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| Basalt Paving |
The most popular igneous stones used
in building construction are granite and basalt, which means that they are cooled
from the magma stage of molten rock, minerals and gases. Both contain large
quantities of quartz and silica, but it is the heavy metals such as iron and
magnesium that give the stones their dark colour.
Granite
Granite is great stuff. It's
coarse-textured rock in which individual mineral grains are easily visible.
Granite is strong and extremely durable. It mainly contains the minerals
potassium, feldspar and quartz with small amounts of mica. Most of the
continent is made of granite.
Granite is one of the hardest, most
popular building materials used in the world and is commonly used indoors for
kitchen benchtops, bathroom vanities, floors and furniture. Outdoors it is used
in large structures such as bridges, monuments, retaining walls and steps and
in large public floor areas due to its solid character and ability to withstand
deterioration. Granite is usually used as a slab rather than a tile, so its
weight must be considered when choosing an application.
Polished granite is hard wearing,
easily maintained, heat, chip, bacteria, fire and scratch resistant and is not
affected by acidic liquids such as juice, coffee, tea and wine when treated
with a good quality penetrating sealer. Granite has an ageless beauty, is
longer wearing than manmade stones and will retain its colour and finish longer
than other stones.
Colours are usually shades of black,
grey, brown, red, pink and yellow, which are determined by the minerals trapped
when the stone is forming.
Basalt
Because the magma comes out of the
earth and cools very quickly, the minerals have very little opportunity to
grow. Basalt is thus extrusive and very fine grained.Basalt is also known as
bluestone. It was traditionally used for cobbled roads and laneways due to its
durability and because water drained away from the surface efficiently allowing
it to dry quickly. It was also popular due to its texture, which made it a
non-slip surface. It is now commonly used in outdoor areas for paving, stairs,
exterior wall cladding, ponds, landscaping, pathways and indoors for
countertops, walls and floors.
Colours are usually blue-grey,
green-grey, grey and black.
Formation & Characteristics of Igneous
Stones
Igneous stones are exposed to extreme
heat, hence the name ‘igneous’, which comes from the Latin word ‘ignius’
meaning fire. Igneous stone is either ‘intrusive’ or ‘extrusive’. ‘Intrusive’
stone is formed underground where rock located up to 40km under the earth’s
surface melts at temperatures of up to 900 Degree C and becomes magma. The
magma rises and cools slowly, trapping gases and minerals, and eventually solidifying
into stone that has large crystals and a coarse texture. Granite is ‘intrusive’
stone.
‘Extrusive’ stone such as Basalt
develops above the earth’s surface. It is formed from lava that flows from
volcanos on to the earth’s surface and into the sea, or from volcanos under the
sea. The lava settles on the earth or on the ocean floor and cools. The faster
cooling process, due to the lower temperature at the earth’s surface and under
the ocean, encourages smaller crystals to form.
Stone Restoration Service by The
Marble Man
It is a common mistake to think that granite
and basalt stones are pretty easy to maintain as they are made of strong natural
stone quarried from the mountain ranges. But the real thing is that even though
they have a strong surface and are highly resistant, it needs regular maintenance
that includes cleaning, sealing and polishing as per the usage. These stone
surfaces can be maintained to look as new for six months to one year by
protecting against moisture and harmful spills.
We have a team of experienced
technicians who receive hands on, practical training on stone care processes
and are kept up to date with the latest techniques and technology. We provide
service at: Gold Coast|Brisbane|Sunshine Coast|Byron
Bay|Sydney|Canberra|Newcastle|Central Coast.
If you would like us to inspect your
stone and get advice on its repair or restoration, an experienced team member
will visit at a time convenient to you and provide a no obligation, FREE Quote.
Call our office today on 1300 627 626 or Email us to book your onsite
evaluation.
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