Anyone have honed granite......................

[Pia]

on their kitchen countertops? I think I have found the one I like - Black Impala but honed not gloss. I have just started researching "honed" and it gets mixed reviews, some say it stains very quickly and shows fingerprints but others say yes, it does show fingerprints easier but you just wipe it down and to avoid stains you have to seal it more often, and others say stains will not come out regardless of how quickly you wipe up a spill.

Anyone have first hand knowledge?

Thanks

Pia

[California Girl]

I can't comment on honed granite, but I can tell you to NOT get bullnose edges! Our granite guy told me not to and I did it anyway. What happens is if you spill something and it runs off the edge of the counter, it follows the edge and runs under the countertop and down the cabinets! ick! Get the kind of edge that's flat on the bottom.

[cypressgirl]

Pia, I have the gloosy granite in my kitchen, but I did look into the honed. I think it would be harder to keep looking like new and you would have problems with staining. I was warned about putting marble in my bathroom and did it anyway. Now I'm sorry I did. I'm sure the honed granite is much more durable than marble, but you're going to have a lot more wear and tear in the kitchen. Again, I don't have honed granite, so I don't have first hand experience, just what I've found doing research. Good luck!

[John LMBZ06]

Even with the best sealing, you will need to be more careful with the honed. Items like lemon juice or tomato sauce can stain granite and it is much easier to stain the honed then polished. I like the look, I just don't know if having to be extra careful is worth it. I have polished and have never had a problem with the tomato sauce or lemon causing a problem. I have had it for ten years now.

Now marble is a different story. Even water can stain some kinds of marble if it is not treated properly.

[Pia]

John - how long does tomato sauce need to sit on honed to stain would you say - if you wipe as soon as it spills are you OK or would you say it's an instant stain - the same with the lemon juice - wipe straight away will I be fine ?
What about greese splatters - not that I am a cook right now. I think if I go with honed I'll have keep it that way and order in.........oh, I forgot where I am

[John LMBZ06]

I don't know. I used to work with someone who's parents had a company that installed it. That was ten years ago when it was installed at my house. I actually like the honed, but they talked me out of it since it was for the island that has a cook top on it and I make my own tomato sauce. (I actually do a lot of cooking with Italian being my specialty).

http://www.expresscountertops.com/resou ... -care.aspx

This web site talks about what to do, but the people selling it to you probably can tell you. Also, maybe sealants are better than they used to be. Everyone is getting granite now.

[bevm]

IMHO do you really want to be worried about staining on a kitchen counter? You'll stress yourself out if spaghetti sauce pops out or something. I have the polished granite. It's beautiful and I seal it once a year. I cut lemons right on it too. No worries.

[linne]

Hi!

Just now I'm looking after granite to both bathrooms and kitchen. I have the polished granite at home, and I am very satisfied with it. Haven't done anything with it for 5 years. So easy. The best table top I have ever had. The only very small problem is that because it's glossy, it can look greasy, if you haven't cleaned it very carefully. So I have decided that in our new cottage I will have unpolished dull granite- it's called river washed. But is that the same as honed granite? I don't know the word honed and I'm a little worried about what I can read here about honed granite. River washed granite is a new product in DK, and I don't know anyone, who has it, so like Pia I like some first hand knowledge.

Linne

[Jo Ann - VA]

PIA - I am thinking about quartz. It suppose to be stain resistant and no maintenace. Anyone have quartz countertops?

[verjoy]

Pia~
We were almost deterred from buying granite at all because of the problems I read about on the web. We needed a lighter tone granite because our floors are dark scraped oak and cabinets are dark oak also. Some people said olive oil and cooking oil would stain and was very hard if not impossible to remove.

We like my Mom's black Silestone (quartz) that she had installed about 5 yrs ago, but the lighter colors just didn't appeal to us. Her quartz has only had one case of some light dulling due to the fire restoration people leaving some caustic cleaning fluid on it after her fire a year ago.
The mark is hardly visible now.

We had venetian gold granite installed 1 July, it is glossy and we had the half round edge put on exactly for the reason that CG said. We took the advice of the design company and had it specially sealed before it was installed. We love it and especially the new deep double sink and stainless steel faucet.

I just wouldn't have wanted to get my heart set on something and then it become a nightmare to maintain.

[linne]

Just a follow up to my previous reply.

I have asked the granite firm if honed granite is the same as riwer washed granite but he says no. In riwer washed you use water, and the surface becomes irregular. I also asked him, if I should expect strains, but again the answer was no. They seal it, before they deliver it, and I could pour redwine on it, and it would not to be seen. I intend to drink the redwine instead, but I was glad to hear that.

We have polished Ivory Brown at home and never have had any problems. The granite I look at is Negro Africa to the bathrooms and perhaps riwer washed Ivory Brown to the kitchen.

So Pia, I wouldn't be nervous to have granite, allthough I still not know exactly what honed granite is. Just be aware that if you choose a black poolished granite, you have to clean it more often, if you want it to look nice.

Linne

[Pia]

Thanks everyone for all of your help.

I am getting a sample of the honed granite today (they are using it at Pond Bay so I have already seen it and it is avai;lable in sample size) and from what they tell me it is OK if you don't let the stains sit but after last nights dinner with our friends I know in such a small space spills will happen so I'm not sure I want to be reminding my friends and family who stay with us not to spill anything and be following them around with a cloth and just be paranoid all the time.

I ordered 4 samples of Silestone in black today but they don't come honed - at least the colors I want don't (typical). The reason I wanted honed is that I am doing a glass backsplash and didn't want too much gloss competing with one another if that makes sense - maybe I'm just being overly worried.

Thanks again and I welcome any suggestions

Pia

[jmq]

We have Silestone for about 4 yrs now - I dont think we could stain it if we tried. Wipes down easily.

Linne - here is a site the describes some of the finishes. Maybe the riverwash is like a satin?

http://www.natural-stone-interiors.com/ ... anite.html

[linne]

Hubby and I have just been out looking at kitchen and granite, and we asked the salesman about honed granite. He told that it was right that honed granite were more sensitive than polished because you polish the surface away.

But river washed or jet burned granite is something else. It still has a hard surface. Perhaps you don't use river washed granite in USA because it looks more simple - more dull and rough- not like satin - that's the reason we want it.

Good luch with your choice, Pia.

btw- we have a kitchen sink in Sili granite. It's one of the best things in my kitchen.

Linne

[Eric in NJ]

We have a fairly dark (verde butterfly) with a polished surface and glass back splash and it looks great. One thing my niece told us was don't go with a solid black granite because it shows every spot and speck of dust. If you wish I can email you a few pics just send me an addy in my message box.