Stone
Building
Materials
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Stone
Stone
Rock or a piece of rock quarried and works into a specific size and
shaped for a particular purpose
Rock
Solid mineral matter, naturally formed by the action of heat or water
and occurring in fragments or large masses.
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Three General Categories
▪ Sedimentary Rock – A class of rock formed by the deposition of
sediment, such as limestone, sandstone, or shale.
▪ Metamorphic Rock – A class of rock that has undergone a change
in structure, texture, or composition due to natural agencies, such
as heat and pressure, esp. when the rock becomes harder and
more crystalline.
▪ Igneous Rock – A class of rock formed by the crystallization of
molten magma, such as granite.
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Sedimentary Rocks
▪ Limestone – A sedimentary rock formed chiefly by the
accumulation of organic remains, such as shells and coral,
consisting mainly of calcium carbonate, and used as a building
stone and in the manufacture of lime.
▪ Travertine – A variety of limestone deposited by spring waters,
esp. hot springs, sold as marble in the building trade.
▪ Dolomite – A limestone rich in magnesium carbonate.
▪ Oolite – A limestone rich composed of small, round, calcerous
grains resembling fish roe. Also egg stone.
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Sedimentary Rocks
▪ Sandstone – A sedimentary rock consisting of sand, usually
quartz, cemented together by various substances, such as silica,
clay, or calcium carbonate.
▪ Bluestone – A dense, fine-grained, argillaceous sandstone that
splits easily along bedding planes to form thin slabs.
▪ Brownstone – A reddish-brown sandstone quarried and used
extensively as a building material.
▪ Soapstone – A massive, soft rock, containing a high proportion of
talc, used as dimension stone for hearths, table tops, and carved
ornaments. Also, steatite.
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Metamorphic Rocks
▪ Marble – A metamorphic rock of crystallized limestone,
consisting mainly of calcite, dolomite, capable of taking a high
polish and used esp. in architecture and sculpture.
▪ Verd antique – A dark-green, mottled serpentine that takes a high
polish and is sold as a marble. Also, verde antique.
▪ Slate – A dense, fine-grained metamorphic rock formed by the
compression of various sediments, such as clay or shale, having
good cleavage along parallel planes.
▪ Quartzite – A compact, granular metamorphic rock consisting
essentially of quartz, derived from sandstone
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Metamorphic Rocks
▪ Gneiss – A banded or foliated
metamorphic rock corresponding in
composition to granite, in which the
minerals are arranged in layers.
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Igneous Rocks
▪ Granite – A very hard, coarse-grained igneous rock composed
mainly of quartz, feldspar, and mica or other colored minerals.
▪ Obsidian– A volcanic glass similar in composition to granite,
usually black with a bright luster, and transparent in thin pieces.
▪ Malachite – A green to nearly black mineral, copper carbonate,
used as a highly polished veneer and for making ornamental
articles
▪ Serpentine – A mineral or rock consisting of hydrous magnesium
silicate, usually green in color and having a mottled appearance.
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Building Stone
Any stone suitable for use in building construction, such as
limestone, marble, or granite.
▪ Fieldstone – Loose, unfinished tone found on the surface or
in the soil, esp. when used for building, as in dry masonry.
▪ Dimension stone – Quarried and squared stone 2ft. (610mm)
or mote in length and width and of specified thickness.
▪ Dressed stone – Stone worked to desired shape and
smoothed on the face
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