Silicon Carbide Fickert Brushes for Ceramic and Stone Finishing

BASAIR > Abrasives > Silicon Carbide Fickert Brushes for Ceramic and Stone Finishing

BASAIR supplies Fickert abrasive brushes for ceramic tile and stone surface finishing. These brushes are used on automatic polishing and brushing lines to create matte, textured, antique or soft-touch surface effects.

The product range includes silicon carbide Fickert brushes and diamond Fickert brushes for different surface-finishing requirements.

Silicon Carbide Fickert Brushes

Silicon carbide Fickert brushes are the most widely used abrasive tool for creating controlled matte, textured, antique and leather-look surface effects on ceramic tile, porcelain and stone. Each brush is built from silicon carbide abrasive wire fixed onto a rectangular Fickert-format head, and installed directly onto automatic polishing or brushing lines using standard Fickert-type holders — making them a drop-in replacement across most mainstream production lines.

The abrasive wire is a blend of silicon carbide grain and high-strength nylon (nylon 610/612), arranged in a wavy filament pattern that gives the wire high resilience: it rebounds quickly under working pressure so the abrasive keeps even contact with the tile surface across the full width of the brush, rather than wearing unevenly at the center or edges.

Because the finish depends heavily on grit selection and sequence, silicon carbide brushes are typically run as part of a multi-stage grit sequence (coarse to fine) rather than as a single pass — coarser grits open up texture and remove more material, while finer grits refine the surface toward a smoother matte or satin result.

Typical Applications

Matte ceramic tile finishing
Textured porcelain tile surfaces
Antique surface effect
Leather-look (leather finish) surface effect
Soft-touch tile finishing
Stone surface brushing (granite, marble, engineered stone)
Automatic polishing and brushing lines

Key Features

Fickert-standard format — direct fit on Fickert-type brush holders, no modification needed for most automatic polishing/brushing lines
Silicon carbide + high-strength nylon wire — sharp, consistent cutting edge with strong wear resistance over long production runs
Wavy filament design — the wire’s wave profile gives it fast rebound under pressure, keeping contact with the tile even and reducing the risk of streaking or uneven gloss across the surface
4-row drainage layout — wire rows are arranged to channel waste water and grinding residue away from the working face, keeping the brush cutting cleanly instead of clogging with slurry
Beveled-edge base design — the brush base is shaped so the brush can be used down to its last few millimeters (typically under 2mm of residue) before replacement, extending usable brush life and reducing consumable cost per tile
Full grit range for a complete sequence — from coarse (36#) to ultra-fine (3000#), so a full coarse-to-fine grinding/polishing sequence can be built from one product line
T1 / T2 format options — T1 (L140) and T2 (L170) cover the two most common Fickert holder sizes used across ceramic tile and stone polishing lines

Brush Selection Factors

Choosing the right silicon carbide Fickert brush depends on several factors working together, not grit alone:

Material — ceramic tile, porcelain, granite or engineered stone each respond differently to the same grit
Target surface effect — matte, textured, antique or leather-look finishes need different grit sequences and pass counts
Fickert holder size — confirm T1 (L140) or T2 (L170) to match your existing machine setup
Grit sequence — a full sequence (coarse → fine) generally gives a more even, controllable result than a single aggressive pass
Working pressure and line speed — higher pressure/speed increases cutting rate but can shorten brush life and reduce finish consistency
Water flow / lubrication — adequate water flow at the brush station reduces heat build-up and helps residue drain through the 4-row wire layout
Expected brush life — beveled-edge, low-residue designs generally give a lower cost-per-tile over the brush’s working life than square-edge designs

Item	Specification
Grit Options	36# / 46# / 60# / 80# / 120# / 180# / 240# / 320# / 400# / 600# / 800# / 1000# / 1200# / 1500# / 2000# / 2500# / 3000#
Material	High-quality silicon carbide abrasive and imported high-strength nylon
Filament Composition	Silicon carbide grain (approx. 25–28%) combined with high-strength nylon 610/612
Filament Design	Wavy filament profile for fast rebound and even surface contact
Base Design	Beveled-edge base with 4-row drainage layout; usable down to under 2mm residue
Manufacturing Process	Made with a special process for sharp cutting performance and strong wear resistance
Suitable Surfaces	Textured surfaces, antique tiles, dry-grain tiles, matte tiles and textured ceramic tiles
Available Types	T1 (L140) / T2 (L170)
Customization	Specifications can be selected according to customer requirements

Rubber Fickert Brushes for Soft-Touch Tile Finishing

Rubber Fickert brushes are made from a rubber compound bonded with premium silicon carbide abrasive grain, using a graded (stepped) grinding process that BASAIR develops in-house. By precisely controlling abrasive particle density across the brush profile, the rubber brush removes the glaze surface tension gradually instead of cutting it uniformly, so it can bring the tile down to a 5°–10° soft-sheen (soft-light) finish without damaging the glaze layer underneath. The result is a silk-like smooth touch feel combined with a visible sense of depth and layering on the tile surface — an effect that is difficult to achieve with a standard silicon carbide brush alone.

Because the rubber body itself flexes slightly under working pressure, the brush conforms to minor surface irregularities on the tile, which helps produce a more even soft-light effect across the whole panel and reduces the risk of localized over-grinding (“hot spots”) that can occur with rigid abrasive tools.

