Create a unique and aesthetic look with honed masonry. By honing the first outer few millimetres of the blockface you can create a sleek satin finish which highlights the natural colours of the mix.

Furthermore, polishing your block wall can create an ultra smooth glossy finish similar to that of terrazzo or marble. This does require extra time as the process takes longer than honing but it will create a contemporary feel of polished terrazo you will enjoy.

Most concrete blocks can be honed, from a standard concrete block to a made-to-order Firth DRYbloc, which has been one of the more recently popular blocks to have honed due to its water repellent qualities. The mix and aggregate in each block differs depending on the manufacturer, so its good to view honed samples to be sure of the colour and the mix before you start building your walls.

On-site honing is one of the best ways to have your block walls honed. After the walls have been installed the grinding process can begin. The process is done dry, with the dust being collected as the blocks are honed. The walls are then cleaned dry to remove any remaining dust and efflorescence in the mortar joints, and can then be sealed immediately after. The benefits of having your blocks honed on-site compared to factory honing are great. It is far cleaner, quicker and the end result of the block finish is of a higher quality and consistency than with a factory hone.

Surface Matters can arrange to have your blocks pre-honed if your site is far from major city centers. Otherwise we do travel away to jobs if our services are required. Please feel free to make an enquiry.

Mortar joint styles also affect the overall look of your finished wall. The most common joint styles include concave, raked and flush. If intending to hone a wall with a concave joint, ensure it is tooled deeper to allow for the honing process. A raked joint is more suitable when exposure to weather conditions is not a factor, and it needs to be tooled flat and smooth. The flush honed style is achieved by mortaring the grout flush and tight with the block, then honing the wall in-situ. The mortaring for a flush finish wall needs to be done by a very experienced block-layer, as if it’s not done correctly the mortar can fall out.