Types of Stone for Building Houses

Different types of stone provide unique options for home building.

Homebuilders have chosen stone for thousands of years. Stone is a sturdy building choice. It can hold up for years against bad weather and wear and tear. Stone is also a beautiful choice for a home. The color and pattern varieties in different types of stone can create a unique look for every home.

Sandstone

Sandstone house

Sandstone is one of the most common types of stone used for building homes. It is so common, in fact, that the famous Brownstone homes found in the northeastern part of the United States got their name from the type of sandstone used in their construction. Sandstone consists of several types of small grains of minerals including quartz, calcite and feldspar. The stones are gray, brown, red, green or cream in color.

Limestone

Limestone house

Humans have been building with limestone for thousands of years. According to Alan Winston of Tour Egypt, Egyptians used limestone to build the core of the pyramids. Limestone is mostly made of calcite. Limestone is a porous rock that carves easily, making it ideal for building. The stone is often gray, off-white or cream in color, but almost every color of the stone exists.

Slate

Slate house

Slate consists of small grains of mica and quartz. Slate is an ideal stone for home building because it is weatherproof and can last many years. Slate is typically dark gray in color, but can range from brown to green depending on the stone's origin.

Granite

Granite house

Granite is commonly used on kitchen countertops as the stone is both scratch and heat resistant. However, granite is also ideal for building homes as well. Granite is one of the toughest and longest lasting stones available. It consists of quartz, alkali feldspar and plagioclase feldspar. Granite colors range from white to pink to light gray, but the addition of other minerals can add more color dimensions, making each piece of granite unique.

References

• Tour Egypt: Building Materials of the Pyramid Builders
• Real Stone Works: Type of Stones and Uses
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources: Geologic Sources of Historic Stone Architecture in Iowa