Example of the plaving slabs we install
Jerusalem Stone is one of the oldest and most beautiful building materials in the world. The deposits, which are quarried in the Holy Land around Jerusalem, vary in colour from a rich gold to hues of grey and pink and are similar to limestone in appearance but much harder and less porous giving them the durability of granite. This means that it can be used inside and out in both domestic and commercial settings.
Jerusalem Stone
Jerusalem Stone is the trade name of stone quarried in areas from the Jordan River on the east of Israel to the Mediterranean Sea on the country’s west, and from the southern Port of Eilat on the Red Sea to The Galilee and Haifa on the north. It is mostly dolomitic limestone or dolomite, and tends to be of a gold or reddish hue, though some varieties are grey or nearly white. Dolomite is composed in large part of the mineral dolomite, which is made of calcium magnesium carbonate crystals. Dolomite crystals are white, grey to pink in colour and it is this that gives Jerusalem stone its characteristic tint. Dolomitic limestone is where the stone has been formed by the replacement of limestone with dolomite crystals.
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock, formed from limestone by heat and pressure causing the limestone and any fossilised materials to recrystallise and form large coarse grains of calcite. Impurities present in the original limestone give the marble its colour and minerals form the veins that are a characteristic feature of the stone. Marble is found all over the world in different forms and the properties of each stone vary according to its composition.
Travertine
Travertine is a sedimentary rock. Travertine is a natural chemical precipitate of carbonate minerals; typically aragonite, but often recrystallized to or primarily calcite; which is deposited from the water of mineral springs (especially hot springs) or streams saturated with calcium carbonate. When pure, travertine is white, but it is often brown to yellow due to impurities. When carbon dioxide-rich water percolates through rocks in limestone areas, the water dissolves the limestone and becomes saturated with it. When the water resurfaces later, the sudden drop in pressure and the change in temperature cause the water to release the carbon dioxide gas, much like fizzy drinks. The calcium carbonate then recrystallizes, often over minute underwater plants. The resulting rock is typically quite porous with numerous cavities.
Mediterranean stone
Our range comes from plentiful quarries in the Eastern Desert near the River Nile Valley the Valley of Kings and Aswan in the south that Exterior Stone taps the most dynamic and beautiful sources 100 million years in the making Egyptian Stone’s unique material of dolomitic limestone is a union of minerals from low- and high-range mountains, compressing and fusing a blend of fossilized sea creatures and gem-like ingredients that give you a creamy golden or honey hue.
Types of Stone Finish
Whilst most of our products are mainly used externally. The honed and polished are to compliment the other finishes and are for internal or covered area use only. The thickness of this stone is nominally 10 – 12mm thick. The finishes for exterior use are, chiselled, brushed, antiqued, and tumbled; the thickness for these units are 30mm.
Honed
A smooth satin finish achieved by using abrasive polishers on the surface of the stone. This preserves the aesthetic qualities of the stone but gives a less reflective surface than polishing.
Polished
A highly reflective finish achieved by applying polishing abraders to a honed stone surface.
Chiselled
This finish is adds a deeply attractive contrast to any project. This feature paving is used as a decorative trim, skirting and is used to clad walls.
Brushed
A soft worn finish achieved by using plastic or metal brushes on the surface of the stone.
Tumbled
The stone is tumbled in a machine similar to a cement mixer or washing machine with small pieces of abrasive material such as granite or marble. This achieves a worn rustic finish. Larger pieces are either brushed or acid washed to achieve the same look as it is not practical to tumble them.
Antiqued
This worn finish is achieved by a variety of methods such as tumbling, brushing or acid washing (treating the stone with an acid that eats into the surface to produce a worn effect).
Flamed
Flamed paving is heated under the highest of temperatures, using a controlled finishing process. This high heat causes the individual grains in the stone to burst and change color. The result is a rougher texture of stone with a more natural, faded appearance. Generally, the colors of flamed paving units are more muted, including shades of tan or charcoal.
