Get matched with top masons in Kadoka, SD

Cutting stone comes with a number of safety hazards. First and foremost, if you’re not comfortable with the equipment required to cut stone, including blades and grinders, you could easily injure yourself. The heavy machinery also poses a risk to your ears if you don’t wear proper ear protection; similarly, you need to wear eye protection to keep debris from irritating your eyes.

However, the biggest risk from cutting stone comes from the stone dust. When breathed in, stone dust can be a huge hazard to your lungs. Always wear a face mask when cutting stone to prevent inhaling stone dust, and thoroughly clean the work area when you are finished.

To avoid injury, we recommend hiring a stone-cutting professional, rather than attempting this job yourself.

Drilling into brick or mortar requires the use of a masonry drill bit. Masonry drill bits appear similar to standard drill bits except for the leading tip of the bit. The tip has a bulky carbide arrow-shaped end slightly larger than the rest of the bit shaft. Standard or high-speed drill bits designed for making holes in wood or metal don’t have the ruggedness or design shape you need to drill into brick. They may not go through the brick at all, and if they do, they’re more likely to overheat, crack, or dull before you finish drilling.

In some cases, black stains on brick are caused by organic substances like algae and mold. However, it's more likely that the black spots you're noticing on your bricks come from carbon from vehicle exhaust or soot. Black stains can usually be removed by scrubbing the brick with a brush and masonry cleaner or power washing.

Landscape boulders, especially porous stones like sandstone or granite, can crack or break over time. Cracks occur when water seeps into the surface of the stone and freezes. The risk is highest when it rains during the day and temperatures freeze overnight since the moisture has time to penetrate deeper into the rock before expanding.