In addition to the material and its color and pattern, you will need to make a few more design decisions about your counter or table top. This is a guide to these three decisions about the stone. The first is whether to add a waterfall, the second is the edge profile, and the last is the surface finish.
You do not need to have this or any other design decisions figured out before your initial consultation, and it may be more helpful to observe and feel the different features in person before deciding what you prefer. This is simply a resource for informing your decisions and laying out your options.
Waterfall
The first decision is whether you would like to add a waterfall. A waterfall is simply a feature that allows the edge of your countertop to reach to the floor, and there are a few examples below. You can have them on as many sides of your countertop as you would like. A few waterfall designs are pictured below.
Edge Profile
The next design decision concerns the edge profile. There are over a dozen to choose from! Granite Division offers five standard edge profiles and a number of other premium edge profile options.
It is important to pay attention to the name as some people have different names for the same edge. Our profiles are shown below.
* Additional Charge
** Not avalable on all stones
surface Finish
A surface finish is the texture of how the stone feels. Like the edge features, other sources also may have different names for the same finish described. Below are the choices and descriptions of our surface finishes. You can also feel the difference for yourself in our show room.
Polished
Brushed/Leathered
Honed
A high gloss, mirror like finish with sharp reflections. This finish is achieved using multiple grinding heads and progressively finer abrasives. A polished finish intensifies the color and pattern of natural stone. Scratches will stick out and be more visible on a polished surface than other options.
Brushed / Leathered finishes are achieved by abrading a smooth (or honed) surface with an abrasive, often diamond, brush. (This series of names is not fully standardized within the industry. From some sources, they are used interchangeably, while from other sources, they are distinctly different processes.) The resultant finish can have varying levels of sheen and relief. The hardness of the mineral matrix within the stone to which it is applied will also affect the final product.
A honed surface has a non-reflective, satin-like finish. This finish is achieved using multiple grinding heads and progressively finer abrasives stopping short of a polish. A honed finish shows fewer scratches than a polished surface.
