Stone Materials

Stone Materials

1. Extracting And Processing Stone 1.1

   • Quarriying
     • Cutting, Shaping and Polishing
   • Processing
     • Large stone blocks are removed from the Earth´s crust using various methods, such as controlled explosions, mechanical drilling and expansive cement.

2. Natural Stone 1.2

   • Limestone
     • is a porous, off-white sedimentary rock that is usually white and may contain animal fossils.
   • Marble
     • is a hard, dense metamorphic rock which is formed naturally from limestone. Marble is cool to the touch and well-known for its resistance to compression and extreme weather conditions.
   • Granite
     • is an igneous rock that is composed mostly of quartz, feldspar and mica.
   • Slate
     • is a dark blue or black metamorphic rock that is formed by the compression of fine clay. It is not only hard, but also waterproof, due to its dense, compact nature.
   • Tuff
     • is a porous rock that is formed by the cooling of volcanic ash and lava. It is a very good thermal insulator, so it is often used to build walls.

3. Stone Binders 1.3

   • Plaster
     • Uses: Lining for walls and ceilings, prefabricated plasterboard for walls and ceilings, prefabricated mouldings and sculptures.
   • Lime
     • Uses: Whitewashing for walls and in mixtures with other building materials.
   • Cement
     • Uses: Cement board, pipes, pavements, bricks and blocks, mortar and mixtures with other building materials.
   • Mortars
     • Hydraulic mortars
       • can set underwater, so they are very useful for building bridges and structures at ports.
     • Non-hydraulic mortars
       • can only set in the open air. These mortars can be made with either non-hydraulic lime or plaster.

4. Artificial Stone 1.4

   • Concrete
     • is a mixture of gravel, sand, water and cement that sets to form a rock-like material.
   • Terrazzo
     • is the most common artificial stone used in construction. It is made with a mixture of gravel and white cement and it is often used for floors.
   • Fibre Cement
     • is composed of fibres covered with mortar. In the past, these fibres were made of asbestos, but that material has now been prohibited because it causes cancer and a disease called asbestosis.
   • Hemprecte Bricks
     • have become a popular substitute for ceramic bricks. Hempcrete is made of hemp fibre and soil, along with lime as a binder.