The peculiarity of the stone consists in the possibility of its application either in its natural form or as a product obtained as a result of mechanical processing. The ways of changing the shape and texture depend on the properties of the rock.
Professional Stone Processing
How to process stone is well known in construction — to crush it. The methods of work are chosen based on the type of the intended product. The professional methods are:
- abrasive blasting;
- barreling — clastic material is smoothed by rotating in the water drum;
- cleaving with wedges or a press (for layered rocks);
- cutting with machines;
- heat treatment and surface melting — used in the manufacture of steps, paving stones, and floor tiles.
The final stages are grinding and polishing of a stone billet.
Amateur Stone Processing
The rock’s structure will determine how to process stone at home. The tools used are:
- a hammer with a tungsten-carbide soldered-on surface — for chipping off rock pieces;
- angle grinder — for cutting, grinding, and polishing;
- abrasive cutting (including diamond ones) and grinding discs.
The dust formed during the stone processing is deposited with water or removed via a ventilation hood.