Marble Slab Processing and Polishing Variations

Slab processing and polishing variations are the coral intention of this passage. Marble blocks are saw cut into slabs. Small marble blocks will be processed by simple disc saws to produce marble slabs. Medium and large marble blocks will be processed by gang saws and will be typically used to produce standard 2-cm thick one-side-polished marble slabs. Marble from the upper benches of the open-pit production contain small defects, such as holes, cracks and fossils. Therefore, marble blocks produced during the early stage will often need to be treated with resin to ensure final product quality.

This will double the polishing time needed as the slabs will need to be polished twice. As marble quality improves with mining depth, this added polishing step will be reduced to a limited level. Marble slab production processes include saw cutting, drying or adhibiting repairing or masking, curing, polishing and warehousing.

Saw Cutting

Marble blocks are cut into slabs with circular saws, sand saws or general saws.

Drying, Adhibiting, Repairing or Masking

For cracked stones, stones with holes or easily breakable stones, we use resin gluing or masking to increase their abrasion resistance.

Polishing

Polishing is a process by which material is precisely removed from a work-piece or specimen to produce a desired dimension, surface finish or shape. Various types of surface finish can be done at this stage. Let’s go through some very popular kinds of surface finishes namely polished surface finish, honed surface finish, brushed surface finish, antiqued/tumbled surface finish, flamed surface finish, bush-hammered and brushed surface finish, sandblasted surface finish, split face surface finish.

Polished Surface Finish

The polishing of marble follows the same process as honing using finer abrasives. A shiny polished finish is achieved by grinding the surface of the marble with a series of fine diamond grit pads or compounds. The texture is very smooth and is not very porous. It gives the marble a very elegant and rich look.

Honed Surface Finish

A honed finish surface is achieved by buffing the marble to slightly less than the highest level. The result is a smooth but dull appearance with little light reflection. Grinding and sanding produces a smooth, yet not glossy finish and not reflective. This finish is often used on walking surfaces and other areas where heavy traffic would wear off a polished finish, in interior wall covering and also on the exterior in warm environments.

Brushed Surface Finish

Brushing is done by brushing the stone that leaves a lightly textured surface that tends to be more resilient to scratches and marks. It works particularly well on limestone and some sandstones and can also be applied effectively to tumbled marble.

Antiqued/Tumbled Surface Finish

Tumbling is done by vibrating the stone in a bath of sand and grit. To further distress the surface, it can sometimes be given an acidic wash. Tumbling stones in a solution of sand, water and mild acid creates an old world, weathered look. The look on the surface is aged and worn. With the harder stone, tumbling will have less effect and it may be that other techniques need to be used to get the antique effect.

Flamed Surface Finish

A Flamed finish surface is done by applying a high-temperature flame to the surface of the stone which creates thermal shock and causes the inherent crystals to fracture, causing the surface to burst and become rough.

Bush-hammered Surface Finish

Bush-hammering is a technique for creating highly slip-resistant surfaces. It’s done by hammering the stone with a head that resembles a meat tenderizing hammer and finally creating a pitted look. It can also be used to recreate the look of a medieval finish, as though the stone had been chiseled by hand centuries ago.

Bush-Hammered and Brushed Surface Finish

A bush-hammered and brushed surface is achieved by pounding the material surface mechanically or by hand with a specific multi-pointed tool. This method creates a rugged surface full of little grazes at the impact points, giving the surface a lighter color. The surface becomes non-slip. This technique has been replaced by flaming and pressure water finishing which is a quicker and less expensive process.

Sandblasted Surface Finish

This treatment produces a smooth abrasion, leaving the material with a slightly scratched but not rugged surface. The color tones and the veins are slightly dulled. This is a technique that also gives a more slip-resistant surface suitable for outside areas or for wet areas. It is created by spraying the surface with sand, ceramic beads or other abrasive components at a high pressure onto the surface of the stone. This process tends to lighten the look of the stone and can mask the character by hiding the veins.