ABOUT LIMESTONE & SANDSTONE

Limestone is one of the most popular and usable dimension stones available. Limestone has a uniform texture and grade that weathers naturally over time, gaining a natural patina and improving in appearance over time. While subtle color and grain variations are present within a deposit, limestone is actually very homogeneous for a natural product.

A sedimentary rock made up of calcium carbonate, calcium and/or magnesium, limestone is formed when layers of minerals (particularly calcite), fine sediment, and the skeletons and shells of marine organisms undergo lithification, i.e. loose, unconsolidated sediment is turned into solid sedimentary rock.

Why you should consider limestone:

• Limestone has a uniform texture and grade.
• Limestone weathers naturally over time. 
• Limestone’s appearance improves with age. Its colors become more mellow, blending into an appealing natural patina.
• Limestone is extremely homogenous for a natural product, though subtle color and grain differences are present.This is important for current projects and their future expansions.
• Limestone can be split in any direction, and cut or carved into a broad array of shapes and sizes, sawn, planed, turned on a lathe or hand-worked into everything from simple pavers to demanding architectural designs.

— Information from Building Stone Institute

ASTM C-568 “Standard Specification for Limestone Dimension Stone”

• Includes material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of limestone for general building and structural purposes.
• Classifies dimensional limestone into three categories: Type I (Low density), Type II (Medium density), and Type III (High density). 

Sandstone is mainly composed of sand-size mineral or rock grains, with most sandstone composed of quartz and feldspar.

Why you should consider sandstone:

• Sandstone can be any color, but most commonly comes in tan, brown, yellow, red, gray and white.
• Sandstone typically has a uniform texture and is somewhat soft, making it suitable for a variety of applications.
• Thanks to its low absorption rate, high compression strength, and pleasing appearance, it is widely used as wall claddings and flooring.

—-Information from Building Stone Institute

ASTM C-616 “Standard Specification for Sandstone Dimension Stone”

• Includes material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of sandstone for general building and structural purposes.
• Classifies sandstone into three categories: sandstone, quartzitic sandstone, and quartzite.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) provides methods for testing stone products for various uses.

**Based on ASTM tests C-97, C-99, and C-170.Table represents summarized averages for actual tests. Full results, including range of findings, are available upon request.

Stone is a product of nature. Because of this, actual results of colors, weights and coverages may vary.