Stone sculpture
Marble, granite and sandstone carving for permanence and weight.
- Shanghai Xionglan Culture Communication Co., Ltd. (brand: Xionglan Art)
- Shanghai-based workshop · delivery in 67 Chinese cities
- 10 capability groups / 102 individual techniques · design, fabrication and installation in-house
- Phone +86 156 0163 6249 · Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00 (CST)
Stone is carved, ground and finished rather than fabricated, and it is chosen when the material itself must carry meaning: durability, permanence, gravity. Weight, transport and foundation design drive the practical decisions.
Commissioned work in stone sculpture normally runs from 6 to 30 m², with 3–8 working days in production from approved drawings. The reference range for this technique is CNY 0+ per m², quoted itemised. It sits within our Sculpture Fabrication capability, alongside 13 related techniques, and the 4-point deliverable below is what a commission includes as standard.
When stone sculpture is the right answer - and when it is not
Stone sculpture is chosen for permanence, mass and the specific presence only real stone provides - the way it holds light, its weight in a space, and how it ages rather than degrades. It suits memorials, civic and landscape work, and architectural carving. It is a poor fit for fine, thin or highly complex forms, and for projects where the budget must cover a large area rather than one significant piece.
How the work is actually carried out
The stone is selected at source where possible, because colour and veining vary enough between blocks that the material decides the piece. Carving proceeds from rough shaping to finer work, with the grain and bedding plane respected so the stone is not worked against its natural weakness. For exterior work, detailing incorporates drainage and avoids water traps, which are what actually destroy stone over decades. Fixings are designed to be reversible and to avoid staining the stone with reactive metals.
Typical applications
Typical specifications
| Materials | Marble, granite, sandstone, limestone and basalt |
|---|---|
| Process | CNC roughing followed by hand carving and finishing |
| Finish | Polished, honed, sandblasted or bush-hammered |
| Weight | Approximately 2.6-2.9 tonnes per cubic metre - foundations matter |
| Capability | Sculpture Fabrication |
| Reference range | CNY 0+ per m² |
| Techniques in this capability | 14 |
| Coverage | Shanghai base, nationwide delivery, overseas projects on request |
Reference price bands for Stone sculpture
Indicative only, based on the scope normally quoted for stone sculpture. A firm price follows a site survey and an itemised quotation split into material, labour, finishing, packing and freight.
| Pricing basis | Priced per piece or per project rather than per square metre |
|---|---|
| Reference range | CNY 0+ per m² |
| How we quote | Itemised: material, labour, finishing, packing and freight shown as separate lines |
Build tiers for stone sculpture
Stone sculpture is not one product at one size: the table below is the same scope ladder we quote on, so you can see where your project sits before asking for a price.
| Build tier | Typical area | Production days | What changes at this tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | Up to 30 m², one substrate and one access setup, 3–8 days in the workshop. |
| Tier 2 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 3 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 4 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 5 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 6 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 7 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6 m² and above, multiple substrate types and phased access, 3–8 days with a join and numbering plan. |
What we deliver
- Concept sketches and a scaled maquette for sign-off
- Structural calculation and internal armature where required
- Fabrication, welding, surface finishing and protective coating
- Delivery, on-site assembly and foundation coordination
Faults we see most often in stone sculpture
Each of these is a field failure rather than a workshop one, and each is cheaper to prevent at enquiry stage than to correct after installation.
- Choosing stone from a photograph, when the block in front of you may be considerably darker or more heavily veined.
- Working against the bedding plane, producing a piece that may split along a natural line years later.
- Using a reactive metal for fixings, which stains the stone and cannot be undone.
What to settle before an overseas project starts
| Stone selection | Tell us the type and, if the appearance matters, come to see the block or approve a sample. This is one decision worth taking slowly. |
|---|---|
| Environment | Freeze-thaw, salt and pollution all affect stone differently. Tell us where it goes so we can select and detail accordingly. |
| Weight and handling | Stone is heavy throughout its life. Confirm access for delivery and installation, and the foundation design. |
Working with us from overseas
Enquiry to installation, one point of contact. Export packing, shipping, commercial terms and quality control →
Design intent and what drives the cost
| Technique | Stone sculpture |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Marble, granite and sandstone carving for permanence and weight. |
| Floor area normally quoted | 6–30 m² per commission |
| Typical production window | 3–8 working days from approved drawings |
| Main cost drivers | Area and repetition; substrate preparation; detail and modelling time; surface finish; access and working hours |
| What we quote separately | Material, labour, finishing, packing, freight and site measures - each as its own line |
Representative work
Sculpture Fabrication projects photographed on completion.
Sculpture Fabrication — Cast bronze sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Animal & mascot sculpture
Sculpture Fabrication — Stone sculptureCommon questions
Do you carve by hand or by machine?
Can stone sculpture be shipped overseas?
How long does a large sculpture take end to end?
Discuss stone sculpture
Send photographs, drawings or a 3D file with approximate dimensions. You will get a technique recommendation, a reference price band and a production schedule.
Other techniques in this capability
- Mirror-polished stainless sculpture
- Brushed stainless sculpture
- Coloured stainless sculpture
- Perforated stainless sculpture
- Cast bronze sculpture
- Forged copper sculpture
- FRP & resin sculpture
- Cement / GRC sculpture
- Figure sculpture
- Animal & mascot sculpture
- Abstract sculpture
- Landmark sculpture
- Garden & landscape sculpture