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Comparing Granite to Other Building Materials

All Stone is Not Alike

There are several different types of building stone. The most common are granite, marble, limestone, travertine and sandstone. Each stone has unique physical characteristics, which affect its applicability to various building designs. This section describes the characteristics and physical properties of the major building stones.

 

Granite :: View Gallery

Granite is an igneous rock created deep within the earth from magma, cooled slowly under great pressure. It is the hardest building stone with very dense grain, making it virtually impervious to stain. It takes a highly polished finish, which will endure even in inclement environments. It can also be finished in a variety of other ways. There is a broad spectrum of granite colors ranging from nearly pure white to nearly pure black. During its formation, granite may also have been infused with other minerals providing patterned "movement" as well as color. These minerals occur in different proportions:

- Feldspar (50% or greater)
- Quartz (25-40%)
- Mica (3-10%)

 

Marble :: View Gallery

Marble is a metamorphic rock, composed of metamorphosized limestone. In its purest form, marble is crystalline white calcite. Most marbles, however, are infused with impurities such as dolomite, silica or clay, providing variations in color and significant movement. The base colors of marble range from white to black with a range of hues. Marble is significantly softer than granite and therefore subject to greater wear and weathering.

 

Limestone :: View Gallery

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed of calcites and dolomites. Organic limestones were formed from the deposits of marine shellfish and fossils. Limestone is noncrystalline and possesses very uniform composition, texture and structure. It is soft and ranges in color from white to grey and does not take a polish.

 

Travertine :: View Gallery

Travertine displays characteristics similar to limestone. It is layered calcium carbonate formed by water deposits from spring water, particularly hot springs. Metamorphosized travertine is marble-like and can take a polish.

 

Onyx :: View Gallery

Onyx is a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as Purple or Blue.) Commonly, specimens of onyx available contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. Sardonyx is a variant in which the colored bands are sard (shades of red) rather than black. Pure black Onyx is common, and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as Onyx with banded colors.

 

Sandstone

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock made of compacted sand, held together with calcium, silicon or ferrous materials (iron). Sandstone varies in color, from red to yellow to white, based on the presence of other materials. Sandstone is soft and easy to quarry and shape. It is susceptible to erosion and deterioration from air pollutants. Brownstone is a variety of sandstone.