Wood grain stone is a precious stone material, which is a type of rock formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate. Due to various changes in conditions during the precipitation cycle, it forms a texture similar to wood. There are many types of marble with wood grain patterns, and their colors also vary. Due to different processing and cutting methods, in vertical cutting, wood grain can be present, while in horizontal cutting, cloud grain, water grain, or texture similar to tree rings can be present. It can be used as floor, stone line, veneer, facing panel, baseboard, stair step and profiled stone. It is a rare Class A stone.
Wood grain stone is a type of limestone, mainly composed of calcium carbonate. According to different types of stone, it can be divided into marble wood grain stone and sandstone wood grain stone; According to color, it can be divided into purple wood grain stone, red wood grain stone, and yellow wood grain stone; According to the shape of wood grain, it can be divided into fine wood grain, large wood grain, straight wood grain, natural wood grain, etc; According to the name of the place of origin, wood grain stones can be further divided into Guizhou wood grain stones, French wood grain stones, Italian wood grain stones, and so on.
Wood grain stone generally belongs to a type of marble, while sandstone wood grain stone belongs to sandstone. Wood grain stone is produced in the Cambrian strata and belongs to marine sedimentation, which is rich in iron and muddy dolomite.
Common problems with wood grain stones:
In a large number of daily applications, it has been found that wood grain stone is more prone to the following major problems compared to other types of natural stone:
*Not easy to polish.
*Easy to change color. After use, the color of wood grain stones may change from light to dark, from deep to yellow, and other similar phenomena.
*The joint of wood grain stone gaps is prone to problems such as pollution and discoloration.
*Easy to return to alkali.
*Easy to pollute.
Special reminder: The biggest headache for the owner and stone caregivers is that these issues are not easy to control. Sometimes when facing a scene, it is difficult to find the cause and don’t know where to start. When a problem cannot be found through surface phenomena, in-depth analysis is necessary. Next, let’s have a simple understanding of wood grain stones.
Characteristics of Wood Grain Stone
① Limestone wood grain stone is a type of limestone, mainly composed of calcium carbonate.
② Although the powder structure also has similar textures and patterns to marble, there are significant differences between wood grain marble and other marbles. One important feature is that the formation process of limestone did not undergo metamorphism and crystallization like marble. This results in a fine powder structure of limestone in structure. It seems compact, but in fact it is fundamentally different from the crystal structure in marble and granite.
③ The physical properties of limestone are fragile, with low flexural bulk density, curvature, and compressive strength.
④ The high water absorption rate of limestone is generally due to the composition of calcium carbonate and powder structure. Sprinkle some water on the unprotected wood grain stone surface, and the water quickly seeps into the interior of the stone. This feature is obviously different from the reaction sprinkled on the surface of marble, granite and other stones. It is precisely the composition and structural characteristics that result in a higher water absorption rate of wood grain stone. In fact, the wood grain stone mentioned earlier is not easy to polish and is prone to pollution. The culprit is the super high water absorption of wood grain stones.
1. Reasons for difficulty in polishing
When polishing wood grain stone, due to its high water absorption rate. A considerable portion of materials such as crystallization agents and powders quickly penetrate into the interior of the stone, unable to produce crystallization. And it affects the final lighting effect.
2. Reasons for color change
Due to its high water absorption, the color of the stone undergoes various unpredictable changes during long-term use and maintenance. For marble and granite with low water absorption, the color change caused by similar reasons will be much better.
3. Reasons for easy discoloration and blackening of gaps
The high water absorption rate also represents the microporous structure of wood grain stone, with strong adsorption capacity. Marble glue, glue oil, pigments, etc. in joint fillers are also easily absorbed by wood grain stones during use, leaving obvious marks at the joints.
4. Reasons for easy alkalization
Wood grain stone is prone to water absorption and reacts with the components in the cement at the bottom, resulting in a phenomenon of alkalization.
5. Reasons for easy pollution
The structure of wood grain stone is relatively loose, with high water absorption rate and strong ability to absorb pollution. In daily use, the combined action of various substances such as foot dust, sewage, juice drinks, coffee and milk, tea, etc. can easily cause pollution.
Wood grain stone – protection must be done well
Understanding the key reason for high water absorption and making good use of wood grain stones provides a scientific basis. If you want to do a good job with wood grain stones, you must do a good job of protection, do it to the extreme, and achieve very high standards. In fact, the cost of using wood grain stone for protection is indeed higher. Here we mainly introduce a method, especially for stone care construction personnel, which is very useful and can solve most problems with wood grain stones.
Enhanced protection treatment:
1. Brush repair type
When the wood grain stone board has already been protected in the factory, but the effect is not good and cannot effectively reduce the water absorption of the stone, it should be repainted.
① Selection of protective agents
When repainting protective agents, in general, water-based protective agents cannot penetrate through the existing protective agents. Therefore, when repainting, permeable protective agents such as VD permeable stone care protective agents should be used.
② Painting standards
Adequate, even, and healthy for at least 24 hours.
③ Precautions
There is also a standard for sufficient brushing. When brushing, if the front brush immediately penetrates into the wood grain stone, it proves that the protective amount is not in place, and continue to brush. It is not until the wooden grain stone on the ground – after brushing it on, a layer of protective agent on the surface will not immediately dry, which proves that the protective agent is applied in sufficient quantities; Wood grain stone on the wall – after brushing, the surface remains moist, which proves that the protective agent has been applied in sufficient quantities.
2. Painting without protection
If the wood grain stone board is not protected when leaving the factory, it should undergo comprehensive protective treatment.
① Selection of protective agents
For wood grain stones that have not been protected, water-based protective agents should be used for protection first, and sufficient and uniform brushing must be carried out according to the specified ratio. This type of protective agent also has an additional function: its rich complex methyl silicate can penetrate into the micropores inside the stone, forming silicate crystals, which play a filling and water blocking role. After 24 hours of health preservation, apply a sufficient and uniform amount of penetrating protective agent, such as penetrating protective agent, and then maintain health for more than 24 hours.
② Painting standards
Adequate, even, and healthy for at least 24 hours.
③ Precautions
The judgment on whether the protective agent is sufficient is the same as before. Through such meticulous and comprehensive protective treatment, the water absorption of wood grain stones can be reduced by over 90%.
Protection is a crucial task in the treatment of wood grain stones. Poor protection will not only affect subsequent grinding, crystallization, and other work, but also cause various problems in daily use. This should be taken seriously by our stone caregivers.
The patterns of wood grain stones are novel and fashionable, making them the most beautiful scenery indoors. Whether it’s for flooring or walls, they can be integrated into the design and complement each other. The visual effects of the brightness, tone, purity, and texture of the wood grain stone color in the design space can give a clear, tidy, beautiful and generous impression.
