About Natural Stone
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Natural stone is generally identified as belonging to one
of three groups – sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous.
Sedimentary
SEDIMENTARY
stone came from organic elements such as glaciers, rivers, wind, oceans, and
plants. Tiny sedimentary pieces broke off from these elements and accumulated to
form rock beds. They were bonded through millions of years of heat and pressure.
LIMESTONE mainly
consists of calcite, and does not show much graining or crystalline structure.
It has a smooth granular surface and varies in hardness. Some dense limestones
can be polished. Common colors are black, grey, white, yellow or brown. It is
more likely to stain than marble. Limestone is known to contain lime from sea
water.
FOSSIL STONE is
considered a limestone that contains
natural fossils such as sea shells and plants.
TRAVERTINE is
usually a cream or reddish color. It is
formed through the accumulation of calcite from hot springs. It contains lots of
holes that were formed from water flowing through the stone. These holes are
often filled with synthetic resins or cements. It may require lots of
maintenance if the holes are not filled. It may be classified as both a
limestone and a marble.
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Metamorphic
METAMORPHIC
stone originates from a natural change from one type of stone to another type
through the mixture of heat, pressure, and minerals. The change may be a
development of a crystalline formation, a texture change, or a color change.
MARBLE is
a re-crystallized limestone that formed
when the limestone softened from heat and pressure and re-crystallized into
marble where mineral changes occurred. The main consistency is calcium and
dolomite. Marble ranges in many colors and is usually heavily veined and shows
lots of grains.
Marble is classified into three categories:
Dolomite: If it has more than 40% magnesium
carbonate.
Magnesian: If it has between 5% and 40%
magnesium carbonate.
Calcite: If it has less than 5% magnesium
carbonate.
SLATE is
a fine grained metamorphic stone that
formed from clay, sedimentary rock shale, and sometimes quartz. It is very thin
and can break easily. The coloration of slate is usually black, grey, or green.
SERPENTINE is
identified by its marks which look like
the skin of a serpent. The most popular colors are green and brown. Serpentine
contains a large amount of magnesium and has an igneous origin.
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Igneous
IGNEOUS
stones are mainly formed through volcanic material such as magma. Underneath the
earth’s surface, liquid magma cooled and solidified. Mineral gases and liquids
penetrated into the stone and created new crystalline formations with various
colors.
GRANITE is
primarily made of Quartz (35%), Feldspar
(45%) and Potassium and may be darker in color than other types of stone.
Granite contains very little calcite, if any, and provides a heavy crystalline
and granular appearance with mineral grains. It is a very hard material and
easier to maintain than marble, yet it is still porous and will stain. There are
different types of granite depending on the percentage mix of quartz, mica and
feldspar. Black granite is known as an Anorthosite. It contains very little
quartz and feldspar and has a different composition than true granite.
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Recommendations
Kitchen or Bar
Area: Granite
Bath Area:
Granite, Marble, Limestone, Travertine, Slate
Flooring:
Granite, Marble, Limestone, Travertine, Slate
Outdoor
Applications: Granite, Slate
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