Filled - one of the characteristics of stone tiles (especially travertine) are the voids in the surface. These can vary from literally pinholes to quite large irregular holes. These voids can be filled with grout when fixing the tiles or filled at the factory. Filled tiles can vary in color also because of the amount of fill necessary to create a smooth tile. If there are many large holes to be filled the fill color can overpower the natural color of the stone. Honed - Honing is a grinding and sanding process applied to stone tiles. Most flooring tiles are honed to achieve a smooth top surface. Honing does not mean polishing and a honed tile will not have a shiny surface. |