Using genuine materials for your artistry or construction work will make your projects stand out more than using fake materials. Using natural materials such as limestone has been the norm for artistry and building since ancient times.
Limestone is used to tile floors, build walls and carve statues. This raw material is quite versatile as it’s also used as a filler in a variety of products such as paper, plastic, and paint.
But what other types of limestone can you get and what can they be used for? Let’s take a look at the following quick guide.
Types of Stone Limestone
Honed Stoned Limestone
This type of limestone is the perfect choice for modern and contemporary properties. Honed stone limestone has the shine removed from the top of the rock which leaves a smooth matte or satin finish.
Honed limestone has no polished surface which means there’s little to no reflection on the material. There are also no bumps or ridges and it’s porous. This type of stone comes in a variety of colors such as nova blue, kota brown and oasis gold.
What Can you do With Honed Stone Limestone?
Honed stone limestone can be used for any type of building project but it’s mostly used for outside construction for flooring, walls, and fountains. The material is also used for staircases as it doesn’t have a slippery surface which makes it easy to walk on.
For a bit of artistry décor, you can cut the honed stone limestone into small pieces to use for mosaic graphics in bathrooms or on water features.
Polished Stone Limestone
A polished finish limestone is highly reflective which displays the vibrancy of the stone’s color. Polished stone limestone has a smooth surface with no texture. The polished surface shows the crystal construction more clearly as you can see the full depth of color.
This type of limestone is quite porous which makes it easier to keep polished as products seal the pores of the surface of the stone which repels moisture.
What Can You do With Polished Stone Limestone?
Polished stoned limestone is used mostly for indoor construction work rather than outside. The polished surface can pick up dust, dirt, sand and various other natural particles outside which makes it harder to maintain. It’s advised to use polished stone limestone in indoor areas to:
- Tile bathroom walls
- The inside of a shower
- Kitchen floors
- Tabletops
- Kitchen walls
How to Maintain the Polish
Because polished stone limestone is high in maintenance you’ll need to polish the surface of your limestone regularly to preserve the surface shine. Here is how you can maintain polished stone limestone.
What you’ll need:
- pH-neutral stone cleaner
- Sponge
- Bucket of water
- A 7" handheld polisher with variable speeds of 600-3000 rpm
- 3000 grit diamond pad
- 11000 grit diamond pad
Method:
- Wash the surface of the limestone with a pH-neutral stone cleaner using a soft sponge. Rinse the cleaner off with warm water.
- Polish the surface with a handheld polisher using a 3000 grit diamond pad. Set the handheld polisher on its lowest setting and move the polisher in circular motions on the surface of the limestone for 30 seconds.
- Make sure to keep the surface of the limestone slightly wet.
- Keep checking the surface to see if it’s been polished according to your preference.
- After you’ve polished the limestone with the 3000 grit pad, remove the grit and rinse it with water. Rinse the limestone surface with water and a sponge before the next step.
- Install an 11000 grit diamond pad onto your polisher and polish the entire limestone surface area as you did with the 3000 grit pad. After you’ve polished the limestone, rinse the surface and the grit with water. Allow your limestone and tools to dry.
Brushed Stoned Limestone
Brushing limestone is used to create texture on the surface of the material. To create texture a steel or hard nylon brush is used to scratch the surface of the limestone. Brushed stone limestone is more resilient to scratches and marks.
This type of textured limestone comes in light colors and can have a matte or polished finish.
What Can You do With Brush Stone Limestone?
For outdoor construction, you can use brushed limestone to:
- Build a fire pit
- To tile a lapa area
- Construct outdoor pillars
- Tile patios
- Frame a garden
- Outdoor tabletops
For outdoor construction, you can use brushed limestone to:
- Tile kitchen walls
- Frame indoor fireplaces
- Bathroom floors
- Shower walls
- To frame a bathtub
- Windowsills
The History of Limestone
Limestone is a carbonate sedimentary rock that’s been mined for various architectural constructions for thousands of years. Let’s take a brief look at what ancient civilization used the stone limestone for.
700 BCE
In modern Israel, a 700 BCE lime mortar floor was discovered in Yiftah El. The flooring was made with hydrated lime which was produced by heating limestone and subsequently slaking the stone.
2560 BCE
Eocene limestone was used in ancient Egypt to construct pyramids and temples. The Great Pyramid of Giza consists of approximately 2.3 million limestone blocks with an average of 1 cubed meter. Each limestone block weighs about two to three tons.
1240
During this time in the 1200s, an order was given to whiten the Great Tower of London both inside and out. A slake lime mixture was most likely used to paint over the stonework. The bright white appearance is formed over time as calcium carbonate crystals form over the surface.
21st Century
Over 5000 tonnes of limestone is used for construction, agriculture, cement production, and steel production annually.
Final Thoughts – A Touch of Ancient Architecture
Do you want your construction project to have a bit of ancient architectural design? Why not use the popular stone limestone? The natural material is able to give your building projects a classy and sophisticated look. The stone limestone looks amazing when lit by a fireplace or natural lighting.
Limestone is easy to maintain and not to mention extremely robust adding durability to your construction work. Make a visual impact that lasts.
