A heat conduction analysis is prescribed to characterize the removal of encrustations from stone by means of pulsed laser radiation. Ruby laser experiments were performed on marble and limestone samples, and the results are compared with the analysis as well as with air abrasive and flashlamp cleaning, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Electron microprobe x-ray fluorescence analyses were used to evaluate the results. For the most friable stones, the laser flux could be increased 42% above the incrustation removal threshold before stone damage was detectable.