Sand blasting is a technique used mainly on stone buildings; particularly those in urban areas, as they can often be coloured by industry and exhaust fumes. Sandblasting restores the natural finish and colour of the stone beneath the dirt.

The process of sandblasting uses compressed air, to which sand is added, before the air and sand mix is 'blasted' at a surface using a lance. This process leaves a similar effect to that of sandpaper, however it gives a much more even finish, and is much easier to use on the corners of buildings, and in those hard-to-reach areas.

Traditionally, a uniformly sized sand was used in sandblasting; the sand would have to be sieved to achieve uniformity. As a result, sandblasting must be performed under strictly controlled conditions, with proper protection and ventilation (including a breathing air supply), as the silica dust produced during the sandblasting process, when inhaled, could cause siliconiosis.

Today, other materials sometimes replace sand in this process, including steel grit, steel shot, metal pellets, dry ice, garnet, powdered slag and other abrasives. On occasions, even ground coconut shells and corncobs have been used, depending on the finish required. Sometimes, small glass or metallic beads are used in a similar method to sandblasting. This is known as 'bead blasting', and creates a similar effect.