; no matter how much you adore a certain finish, regardless of the material, if it’s not easily available, then what’s the point?

Honed quartz countertops are not easily available. They are made on order because this finish is achieved by shaving the surface down to reveal a minimally shiny, more matte look. There are also quite a few retailers of honed quartz countertops, so you won’t have a lot of variety to pick and choose from, which is kind of sad, considering that quartz is a pretty popular kitchen countertop material among people.

Polished quartz countertops are available readily and almost all retailers have some sort of variety, if not more, in this finish. Generally, the natural finish of quartz is polished, so there’s no need to go the extra mile to hone the surface, for it to look more matte. Owing to the polished surface of quartz, there also isn’t any possibility of smudges and scratches showing, because the reflection acts as an excellent camouflage for any imperfections on the surface.

So, if you’re still on the fence about whether honed or polished quartz countertops are better, then this factor will certainly help you pick a side.

Which Finish Is More Natural?

As mentioned above, honed quartz countertops aren’t naturally matte. They need to be made matte and minimal, by sanding or shaving the upper reflective surface off. This is a finish that a lot of people love, but they typically don’t know this crucial piece of information.

Polished quartz countertops, on the other hand, are what natural quartz countertops look like. There’s no need to prep them in advance and you can buy them as they are, have them fabricated by a quartz countertop contractor Potomac, and set them in the kitchen. Pretty hard to beat ease, isn’t it?

Stain & Scratch Resistance

Another really important thing to go over when choosing a specific finish for countertops is the fact that it’s going to be scratch and stain-resistant or not. Quartz countertops are normally quite strong and durable and they can resist scratches and stains like normal. However, when finishes are added to the equation, things can be a bit different. Let’s find out how:

Honed quartz countertops are shaved from the topmost surface, which gives them their characteristic matte look. However, it’s not always the best, because the matte and rough surface is the perfect place for stains to become permanent. The matte surface isn’t able to prevent fluids from penetrating inside the material and this, in turn, causes stains to form. The same goes for scratches. Honed quartz can be scratched pretty easily, because of its unprotected and rather soft matte surface.

Polished quartz countertops can be a blessing in disguise. These countertops can endure scratches from deepening, thanks to the added slippery surface of the material, which isn’t shaved away, as it is in honed quartz. Because of this fact, polished quartz countertops are also able to prevent stains from becoming permanent. The polished layer of quartz acts like a built-in sealant that allows water or other fluids to bead up on the surface, rather than getting absorbed.

Price

The price also plays a huge role in determining whether a countertop and material finish is even worth considering, let alone buying. Honed quartz countertops are generally a bit more expensive because there is an added step in the fabrication process that involves making the surface of the countertop matte.

On the flipside, polished quartz countertops are less expensive than their honed counterparts, because there’s no step involved in refining the finish. Quartz is already shiny, so all the fabricator needs to do is take the measurements, cut it into your desired shape, and call it a day.

Which Quartz Finish Is Better?

This question doesn’t have a definitive answer. It all boils down to what you want for your kitchen. Some people, regardless of the few demerits, go for honed quartz countertops, because they love the rustic and less-shiny finish. Similarly, other people adore the look and appeal of polished quartz countertops. So, you’re going to have to see which group you belong to. Do your research and look at the materials in person. You’ll get a good idea.

Conclusion

Whether you want to go for polished quartz or honed quartz, this guide has you covered from the front to the back. Now all that’s left to do is make a choice and consult a quartz countertop installer Rockville.

Professional Countertop Installation Vs DIY

Countertops are probably the most important part of a kitchen and so is their installation. Here is a comparison between having your countertops installed either by yourself or with the help of a granite company.

The Installation Cost

If you are looking to renovate your house with some refinements and changes here and there, such as changing up your granite countertop to quartz, changing the bathroom countertops and fixtures, etc. then this can be a budget-friendly project. But, if the project involves an entire remodel, then it will be heavy on the budget as well.

Everything comes at a price, and kitchen countertop installation is no different either. It is obviously true that if you install the countertops yourself, then it will save you a lot of money and will entirely cut the cost of installation by a professional. Whereas, getting countertops installed by a professional will be expensive, but if you don’t seem confident doing the job yourself, then you can certainly hire a professional to do the work for you.

The Precision

Professional work will have more precision, there is no doubt about that. When you do something by yourself, you can tell that there is a rustic and inexperienced aura about the finished product. But, if the project is small and you think that you can handle it by yourself, then there is no need to hire a professional and you can do it yourself. But if the work to be done is hectic and requires precision, then it’s best if you hire a professional if you feel like you will not be able to do it.

