What is it?
Natural stone is the various types of natural stone as they appear in nature. People spend thousands of dollars to beautify their homes and gardens and they use both natural products as well as commercially fabricated products in order to accomplish this. However, an increasing number of people have come to the realization that nature is still the best source of durable and long-lasting products and one example is natural rock types such as Travertine, Marble, Granite and Limestone, which is in most cases just as good and mostly superior to the costly commercially manufactured substitutes which some people seem to favor. Take granite for instance, it has been used for centuries to beautify the graves of our deceased loved ones. Even the spectacular pyramid of Giza was once covered with beautiful white granite which was unfortunately removed centuries about to be used in the construction of a mosque. I wish that the world could have seen the pyramid in its original splendor.
So many applications
Granite is not only in used in monuments and as gravestones, they also have many domestic and commercial uses. They are used for tabletops, floor tiles and also as exterior decorating on commercial properties. The same can be said about marble which is another excellent product coming out of nature’s storehouse. Thousands of artists throughout the centuries has make extensive use of marble especially for their elaborate sculptures which can still be viewed in various global cities. One of the all-time favorites of art lovers is the David sculpture. Marble is also extensively used as building material and one of their favorite domestic application is where they are used for table tops and floor tiling. The word marble comes from a Greek word which means to gleam or to sparkle and it is exactly because of these properties that marble continues to dazzle home owners and art lovers all across the planet. Pure white marble is especially sought after because it simply seems to standout wherever it is used. Nevertheless, there is also green marble which is likewise extremely popular and it is widely used in a wide range of domestic and commercial applications.
Other natural stone
Another very popular product is Travertine which is a type of limestone which is often found by mineral springs and especially those producing hot water. This product in its natural form is available in several colors such as tan, cream, white and rusty colors. This product also is widely used in various building projects. It occurs somewhat in the same way as stalagmites in cave systems and it is especially popular in Italy although it is increasingly used in other parts of the world. A discussion on natural stone will not be complete if limestone is not included in that discussion. This is a sedimentary rock which is formed through an accumulation of skeletal fragments coming from various marine organisms. It is calculated that at least 10% of all sedimentary rock is in fact limestone. Just like other types of natural stone, limestone is extensively used in a wide range of building applications. In fact, it is an important component of cement but it is also used in the manufacturing of paint and toothpaste. It is extensively used for the manufacturing of decorative objects used in gardens.