Item	Specification
Name	Rubber Brush
Model	T1-L140
Bond / Material	Rubber compound bonded with premium silicon carbide abrasive grain
Process Options	With shock-absorbing pad / Without shock-absorbing pad; Coarse teeth / Fine teeth
Grit Options	60# / 80# / 120# / 180# / 240# / 320# / 400# / 600# / 800# / 1000# / 2000# / 3000#
Target Finish	5°–10° soft-sheen (soft-light) surface, no glaze damage
Suitable Surfaces	Polished and glazed porcelain tile requiring soft-light adjustment
Machine Compatibility	Automatic continuous polishing / brushing lines with Fickert-type holders
Customization	Grit, tooth style and damping option can be configured per customer requirement

Typical Applications

Soft-light finishing on polished/glazed porcelain tile
Fine-tuning gloss level after full-polish or semi-polish lines
Anti-scratch, low-glare surface treatment for large-format tile
Final-stage brushing before wax/surface treatment
Suitable for both automatic continuous polishing lines and Fickert-head brushing stations

Key Features

Rubber + silicon carbide bond — combines the cutting sharpness of silicon carbide with the cushioning of a rubber matrix, so glaze is thinned without being scratched or chipped
Graded grinding technology — abrasive particle density is intelligently controlled through the brush cross-section for a smoother, more gradual reduction in gloss
5°–10° soft-sheen control — engineered specifically for the low-gloss “soft light” range, rather than a full matte or full-polish result
Silk-touch surface feel — leaves a smooth, layered tactile finish that reads as a premium surface upgrade
Coarse-tooth / fine-tooth options — choose coarse teeth for faster stock removal or fine teeth for finer gloss control
With or without shock-absorbing pad — the shock-absorbing (damping) pad version reduces vibration transfer to the tile at higher line speeds, protecting fragile or thin-body tiles; the non-damped version is suited to standard body tiles at normal speeds
Fickert-standard mounting — direct fit on T1 (L140) Fickert brush holders, drop-in replacement for existing brush stations

Fiber Grinding Blocks for Ceramic Tile and Stone Gloss Adjustment

Fiber grinding blocks are made from an ultra-fine molecular sponge (non-woven fiber) impregnated with selected abrasive grain. Unlike a rigid resin or silicon carbide brush, the fiber matrix is soft and porous, which lets the abrasive make light, even contact across the tile or stone surface rather than concentrated point contact. This makes the fiber block especially effective for gloss (光度) adjustment work: it can bring a ceramic tile surface to a soft-light or matte effect, and on natural or engineered stone it is commonly used to significantly boost surface gloss without generating the heat build-up or swirl marks that harder tools can leave behind.

The open, non-woven structure also resists clogging — worn abrasive and polishing debris are carried away through the fiber rather than trapped on the working face, so the block keeps a consistent cutting action for longer and is easier to keep clean between production runs than a solid bonded pad.

Item	Specification
Name	Fiber Grinding Block
Model	T1-L140 / T2-L170
Bond / Material	Ultra-fine molecular fiber (non-woven) impregnated with selected abrasive grain
Density	5P / 6P / 7P / 9P
Grit Options	60# / 80# / 120# / 150# / 180# / 240# / 320# / 400# / 600# / 800# / 1000# / 2000#
Target Finish	Soft-light / matte on ceramic tile; increased gloss on stone
Suitable Surfaces	Ceramic tile and natural / engineered stone requiring gloss-level adjustment
Machine Compatibility	Automatic continuous polishing / brushing lines with Fickert-type holders
Customization	Grit and density can be configured per customer requirement

Typical Applications

Gloss/sheen adjustment on ceramic tile (soft-light and matte effects)
Final gloss-boosting pass on marble, granite and engineered stone
Fine finishing after resin or diamond Fickert brush stages
Removing light haze or micro-scratches left by earlier grinding steps
Suitable for automatic continuous polishing lines with Fickert-type holders (140 mm / 170 mm)

Key Features

Molecular-fiber + abrasive construction — ultra-fine non-woven fiber (分子绵) bonded with selected abrasive grain, softer and more conformable than resin-bond blocks
Dual-purpose gloss control — dials ceramic tile down to soft-light/matte, or lifts stone surfaces up to a higher polish, depending on grit and density selected
Self-clearing structure — open fiber network resists clogging with swarf and slurry, maintaining consistent cutting performance over the block’s working life
Low heat, low marking risk — the soft matrix reduces friction heat and swirl marks compared with rigid bonded abrasives
Density (P-value) selection — available in 5P / 6P / 7P / 9P density grades; lower P-values give a softer, more flexible block for gentle gloss blending, higher P-values give firmer stock removal for faster leveling
Two Fickert sizes — T1 (L140) and T2 (L170) to match different brush-holder formats without changing the rest of the line setup

Comparing Silicon Carbide, Rubber and Fiber Fickert Abrasives

Comparison	Silicon Carbide Fickert Brush	Rubber Fickert Brush	Fiber Grinding Block
Core Material	Silicon carbide bristle + nylon	Rubber compound + silicon carbide	Non-woven molecular fiber + abrasive
Typical Effect	Matte / textured / antique	Soft-light (5°–10°), silk touch	Soft-light or matte (tile) / higher gloss (stone)
Working Feel	Firm, aggressive cut	Cushioned, gradual cut	Soft, conformable, low-marking
Best Used For	Heavy texturing, antique tiles, dry-grain tiles	Fine gloss control without glaze damage	Final gloss blending, haze/scratch removal
Density / Format Control	Grit sequence	Grit + tooth style + damping pad	Grit + density (P-value)
Size Options	T1 (L140) / T2 (L170)	T1 (L140)	T1 (L140) / T2 (L170)