Wollastonite is used in ceramics, paint, friction products (brakes and clutches), joint compounds, refractories, rubber, wallboard, and metallurgical applications. In ceramics it decreases shrinking, permits fast firing, reduces cracking, and also prevents glaze defects. In paint it acts as a PH buffer to help resist weathering. It improves tensile and flexural strength of plastics. It also improves the stability of plastics at raised temperatures. One other thing that wollastonite is used for is as a flux for welding, or controlling casting speed during continuous casting of steel.