Sandstone is universal. It has a wide range of application possibilities from exterior and interior slabs to volumetrical architectural forms. There are thousands of its types. It is acid and frost resistant. It is ecologically safe and very often makes the rooms ecology better. It is a natural heat-protector for buildings facades due to its low heat conduction coefficient. The examples of its usage are: White House in the USA, many buildings in Paris (Notre-Dame de Paris, Ritz), masterpieces of great Gaudi in Barcelona, all old England, France.
Sandstones belong to sedimentary rocks formed in the result of organic and nonorganic substances thickening on the earth surface or at the bottom of natural water bodies. This stone consists mostly of quartz particles cemented with different mineral solutions such as ferric oxides, Lo-Wate, silica, loamy and lime materials.
The colour of the stone depending on the area of its deposit can be white, light grey, dark grey, yellow, tawny, brown, red and even blue green.
Sedimentary nature of sandstone determines its layer-like structure.
Sandstone colours of Ukrainian origin (Lugansk region)
When sandstone is extracted out from the deposits it is split off in layers of different thickness. That is how slab material is got. Later, if necessary, sandstone is sewed to give the shapeless slabs proper geometry.
The sphere of sandstone application is very broad. In landscape designing the stone is used to create extremely interesting small forms, water bodies coating, walks, squares and pavements paving, for covering columns, embrasures filling… Sandstone perfectly suits coating works and is used as ‘untreated edge’, slabs as well as their combinations.
The stone is successfully used for inner interiors making in modern premises. Sandstone perfectly matches modern building materials and products. Masoned near and even closely it underlines the contrast between archaic and modern style in room design, makes the interior cosy and protected.
Sandstone is more suitable for making design in ‘country’ style. It is its advantage in comparison with classical granite and marble in which the influence of technological treatment is to a certain extent observed. A pattern made of stone with different colours and sizes is very impressive.
By its physical and mechanical properties sandstone is between solid rocks such as granite and marble and soft rocks such as limestone, tufa, gypsum rocks. Depending on the composition of cementing material the stone has the following characteristics:
- material class - 1
- dry consistence from Pc = 1600 kg/m to Pc = 2900 kg/m
- water absorption 0,2 – 10 %.
- porosity 1 – 1,5 %.
- breaking point in dry condition from Rc = 49 МРа, to Rc = 85 МРа.
- abradability from 0,55 g./sq. sm. to 0,72 g./sq. sm.
- frost resistance grade - F50
By many its properties sandstone exceeds many traditional stones mainly due to its durability, solidity, firmness, decorative properties and price. Durability of sandstone exceeds even many sorts of marble. Convincing proof of it are the Egyptian pyramids existing till now in open air.
Sandstone has one more very important property that makes it differ even from granite. Granite being an eruptive rock quite often has heightened radioactivity background. It is so because of the admixtures of rare earth elements (cerium, lanthanum, etc.) presence in granite. In first class granites that can be used in any building works without restrictions specific activity of radioactive nuclides should not exceed 370 Bq/kg. Granites exceeding threshold by this factor have particular restrictions, sometimes they are not allowed to be used. Sandstone being of completely different origin belongs to the first class materials not exceeding the natural background norm accepted for building materials used without restrictions.
