How to Score Stone

Scoring techniques are used to cut stone to a specific size.

Scoring is a technique used to cut many types of stone. The technique uses a series of light tabs to coerce the stone to break along a specific point. With the employment of a hammer and chisel, it can be possible to precisely break stone to an exact size. From a large slab of granite to a sandstone brick, scoring stone requires inspection, technique and sometimes the proper application of pressure.

Things You'll Need

• Stone hammer
• Masonry chisel
• Safety goggles

Instructions

1. Measure the length of the stone slab, and draw a straight line with a pencil and ruler to indicate the where the stone will be scored. If scoring a brick, draw the line on all four sides, making sure they match up.

2. Analyze the width of the stone, looking for any obvious faults in the grain that might cause the stone to split in an undesirable way. Even the smallest of fissures can cause the stone to shatter or chip unexpectedly.

3. Place the stone slab or brick on a soft surface, which will help absorb the shock of the blow. A cement bag and soft ground are both surfaces that can help cut the stone evenly. If the stone is placed on a hard surface, such as another stone slab or cement, the worker runs the risk of shattering the surface that lies beneath the stone.

4. Lightly tap or score the stone along the pencil line, with a stone hammer and masonry chisel. The stone hammer resembles a small sledge hammer, and it should only strike the chisel once before moving along the line. With each blow, the chisel should leave a slight indentation, about 1/16 inch deep.

5. Turn the stone to the next side, and continue to lightly tap along the score line if working with brick. All four sides of the brick should be scored to help the brick to break evenly.

6. Tap along the score line for a second time using light strokes. By the second round of scoring, the thinner stone slab and bricks (about 4 inches or less) should start to split along the pencil markings. However, thicker bricks or slabs might require an additional round of scoring.

7. Hold one end of the thick brick or stone slab down, and gently tap along the pencil line with the hammer only. By applying pressure to one side of the stone, this technique can help force it to break into two.

References

• "Sand and Sandstone"; Francis John Pettijohn, Paul Edwin Potter, Raymond Siever; 1987
• "Garden Gate Magazine": Cutting Stone
• "Complete Backyard and Home Improvement Book"; Murdoch Books Pty Limited; 2007
• "Complete Backyard and Home Improvement Book"; Murdoch Books Pty Limited; 2007