How to Choose Stone Care Tools?

As the use of stone continues to grow in various public spaces, its elegant, luxurious appearance attracts people's attention. However, aging and contamination from continued use pose significant challenges. While the initial solution may involve regular cleaning, renovation with sanding may be necessary. For this reason, understanding abrasives and grinding tools becomes critical. When it comes to stone maintenance, choosing the right tools is crucial for effective renovation and maintenance. The following is an introduction to abrasives and grinding tools to give everyone a preliminary understanding of them.

Abrasives and grinding tools

Abrasives play a vital role in the grinding and processing of materials in various industries. They are roughly divided into two categories: ordinary abrasives and superhard abrasives.

Common abrasives include materials such as corundum (brown and white) and silicon carbide (black and green), each with different chemical compositions and hardness levels. Corundum composed of Al2O3 has different microhardness levels ranging from 2000-2300 kgf/mm2, while silicon carbide, which is mainly composed of SiC, exhibits higher microhardness levels of 3100-3400 kgf/mm2.

The choice of abrasive usually depends on the material being processed. For example, green silicon carbide and black silicon carbide are preferred for processing granite, while softer white corundum is used for processing marble. From the perspective of material cost, green silicon carbide, black silicon carbide, and white corundum are ranked from high to low. These abrasives are the basis for the manufacture of inorganic and organic abrasive tools, including amethyst, ceramics, phenolic, unsaturated and epoxy resins, as well as abrasive cloth and sandpaper. Collectively, these abrasives and grinding tools form the backbone of various industrial processes, helping to increase the efficiency and precision of materials grinding and processing.

With over thirty years of processing history, diamond abrasives have become an essential tool for a variety of applications. With a microhardness of 8000-10000 kgf/mm2, diamond abrasives stand out for their exceptional hardness, making them the cutting tool of choice for processing materials. These superhard abrasives adopt a micro-cutting mechanism and exhibit excellent processing efficiency, which is more than five times that of ordinary abrasives. Their ability to polish demanding materials further expands their applications, resulting in significant increases in output and reductions in industrial costs. The versatility of diamond grinding tools further emphasizes their indispensability.

Metal, resin and ceramic are the main classifications, with metal grinding tools including iron-based, copper-based and cobalt-based variants. The choice of adhesive significantly affects the processing costs of different materials, with each type offering unique advantages. In particular, metal grinding tools are characterized by long service life and their grit sizes range from coarse (20#) to extremely fine (400#). While resilient, they cost more. On the other hand, resin-based abrasives are valued due to their low production costs and are used in both rough grinding and polishing, especially in fine-grained grinding and polishing. Meanwhile, ceramic diamond-like grinding tools have become the most popular choice in recent years, combining the advantages of metal and resin processing while addressing the limitations of each in terms of processing performance.

The basic steps in the stone renovation process

The first critical step in stone renovation is to use a coarse-grit abrasive tool to smooth the damaged surface and address any unevenness. This process usually requires the removal of a certain amount of material to ensure a smooth and consistent base. Attention to detail is essential in this phase as it sets the stage for the subsequent process. A coarser-grit tool is then used to further grind the stone and smooth out any rough lines or imperfections. Maintaining the smoothness of the construction surface is the focus of this stage, ensuring that the surface is even and free of any unevenness. The third step involves a fine grinding process that removes a relatively small amount of material while imparting a high degree of smoothness to the stone. This step typically involves using 4-5 grit abrasives to achieve the desired level of polish and refinement. Finally, the stone underwent a meticulous polishing process to meet the stringent requirements for a successful renovation.

Grinding Tool Selection for Stone Renovation Process

1. Metal bond grinding discs: Metal bond grinding discs are made of sintered diamond and metal powder and stand out for their high processing efficiency and excellent stone renovation results. These wheels range from the coarsest grit of 20# to the finest grit of up to 400# and are essential for dressing rough surfaces and providing a satisfactory flat finish. It is worth noting that the cost is slightly higher compared to traditional grinding stones, but the unparalleled processing efficiency justifies the investment.

2. resin bond grinding disc: In contrast, resin bonded grinding discs composed of diamond single crystals, micro powder, and resin provide a more cost-effective alternative to metal-bonded grinding discs while ensuring high processing efficiency. These grinding discs are mainly used for fine grinding and polishing after metal grinding discs smooth the surface. These grinding discs achieve a balance between economy and effectiveness in the stone renovation process.

   
   

3. Flexible polishing pad: A recent addition to the abrasive tool arsenal is the flexible polishing pad, which has gained traction in the floor renovation world in recent years. Known for its portability and unique flexibility, the tool is available in a variety of particle sizes from 20# to 3000#, including BUFF, black and white (polished). It uses diamond as the abrasive, ensuring a lightweight structure that effectively protects the soft parts of the stone surface during the grinding process, resulting in a high-gloss finish. The disk's Velcro connection further enhances ease of operation.

   
   

   
   

Grinding tool selection for different machines during refurbishment

In order to achieve a smooth and delicate stone floor effect, the choice of grinding tools for the renovation project has become a key consideration. To strike a balance between desired results and cost-effectiveness, the selection of grinding tools must be tailored to the specific requirements of the engineering party and the various conditions of the machines involved in the process. An essential aspect of this decision-making process is a preliminary estimate of project costs.

When costs are relatively low and schedule flexibility is available, using common grinding tools may be a viable option. However, when the construction period is strict, it is recommended to choose diamond grinding tools. These tools must be chosen carefully taking into account the different conditions of the machines involved. For heavy machines working at higher speeds, grinding tools with excellent durability are recommended. Conversely, for lighter machines that work at lower speeds, it is beneficial to prioritize knives with excellent sharpness. Additionally, grinding process efficiency can be optimized by varying the amount of water used in the process. By tailoring your grinding tool selection to the specific requirements of your refurbishment project and the machine being used, you can improve overall results while remaining cost-effective. This careful consideration reflects a commitment to achieving desired results without compromising efficiency and budget constraints.

Sometimes, when "leveling" the ground, using coarse-grained diamond resin abrasive discs (or diamond soft abrasive discs) will feel unable to grind; you can add less water and increase the pressure, or you can improve the machine's performance under the same conditions. The best way is to use diamond cutting blades or metal grinding discs to carry out preliminary work.

In order to ensure the smoothness of the ground, before 500# processing, try to use abrasive discs with good flatness, and then use diamond soft abrasive discs for grinding. Its good fit can effectively improve grinding efficiency and achieve good gloss.

When polishing, in order to overcome scratches on the stone, the hardness of the grinding tool should be soft, which is conducive to polishing; at the same time, in order to improve the gloss, you can reduce the amount of water, increase the rotation speed of the machine, and increase the surface finish. Temperature will also promote the improvement of gloss. In short, the polishing of stone is a complex physical and chemical process, which includes both physical micro-ploughing and pure chemical reactions on the surface. It depends on the situation and is by no means the same.