INFORMATION

STONE PROCESSING

Stone is a tactile and versatile material and it is an exciting experience to watch finished stone emerge in multifarious forms from a piece of rock. The processing of natural stone starts at the quarry where a section of solid rock is found and blocks are separated from it with as little damage to the stone as possible.

Heavy equipment are used to transport the blocks of stone from the quarry to the processing yard where they are sawed into tiles and slabs. Secondary sawing reduces the slabs into dimensional masonry. More intricate work can be carried out on profiling saws and planing and polishing machines and of course by hand. Hand working of stone, however, retains an essential place in the last stages of processing, when highly skilled masons work the more detailed stones to their finished form.

Sophisticated methods bring better results than brute force and modern technology can be applied. The aim of using latest technology programs is to make the sector more internationally oriented and to solve the problems of quarrying and processing so that the material which is of high quality and needs little care could be more widely used in buildings and other construction works. The natural surfaced blocks are cut into pieces of varying thickness and sizes, as required. The surface is then given the required textures with different finishes.

Honed or polished surfaces are achieved by grinding the cut face with successively finer grades of abrasives. Sandstones and limestones are often available in honed finish. Marbles and other harder limestones can be polished. To achieve the true color and pattern of natural stones, polished surface is the most popular among different types of stone surfaces as it does not change the nature of the stone.

Stones have different finishes or surface textures according to their formation. But these days, stones are fabricated to give desired surface textures. There are seven main types of surfaces that are in use:

Natural

The natural surface texture is achieved by ripping along its line of cleavage to reveal the natural grain & texture, which gives an undulating surface with great character. The surface comes with natural clefts giving a very natural look.

Honed

It is produced by grinding a surface with high grit material to a uniform specification, without producing a reflective surface. Honed stone colors are not as vibrant as polished stones. A smooth finish with a slight sheen is produced by using a polishing head. This surface is very smooth, but often very porous. Honed finishes, unlike polished finishes are not reflective. The honed finish is a satin smooth surface with little light reflection.
This finish is often used on walking surfaces and other areas where heavy traffic would wear off a polished finish. Honed finishes are used in interior wall covering. It can also be used on the exterior in warm environments, table tops, very light duty residential flooring, novelty items, etc.

Polished

Polished surface texture is a reflection of polished crystals that bring out the brilliant colors and grains of natural stones. The shine on stone surface comes from polishing bricks and powders used during fabrication and not from any coating. Polishing can be done only on crystallized stones and doesn't affect the porosity of the stone. Polished finish is quite popular as it enhances the colour and markings of the material. A stone with a polished finish is very smooth and reflective.
This type of finish is used in reception areas, where marble, granite and some harder limestone are laid.

Flamed

It is a rough surface that is developed due to the bursting of crystals when the stone is heated. This surface gives an irregular textured finish. The flamed finish is a rough texture used frequently on floor tiles and vertical applications. Color and particulate or vein patterns vary from block to block. The major uses include chemistry and fire-resistant work surfaces, fireplace facings & inner hearths, etc. where heat is an issue.

Sand Blasted

Producing a finish similar to cleft, sand blasting involves projecting a high-pressure airline coarse-grained grit, onto the top surface of the stone. It is characterized by a textured surface with a matte gloss.

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