ABSTRACT
A natural stone or rock that has been selected and trimmed, cut, drilled, ground to specific sizes and shapes is defined as a dimension stone if it meets the other requirements of colour, texture and pattern, and surface finish. A variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks such as granite, limestone, marble, travertine, quartz-based stone and slate are the raw material from which structural and decorative dimension stones are made. Precise and delicate techniques, such as diamond wire saws, diamond belt saws, burners, or light and selective blasting with Primcord are used to separate the dimension stone. Soapstone is easily carved and can be pried by large crude stone tools, chisel and scrape from the face of an outcrop. Skills are required to carve granite by hand because it is a hard stone. Computer-controlled rotary bits and sandblasting over a rubber stencil is one of the modern methods of carving granite.
