People in all ages have been using natural stone cut to dimension as a reliable building material. Monuments and relics like the pyramids and the Sphinx stand testimony to the wide usage of dimension stones even in the ancient cultures and civilizations. Dimension stones and woods were the main load bearing material until the arrival of steel, aluminum and concrete. This preference for natural stone cut to dimension has not been limited to the durability factor only but their beauty and elegance also plays an important role. In fact, most palatial structures, royal residences, shrines in Europe and Asia share one thing in common — extensive use of natural stone cut in specific sizes and shapes for decorative purposes.
In modern times, dimension stone is put to ornamental use chiefly. With the introduction of advanced machinery and improved technology, it became all the more effortless to cut large blocks into thin slabs and tiles. As a result, most natural stone quarries have registered huge cost cuts in the production of dimension stone. This speaks for the large-scale use of stone cut to dimension for commercial and private purposes.
What Varieties Of Natural Rocks Can Be Cut to Dimension?
Not all natural rocks can be cut to specified dimension. Most rocks fall prey to fast weathering and fracturing and are hence unsuited to be cut into slabs, tiles or sheets. The color, surface texture and pattern of natural rock materials also determine their usage as stone cut to dimension. The resilience, low-reactivity and low porosity of rocks are the other desired characteristics.
Adjudged on these criteria, rock types such as granite, limestone, marble, sandstone, and slate are regarded the principal natural stones fit to be cut into preferred shapes and sizes. Other less popular dimension stones are — argillite, alabaster, basalt, diorite, flagstone, sandstone, soapstone, etc.
Uses Of Dimension Stone
Designers worldwide have fallen for the natural looks of natural stone cut to dimension. Since the 1970s and 1980s, dimension stones have been the hottest architectural / fashion trend and are being used as ornamentations for both commercial projects and private houses. Commercial uses include stone facades, claddings for buildings, exterior paving, feature walls, flooring, landscaping and other decorative applications. In private homes, likewise, natural stone cut to dimension is being used for both exterior and interior design applications.
In recent constructions, however, the selection of the natural stone is largely based on the characteristic of the rock. Thus, porous and fast weathering rocks like sandstone and limestone are an excellent choice for interior walls, patios and foyers but they are ruled out in areas which are given to chemical and mechanical wear and tear. Hardy, coarse grained, less porous, less permeable igneous rocks like granite are fit for areas like the exteriors, flooring, etc.
Price Of Dimension Stone
Dimension stone is sold both in rough form (used for construction purposes) and after undergoing thorough processing / treatment. The price of dimension stones do depend on their natural attributes but the finishing effect is the prime consideration. Thus, a natural Stone Walkway Pricing carried out with fully treated dimension stone will be far higher than done with untreated stone cut to dimension. Even so, the majesty of dressed, treated stone cut to dimension is too tempting and too strong to overcome!