It’s hard to get precision when you do things by yourself. Sometimes, you don’t have the right tools, the right information, the right dimensions, etc. and you will end up messing up a countertop to save some money, which will be a huge problem. Precision does come at a price, but it is well worth it if you want flawless results at the end of the day.

When Should You Hire A Professional?

This is a huge question and people need some valid answers to it too. When should you hire a professional countertop installer? Well, as mentioned previously, if the work is too much for you to handle and the project is big like changing up the entire kitchen countertop materials or bathroom countertops, then you should act safe and hire a professional to do the work. Otherwise, you are bound to make blunders and mistakes on your own, since this is not your field of work.

Another advantage to hiring a professional is that they will try to get the job done flawlessly and give you the results you need, as long as you both communicate with each other on what you really want.

The Level Of Hardness Of The Project

Some projects are small, like just changing up a part of the countertop or hiding the seams, and some are bigger and require more precise handling and manpower, so depending on the difficulty of the project, you can choose whether you want to hire a professional or not. If you are considering hiring a professional, then you should be able to make a contract with them and communicate what you exactly want and set a reasonable budget as well.

When Should You Do The Job Yourself?

If the project is small, requires no special tools, and which can be done in a short amount of time, like a weekend project, then you can try it yourself. It will take some time and you need to be very patient and precise. In this way, you will be able to do the work with some degree of precision and it will not look as sloppy or rustic. Projects like changing a small part of the countertop or to fix some bathroom or kitchen fixtures can be done by yourself easily.

There you have it! There are pros and cons to each of the installation procedures, but it is still up to you whether you want to go for a professional to install your countertops for you, or you want to do it yourself. Hiring a granite countertop installer NC does cost you money but you get a premium looking countertop.

Are Granite coutnertops better than Quartz?

Literally no other design element sparks up a heated debate as much as quartz and granite countertops do. Both materials are incredibly popular and have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. While some people will go in favor of granite, others will prefer quartz countertops. And to be fair, there really is no definite way of saying which one is better. In truth, both of these have their own pros and cons. So, they may be suitable in one case but unsuitable in other cases.

In case you have been looking to buy a new countertop, chances are that you would have noticed that these two countertops are immensely popular. And the truth is that we cannot shun one completely in favor of the other.

So, which countertop is better?

Well, before deciding which countertop is better for you, it is important for you to know the difference between them both. After that, you can decide which one is more suitable for you. However, before we go into the details of these countertops, let us figure out what is quartz and granite.

What is granite?

Simply put, granite is a 100% percent natural stone, as a result of which it is quite hard. It is mined all over the world from quarries. Then, it is cut into small sizes, and polished. This results in a very fine and grainy texture, which is incredibly pleasing to the eye. Since it is a natural stone, it adds a lot of warmth into the kitchen and makes the environment look very cozy.

What is quartz?

In comparison to granite, quartz is a little different in the sense that it is not 100% natural. While pure quartz itself is natural, the quartz countertops are made with 95% quartz and 5% of a polymer resin. This adds in to the strength of the material, and makes it suitable to be used as a countertop.

Appearance

When it comes to the appearance, granite comes in various patterns that depend on the way it is formed. Furthermore, it may also come in different colors. In case you want a countertop that stands out in your kitchen, then granite should be your primary choice.

In comparison, the main reason why people buy quartz countertops is that they are really good in the appearance. They come a wide variety of colors and textures, which makes them suitable for those who want to customize their kitchen.

Price

In terms of the price, average cost of buying and installing granite in household or restaurant kitchen can be in between $2000 and $4000. This is a huge investment, and should not be taken lightly.

In comparison, the cost of installing quartz can be in between $1500 and $3000. Hence, they are slightly cheaper in comparison to granite, which is another reason why a big number of people prefer to buy quartz countertops.

Environment friendly

Granite is mined from quarries which uses up a lot of energy. In comparison, quartz countertops are mostly engineered and do not come directly from mines. In this regard, they are far more environmentally friendly as compared to granite. This also cuts the distance of transportation down, while in the case of granite, the slabs are transported over lengthy distances.

Ending note

Both granite and quartz countertops Durham NC, are extremely popular and beneficial. However, both of them have a number of differences that you must consider. The major differences are mentioned above. Now that you know these, you can talk to a countertop installer and get your quotes. Though, do conduct some research on these countertops in order to learn more about them before you buy.