A basic question on the minds of many stone fabrication professionals and newbies alike boils down to the question: "Should I use wet polishing pads or dry polishing pads?" This is a good question. Today we will discuss this issue.

To answer the question of whether to use dry or wet polishing, it is best to briefly examine some of the similarities and differences between the two methods, then discuss the reasons for choosing each method.

Similarities Between Wet and Dry Polishing:

Process:

There are also similarities in this process. Whether you're wet polishing or dry polishing, the process goes like this; you start with a rough polishing pad and use it to grind the surface of the stone for an appropriate amount of time. Then you repeat the action with a mat with finer "grit". Again, this is a lot like sanding wood, only the process is used on stone. Repeat for the number of steps required for the pad system you are using. After completing the collection, you will have a smooth polished stone surface.

Tool:
The tools used to polish granite, marble or other materials are very similar in nature. First, both processes use some kind of grinder that can be used to spin a series of "pads" or "disks" at high speed. These discs (or pads) have varying degrees of surface roughness. This is similar to how sandpaper is described for woodworkers. These pads are designed in a specific way.

Polishing pads are often designed with hook-and-loop backing for easy attachment and removal from the grinder. The surface used to actually polish the natural or artificial stone is made of resin that has diamond dust suspended within the pad.

Differences Between Wet and Dry Polishing

There are several key differences between wet and dry stone polishing techniques. These differences are mainly influenced by 1) pad design and 2) work environment.

Design of the pad:
Polishing pads get hot as they grind away the surface of the stone.
Dry polishing pads are designed to withstand higher temperatures than wet polishing pads. However, wet polishing can sometimes provide a higher degree of shine because the pad stays cooler. However, technology has now produced dry pads that can compete with wet pads.

Working Environment:
The cooling of the pad is one of the functions of the water used in the wet polishing technique. Another task performed by water is the removal of dust from stone wear.

The necessary presence of water in the environment means that manufacturers will most likely need to design areas specifically for wet polishing. Water can create a mess and it is impractical to set up a wet polishing environment in a customer's home. Therefore, the use of wet polishing pads is usually better suited for manufacturing shops.

Dry polishing pads do not require water to cool the pad. Therefore, dry pads may be a better choice for on-site polishing and setup. They do, however, create dust in the environment. This may require you to use some sort of dust removal system to remove airborne particles to keep the environment clean.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us! We will provide you with the most professional answer in the shortest possible time.