sandstone
After the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, many homes made of wood were destroyed. When it came time to build new homes, laws were passed to prevent a similar disaster. Fireproof materials such as brick, marble, limestone, and terracotta tile became the preferred building materials since constructing buildings with wood was banned in the downtown area. Eight years after the fire, construction of the Nickerson House on Chicago’s near northside neighborhood began. The three-story, 24,000 square foot Italianate mansion was reported to be the largest and most extravagant private residence in Chicago at the time it was completed.
Las Vegas isn’t known for its subtlety. But just beyond a city defined by glitz and sparkle, one can experience a whole other color spectrum—one dictated by nature rather than neon lights. The desert offers a dramatic interplay of hues and textures, as canyons and cliffs in shades of russet, mahogany, and bronze echo across the landscape. These iconic rocks are ancient sand dunes that have become frozen in time; a vast deposit of richly-colored stone that has a myriad of uses.
Four years of overhaul—the complex’s first major renovation since 1917—resulted in a state capitol worthy of the accolades it has received. The stonework received the 2021 Grande Pinnacle Award from the Natural Stone Institute, while awards for the total project streamed in from many trade organizations: the American Public Works Association, Building Design and Construction magazine, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado, the Construction Management Association of America, and Engineering-News Record Mountain States.
Berea sandstone is famous for good reason; it’s a durable stone with few irregularities. The sandstone straddles the all-important line of being hard enough to withstand the elements, yet soft enough to be workable.
Krukowski Stone Company quarries two distinctly different stone types: Aqua Grantique and Quartz sandstone. Although they are quarried only a mile apart, they’re separated by more than 1 billion years of geologic time.
Sandstone heritage lives on through the work of master stone carver Keith Phillips who uses traditional hand tools to carve stone at a modest workshop known as The Shed, he is passing on his skills to a new generation of Tenino stone carvers.
Sandstone, by the most basic definition, is any stone that’s made mostly of sand-sized pieces that have been stuck together into a solid rock. That loose definition leaves a lot of room for variation.
Bluestone is a fine-grained sandstone from Pennsylvania and New York, characterized by its grey-blue color—but it’s not always blue.
Bluestone has become a popular choice across the nation for home patios, pavers, pool decks, and wall coping. Learn about natural bluestone colors and recommended applications.
Create old world style in your designs. Get ideas for your walkways and sidewalks using natural sandstone and cobblestones.
When a trained architect was looking for a beautiful landscape on the West Coast to build a vacation home for his family, he looked no further than the Santa Lucia Preserve.