石(shi)材(cai)護(hu)(hu)理(li)是由于自然(ran)環境(jing)、人為因素、石(shi)材(cai)本身原因所造(zao)成的石(shi)材(cai)污染、風化與病變后，通(tong)過化學防護(hu)(hu)、清(qing)洗、病變治理(li)等(deng)(deng)理(li)化結(jie)合的翻新研磨拋(pao)光和再(zai)結(jie)晶(jing)硬化處(chu)理(li)等(deng)(deng)工藝(yi)，使石(shi)材(cai)恢復原來(lai)的“面(mian)貌”并提(ti)高其裝飾效(xiao)果。 石(shi)材(cai)護(hu)(hu)理(li)分為狹義和廣義兩大類(lei)。 

狹義的(de)(de)(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理通常就(jiu)是(shi)指對(dui)建(jian)(jian)筑物使(shi)用的(de)(de)(de)(de)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)飾石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)的(de)(de)(de)(de)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理，也(ye)就(jiu)是(shi)我們日常所說的(de)(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑裝(zhuang)(zhuang)飾用的(de)(de)(de)(de)天然(ran)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)和人(ren)造(zao)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理的(de)(de)(de)(de)范疇(chou)，它(ta)(ta)應包括天然(ran)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)、人(ren)造(zao)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)、復合石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)以及(ji)一(yi)些(xie)以石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)為主要(yao)(yao)原(yuan)料(liao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)衍生(sheng)產品(pin)，簡稱石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理。它(ta)(ta)是(shi)目前裝(zhuang)(zhuang)飾石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)界(jie)需(xu)要(yao)(yao)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理數量多的(de)(de)(de)(de)新興領域，它(ta)(ta)是(shi)隨近幾(ji)十年世界(jie)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)業由傳統的(de)(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)(指用在建(jian)(jian)筑結構(gou)、基礎(chu)和石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)制(zhi)(zhi)用品(pin)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)雕、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)刻制(zhi)(zhi)品(pin))向裝(zhuang)(zhuang)飾石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)大規模轉(zhuan)移后，而不斷出現、完(wan)善的(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)種實用技(ji)(ji)(ji)能(neng)。 廣義的(de)(de)(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理除對(dui)建(jian)(jian)筑裝(zhuang)(zhuang)飾石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)的(de)(de)(de)(de)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理外，還應包括建(jian)(jian)筑石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)、文物石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)刻制(zhi)(zhi)品(pin)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)飾品(pin)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)器具、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)生(sheng)活(huo)用品(pin)等用石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)制(zhi)(zhi)作的(de)(de)(de)(de)有形物品(pin)的(de)(de)(de)(de)防護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、維護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、養護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、修理、整(zheng)理。廣義的(de)(de)(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)理包涵了(le)對(dui)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)文物保護(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)材(cai)(cai)(cai)歷史文化及(ji)其密切(qie)相(xiang)關的(de)(de)(de)(de)內容，它(ta)(ta)更需(xu)要(yao)(yao)知(zhi)識、文化、技(ji)(ji)(ji)能(neng)、設備和技(ji)(ji)(ji)術(shu)人(ren)員。