Polish soft stone (limestone, marble, travertine) with diamond pads starting at a fine grit (100–200#), light pressure, and water — never coarse metal bond unless leveling is needed. Soft stone cuts fast and etches easily, so go gently, use pH-neutral products, and seal the floor afterward.
Limestone, marble and travertine are calcite-based — softer than granite and chemically reactive. Two failure modes: mechanical (grinding too aggressively rounds edges and gouges) and chemical (acid etches the surface instantly). Both are avoided with technique and products, not brute force.
3'' pads work for touch-ups; larger pads and floor machines for whole floors.
Resin pads work on both, but soft-stone pads are tuned to cut gentler. Start fine and test in a corner.
Etching (dull spots from acid) needs re-honing with 400–800# pads in that spot, then re-polishing. Prevention (sealing + pH-neutral care) is far easier.
Every 2–5 years depending on traffic; annual burnishing keeps gloss between polishes.
Soft stone rewards a gentle approach: fine grits, light pressure, water and pH-neutral care, plus sealing. Match the pad to the stone and the floor stays beautiful for decades. JOY TECH's pads are available for soft-stone work.
