Natural Stone Flashcards
Cooled & crystallized molten magma
Hardness 7-8
Intrusive igneous stone
Cooled & crystallized inside the earth’s crust from molten magma
Slower it cooled, the larger the crystals and less permeable the granite
3 types: homogenous, oriented, veined
Granite
Compressed/heated calcium carbonate
Hardness 3-4
Calcium carbonate is extracted from seawater by organisms piled on the ocean floor
Does not take a high polish
Limestone
Formed from geothermal (hot) springs
Hardness 3-4
Acidic groundwater dissolves limestone then returns to surface; hot springs
Acid sensitive
Travertine
Pebbles, polymers & epoxy Hardness 7-8 Uniform pattern More color options than natural stone More durable and stain resistant
Manmade Quartz
Compressed/heated sandstone Hardness 7 Formed by compressed sandstone and heated by pressure Most chemically stable stone Great choice for outdoor use
Quartzite
Created by heated/compressed Limestone Hardness 3-5 Acid sensitive Dense enough for high polish Elegant by European standards
Marble
Dissolved limestone or dripped water
Hardness 3-4
Sometimes partly translucent (backlit)
High polish
Onyx
Mostly Talc Hardness 3-4 Usually dark greens/blues/grays Most dense Hardest natural stone to stain
Soapstone