Stones are one of the oldest and most essential building materials. They are known for their durability, toughness, and strength – of which historical monuments such as the pyramid of Giza, Mount Rushmore, Taj Mahal, and the Parthenon are living examples. Different types of stones are used in the construction industry.
In this blog, Graana.com, Pakistan’s smartest property portal, has come up with a list of types and use of stones used in construction, along with their pros and cons.
Granite
What is a Stone? |
Types of Stones Used in Construction |
Granite |
Marble |
Laterite |
Quartzite |
Alabaster |
Stones are obtained from crushing rocks that make up the topmost layer of the earth. Moreover, they come in arbitrary shapes and have no defined size. Also, they have different chemical compositions.
Additionally, the stones meant to be used for construction purposes are supposed to be hard, sturdy, and devoid of any weathering and other such features that might affect the durability of the structure afterwards.
Depending upon their types and features, stones are used for the foundation, flooring, paving etc.
Depending upon their types and features, stones are used for building the foundation, flooring, paving etc. Following are some of the different types of stones used in construction.
It is one of the most commonly used stone for construction purposes. The reason behind its popularity is its hardness, strength, and durability.
Moreover, it possesses an impressive compressive strength ranging from 100MPa to 250MPa. Graphite contains quartz, feldspar, and mica, which make it ideal for all sorts of construction projects. Among heavy construction, it is especially useful for the construction of curbs, pillars, retaining walls, wall cladding, dams etc.
The issue with this type of stone is that it shows a low resistance to fire. It is, however, perfect for use in buildings because it is resistant to acids. This means that it remains unaffected by things that are acidic, for instance; curd, vinegar, and lime juice.
This is the reason why granite stone is used for making kitchen countertops and floor slabs. In addition to that, it also shows great tolerance to extreme weathering.
Following are the advantages of granite.
Downsides of granite are as follows.
Granite is applied in the following areas.
Marble is regarded as one of the best ornamental rocks which are frequently used as an ornament. It is composed of dolomite or calcite crystal. Moreover, its crystallised structure is due to extreme pressure and heat over time.
The compressive strength of marble makes it naturally sturdy and dense – about 70 MPa, while its gravity is almost 2.65.
Following are some of the advantages of marble.
The downsides of marble are as follows.
Here are some of the various applications of marble.
Laterite is another type of construction stone. It needs to be covered with plaster on the exterior, and is mainly composed of aluminium oxide and varying proportions of iron oxide content. Moreover, it can be easily cut into blocks.
The amount of iron present in laterite is responsible for determining its colour. It is typically found in shades of brown, yellow, grey, and red.
Besides, when it comes to strength, it can not be graded as a durable stone.
The advantages of laterite are as follows.
The cons of laterite have been listed below.
Laterite is used for following purposes.
As a result of high temperature and pressure, sandstone converts into quartzite. Two of the main features of quartzite stone are its granular texture and crystalline structure. Also, it is really hard and comes with a crushing strength of about 115 MPa.
The advantages of quartzite are given below.
The disadvantages of quartzite are as follows.
The different uses of quartzite are as follows.
Besides being a very translucent stone, alabaster is a somewhat unconventional construction material. One of its most prominent features is its crystal-clear structure.
Additionally, it is not waterproof, hence, experts do not recommend it to be used in damp places. Also, it is soft and can be carved into any desired shape.
The advantages of alabaster are as follows.
Here are the cons of alabaster.
Following are different applications of alabaster.
These are some of the different types of stones used in the construction industry. For more information on related topics such as building materials or construction materials, visit the Graana blog.
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