Granite is a fairly durable material. There are difficulties in processing it. To process natural stone if necessary, certain skills will be required. You will also have to prepare a special tool.
Polishing granite, like the stone itself, is quite expensive. However, having considered the advice of specialists, you can do the work yourself. You can also process marble, although this material is slightly softer than granite.
Grinding features
Grinding and polishing granite is considered a rather complicated procedure. This is due to the high hardness of the material. On the Mohs scale, granite, this figure can reach 7 points. At the same time, marble is much softer. This indicator he has only about 3 points.
During grinding, a small amount of the top layer is removed. For this, a diamond disk that is installed on a grinder or a stationary machine is best suited. For single use, the usual household type of cutting tool is suitable. Professional varieties are quite expensive. Therefore, for such purposes, it is impractical to apply them. Such equipment is acquired by professionals.
Grinding and polishing of granite is carried out using special cups that differ in size, grain and quality. Small varieties with a diameter of 125 to 150 mm are suitable for granite.
Process features
Polishing granite, marble requires a number of recommendations. If you need to process a large plate, you will need a tool of sufficient power. If a grinder is used, its engine must be at least 1200 watts. The process is performed without speed adjustment. The tool at the same time runs at full power.
Experts recommend not pushing the machine. Her own weight is enough to do the job efficiently. In the process of surface treatment, quite a lot of dust will be emitted. Therefore, all actions are carried out with glasses and a respirator.
Work sequence
Using a grinder or a machine for polishing granite, you must adhere to safety regulations. Work is done according to a certain scheme. If granite slabs are laid on the base, it is first necessary to clean the seams of the material. They are degreased and then puttyed with two-component glue.
After carrying out these manipulations, it is necessary to level the surface. It is polished, eliminating gross scratches, chips. This is followed by the actual polishing. It will add saturation to the color of the stone, creating the effect of solidity of the surface.
To give a bright shine, finishing polishing is done with pastes. The final stage is impregnation. Protective impregnations are applied to the surface, preventing the absorption of liquids into the stone structure. These are the main stages of work that the master performs in the process of working with natural stone.
Polishing Features
Granite polishing is a finer procedure than polishing. For these purposes, a small grinder is used. It must have a function for adjusting the speed. When processing marble and granite, identical nozzles are used. They are called flexible diamond blades. The people called these nozzles "turtles."
The start of polishing starts with the nozzle 50. Then, in turn, the surface is processed by all discs (100, 200, 400, etc.)
For granite, several nozzles are required. Marble processing is completed on a 800 grit disk. But granite does not even begin to shine when using this tool. It requires "turtles" with parameters 1500 and 3000. For a perfect shine, a nozzle like Buff is needed.
After applying such nozzles, granite becomes like a mirror. Some craftsmen recommend finishing processing when using a felt circle and special paste. The speed of the grinder when polishing granite should be no more than 2.
The more time the master has, the better you can polish the surface of natural stone. Therefore, at home, you can achieve better results if desired than with factory processing.
Having considered what granite polishing is, as well as the technology for its implementation, you can perform all the actions yourself. The result will be good even for a layman.