Stone is a unique, in terms of its physical and technical properties, a natural natural material. It has high resistance to any weather and climatic conditions, has a variety of colors and unique shapes. Natural stone does not melt, does not burn, is not affected by ultraviolet rays, has the highest frost resistance, moisture resistance, etc. The list of its advantages can be continued indefinitely. Thanks to all its advantages and despite the large abundance of modern artificial materials, it remains one of the most popular materials in construction and landscape design.
Consider the main advantages of natural stone:
Strength. Due to its structure, stone is a fairly durable material. Some of the most durable are gabbro, quartzite and granite. Stone with medium strength is considered to be marble, limestone, travertine. Tuff and loose limestones are less durable.
Durability. Natural stone can certainly be called an eternal building material. It has high resistance to mechanical and atmospheric influences, is not afraid of moisture and sun, has high strength and wear resistance.
Color. Natural stone is somewhat limited in colors, but it has an incredible variety of shades. From this point of view, marble, granite, porphyry and basalt are considered the most expensive, and sandstone and limestone are considered the cheapest.
Frost resistance. When choosing a variety of natural stone as a building material, one should not forget about frost resistance. The lower the porosity of the stone, the higher its frost resistance. Stones with high porosity (tuff, limestones) are not suitable for use in places with high humidity, for use as paving stones. Moisture will accumulate in their pores, which at low temperatures (during freezing) will cause the formation of microcracks and destruction of the material. Granite, dolomite or sandstone is perfect for paving.
Wealth of forms. Natural stone is not a standard molded product. It has a natural (natural) origin, therefore it is distinguished by a wealth of shapes and sizes. This fact allows designers and architects to create wonderful, unlike objects that will delight the eye with their beauty and originality. In addition to a large number of advantages, natural stone is not without its disadvantages, the main of which are:
Price. For many rare varieties of natural stone, the price is extremely high, not to mention the cost of products made from it. So one of the most expensive rocks on Earth are malachite, pink granite.
The cost of construction work. Highly qualified masons are needed to work with natural stone. Due to the uniqueness of the shapes and sizes of stones, masonry work requires careful selection, and, therefore, takes a lot of time. It is necessary not only to lay a stone, but to choose an aesthetically attractive wall pattern.
Thermal conductivity. The high thermal conductivity of natural stone limits its use as the main wall material.
Environmental friendliness. Some types of stones have an increased level of radioactivity (red ceramics, natural granite), which also imposes restrictions on the use of natural stone in residential areas.
The weight. Natural stone, which has a high density, has a large weight, which requires additional costs for transportation and handling.
Consider the most popular types of stones in construction and design.
Granite is one of the most durable and expensive building materials. It is perfect for paving platforms and paths, access roads, wall cladding. The walkways made of granite have an excellent appearance and are particularly durable. Thanks to its many shades, granite goes well with any design. Its color range varies from dark red to light gray tones. Its one and only drawback is the difficulty of surface treatment. It is recommended to purchase it already fully prepared for laying in the form of stones or slabs of the correct shape.
Another durable and beautiful material is dolomite. Dolomite has a high-strength structure, an unusual surface relief and a rich color range. When purchasing this material, pay special attention to the presence of chips and cracks. Their presence on the surface will cause the destruction of the material under the influence of moisture and frost in the near future (after the first winter).
One of the most popular materials for facing facades and paving paths is sandstone. Sandstone is a relatively cheap building material that is perfect for cladding facades and basement parts of buildings, as well as for paving pedestrian and courtyard paths. Sandstone is characterized by durability, acid resistance, strength and high roughness. It is in no way inferior to dolomite in strength, but cannot boast of the same saturation of shades. Because of this, sandstone is rarely used on a large scale, since the uniformity of colors makes the overall composition uninteresting and monotonous. It goes well with granite and dolomite, which allows it to be used in combined masonry and get an original composition. Limestone has gained wide popularity for facing walls and floors indoors. It has a wide variety of colors and shades, from white to almost black, it is easy to process, which allows it to be perfectly combined with various materials, to create original and intricate designs. Due to its fragility and low strength, limestone is recommended to be used mainly indoors, when decorating winter gardens, private baths and saunas, and summer terraces.
But (rubble stone) is considered the most common wall and finishing material. Rubble stone is fragments and pieces of stone of rocks with high hardness (more than 1800 kg/m3). Due to its high strength, durability, frost resistance and unpretentiousness to atmospheric influences, it has found wide application as a wall and decorative material. Booth is perfect for facing and protecting the foundation and the basement of the building, for the construction of fences, paving pedestrian and motor roads, for making borders, creating a Japanese garden or an alpine slide.
Slate is widely used in the architectural landscape. It has a fairly smooth surface, high strength and rich color gamut. Slate can fit perfectly into any architectural style, combined with any material. Slate can be used as a material for cladding facades, arranging roofs, sidewalks, decorating fences, as well as creating landscape design elements.
Quartzites and quartzite-sandstones, due to their high strength and fantastic wear resistance, have been successfully used by builders and designers for a long time. Quartzite is a rock containing quartz, which was formed under the influence of high temperature and pressure, mainly in places of volcanic activity. Since quartzite has high strength, it is processed exclusively in industrial conditions. Quartzite in construction is used mainly as a decorative stone, both in the processed and in the unprocessed state. Sidewalks are laid out of quartzite, cladding the facades of buildings, metro stations, it is used as a tile for floors and walls. Many architects use quartzite for facing the plinths of monuments, creating architectural and landscape elements. So, for example, the mausoleum of V.I. Lenin on Red Square, the sarcophagus of Napoleon was made. When purchasing a natural stone, be sure to ask if it has a certificate of radiation safety. Many stones of igneous origin have their own natural radiation background, which in some cases may exceed the level permitted by established hygiene standards. Having considered all the positive and negative aspects of natural stone, we can say that it is a strong, reliable, wear-resistant and durable building material. It is ideal for arranging plinths and foundations, building fences, paving sidewalks, as well as creating various unique elements in architecture and landscape design.
Successful and successful construction to you.