Uses of Stones
Millions of years ago humans learned to use stone as a tool. No doubt, this is one of the most ancient materials that has been used for construction purposes. At present time, stones are largely used for foundation work, railway ballast, roads, concrete, walls, columns, lintels, flooring, etc. If you want to learn about stone and the use of stone then you are in the right place.
If you are a history lover then you have already heard about the monument, sculptures, and statues which are made of stone in ancient times. The Great Pyramid of Giza, Moai Statues, The Roman Colosseum, the Tower of Pisa, the Taj Mahal, etc. all are examples of the most popular stone monuments.
You know, all the basic structures of a building can be made of stone. In this article, I will show you some uses of stone. So, let’s start.
1. Foundation Work
Stone is one of the most preferable materials for foundation work. It is more durable and less permeable than brick. Stone also reduces the chance of settlement of a structure. It also reduces the sinking effects. Generally, before concreting, a layer of stone gravel is laid to make the foundation base hard and loads reliably.
2. Wall
Stone is used to make an external wall, retaining wall, boundary wall, partition wall, etc. Stones are more durable than bricks. It has weather-resisting properties and does not easily decay by chemical action. That is why they have gained popularity in the field of construction.
3. Column
Stone is also used to make columns of a building. To make such a type of verticle structure one stone is laid over the other, and mortar is used to join them together.
4. Lintel
Some types of stones are available in a large sizes, these types of stones are mostly used for the lintel structure. They are placed horizontally over the opening portion of a building.
5. Railway Ballast
You may have noticed that there are usually crushed stones around the railway tracks. These crushed stones are called ballast. The stone helps to hold the track firmly to its position. There are several materials available for railway ballast but the stone is most commonly used as ballast because of its hard, durable, non-porous properties. Read Also: – Advantages and Disadvantages of Broken Stone Ballast.
6. Flooring
Stone is a common material for flooring. Several types of natural stones like- granite, marble, limestone, slate, etc. have been using flooring purposes. As they are durable, hard, and good in appearance they are preferable for outdoor as well as indoor flooring.
It is also used for covering the floor of residential, commercial and industrial buildings. I have already discussed about stone flooring in another article, you can check it here – Flagstone flooring.
7. Concrete
You must have heard about concrete. At present time, most of the buildings are made of concrete. The coarse aggregate which is used for making concrete is one type of stone. In another way, we can say that stone is the basic material of cement concrete.
8. Roof
Some stones (like- slate, limestone, etc.) are also used for roofing. They are generally cut into rectangular pieces like tiles before using them as roof covering. It is the best material for creating a leakproof roof covering.
9. Road Construction
Stone is also a common material for road construction. They are used for paving roads, footpath, and as base course materials. Granite and basalt are the important stones used for road construction. Basalt is used for road pavement and as a coarse aggregate for concrete.
