Absorption

Absorbency is the result of these two properties. Absorbency is an important determining
factor in stones sensitivity to stains. The size of the pores, their orientation, how well
they are networked and the type of finish the stone has are important contributing factors to
a stones overall absorbency. In relation to cleanability this factor is more important
than how porous a stone is. Honed and textured surfaces are more susceptible to soiling
and staining due to the fact that there are more open pores at the surface than a highly
polished finish. The polishing process has a tendency to close off pores leaving fewer ones
exposed, resulting in a low absorbent surface. However, some varieties of stone have large
pores and capillary structures and even when these stones are polished they still remain very absorbent.