Limestone Siding
Think of ancient monuments still standing today. What are they made out of? The answer is stone. Natural stone is beautiful and virtually resistant to the weather. If you want your homes siding to last and you want it to look great with minimal maintenance then stone is the way to go. The types of stone you’ll find on most homes are limestone, slate, sandstone, and granite. This article focuses on limestone as a superior material for your homes exterior siding. Limestone is a durable material that holds up well to exposure and, because it is readily available and easy to cut into blocks or more elaborate shapes, limestone is a popular building material in architecture.
What is limestone?
Most limestone is formed in the ocean mainly of animal shells; however some are formed in lakes, rivers, and on land. Limestone is the most copious of the non-clastic sedimentary rocks. It is produced from the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate) and sediment. The calcium carbonate can be precipitated from ocean water or it can be formed from sea creatures that secrete lime such as algae and coral. The various types of limestone are differentiated by the material from which they were formed.
Limestone is usually white but may be colored by impurities such as sand, clay, organic remains, iron oxide and other materials, making it brown, yellow, or red and carbon making it blue, black, or gray. The texture varies from coarse to very fine. Depending on the method of formation, limestone can be crystalline, granular, clastic, or dense. Crystals of calcite, quartz, dolomite or barite may line small cavities in the rock. Chert nodules are common in limestone layers. Limestone deposits are frequently of great thickness. The action of organic acids on underground deposits causes such formations as the Luray Caverns, the Carlsbad Caverns, and Mammoth Cave.
Designer Colors by Mother Nature
Limestone is aesthetically diverse. Its color palate is among the most distinct available in nature. The range of colors can go from coffee brown, latte-tinted beiges, and various shades of gray to richer shades of honey, speckled black, light blues, and many other hues in between.
Old World Charm or Contemporary?
Though often incorporated into designs of old world charm, due to the various color hues limestone provides, it’s also a popular material for contemporary and modern homes as well. As a building material limestone is adaptable to many applications and building styles.
Time Will Tell
For centuries limestone has been a common building material. Monuments, government buildings, churches, and other structures are still standing today as a testament to its durability. Many of Europe’s medieval castles were built with blocks of limestone and still stand today. Perhaps the best known of all ancient limestone structures are Egypt’s pyramids.
Statistics of Limestone - Medium-density limestone as defined by ASTM:
- Sawn (rough)
- Abrasion resistance, minimum hardness:10
- Maximum absorption rate (%): 7.5
- Minimum density (pcf): 135
- Compressive strength (psi): 4,000
- Modulus of rupture (psi): 1,000 (min)
Limestone Finishes
- Bush hammered
- Honed
- Polished
- Rubbed
- Sandblasted
- Split face
Benefits of Natural Limestone
- Unique – every stone is different in texture and color
- Long-term – your home will last a few lifetimes and will provide a legacy for future generations.
- Timeless – not only will it withstand the test of time, its beauty will never age or date. Limestone hasn’t gone out of style in thousands of years so there’s a good chance it never will.
- Rich beauty – natural limestone cannot be replicated. Every stone is a piece of art. Every speck and fleck has history behind it.
- The real thing – genuine natural stone is formed over millions of years and is, to this day, still the leader in the most durable building product.
Disadvantages
Cost – Limestone siding can be pretty expensive but worth every penny.