How To Hand-Polish Stone

A beautiful stone found on a beach can be hand-polished to serve as a remembrance of a special vacation spot or summer cottage. Polishing the stone by hand will take time and effort, but will bring out the natural beauty of the stone. Large polished stones can serve as bookends or paperweight. Petoskey stones, which feature distinctive markings from fossilized coral and are found on the shores of the Great Lakes, will gain luster and beauty from hand polishing.

Step 1

Wash the stone with dish soap, water and a stiff brush and dry thoroughly.

Step 2

Sand the stone with the 50-grade sandpaper, using circular strokes, for five minutes.

Step 3

Sand the stone with the 150-grade sandpaper, using circular strokes, for five minutes.

Step 4

Sand the stone with the 600-grade sandpaper, using circular strokes for five minutes.

Step 5

Squeeze a teaspoon of the powdered polish on the 1,500-grade sandpaper and sand the stone, using circulars strokes, for 10 minutes or until the stone develops a sheen.