Why Is Limestone Often Used In Making Construction Materials?

Posted on: 18 December 2020

Limestone is often used in both constructing and renovating buildings of all sizes. It is usually crushed into a fine material that is then molded and cut into various sizes of stone panels. These panels can be used for both the interior of buildings, such as walls and counters, and the exterior of buildings as well. These are some reasons why limestone is often used in making construction materials.

It Is Very Durable

Limestone is one of the hardest, strongest types of rock on the planet. Many years ago it was commonly used to build large buildings, coliseums, and statues that were meant to last for centuries. Therefore, it is also a natural choice for construction materials today. Limestone is also a very dense type of rock, and this means it does not allow rain to soak through and it can easily tolerate extremely high or extremely low temperatures as well. 

It Is Not Expensive

When compared to some other types of stone that are used for building materials, limestone is more cost-effective. There is a greater supply of limestone, so it is usually readily available.  Since it can be crushed into stone panels, this means that less limestone may be needed to cover the same area as solid stone. It is also less expensive to transport limestone panels to building sites than it is to move solid rock because the panels are lighter in weight and do not weigh down the trucks that haul it as much.

It Can Be Very Decorative

Another aspect that makes limestone a favorite choice for building materials is that it can be made to look very decorative. When limestone is crushed, it is an almost white colored substance. Depending on the color the building owner prefers, limestone panels can be dyed in various colors such as brown, gold, red, or black. The panels can also have different finishes such as polished, sanded, fluted and bush hammered. This allows the person having the building constructed or renovated a choice in how it will look when it is finished.

Limestone can also be used in the construction of roads or concrete bridges. It is often mixed in with blacktop to make the roads more durable so they do not have to be patched or repaved as frequently. It is also sometimes mixed in with cement and other materials when concrete bridges are built to make bridges stronger and safer.

If you need limestone for your construction project, talk to a business like Small's Sand Gravel Inc.

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