Tumbling is a common technique that involves distressing the edges and surface of the stone by vibrating the stone in a bath of sand and grit. There are two types of machine that can tumble the stone; one resembles a large skip which vibrates side to side and the other looks like a cement mixer and rotates the stone. The tiles go into the tumbling machine for 10 to 20 minutes to take the sharp corners off. To further distress the surface, it can sometimes be given an acidic wash. The result is a finish that looks aged and worn. It is often used on the softer limestones and usually on small format tiles. With the harder stone, tumbling will have less effect and it may be that other techniques need to be used to get the “antique” effect.
