Limestone is a preferred material in contemporary building projects where it finds use in flooring and paving applications. However, limestone has a rich historical past, the use of the material in building going back several millennia.
Limestone is an Old World building material, with an extraordinary range of colours and looks. It’s actually a biologically made stone, usually of marine origin, with calcium carbonate from microscopic creatures comprising 50 per cent of its composition. Small fossils are often found in limestone. The rest of the stone is sedimentary, often including clays, which produce the fabulous colours of limestone.
Extremely popular in home design, limestone tiles are featured in some of the world’s most famous homes, including the White House.
Designing with limestone
A highly versatile material, limestone is easy to work with, which explains its popularity in building works since historical times – even some of the Pyramids contain limestone. Design options are literally limitless. If you’ve got a good designer, just mention the word ‘limestone’ and you’ll get a lot of interest from a real stone enthusiast.
Limestone is on par with sandstone as a building material. It can even be used as a structural material as in coastal Croatia as well as in insulation and cladding applications.
Consistency and colour – working with a great stone medium
Limestone is a great practical medium for working with colour and design. The limestone colour palette includes subtle lemon, quiet blues and warm reds as well as the famous white limestone – all the primary colours in any mix of your choice.
However, limestone is also acid-sensitive – exposure to acid can cause pitting in the surface. This means you need to reconsider your options for areas where spilled food or wines might be an issue. (This problem hasn’t stopped limestone buildings in Eastern Europe from lasting for hundreds of years despite severe acid rain.)
Timeless elegance – limestone feature floor designs
Limestone flooring is pretty special, by any standards. It actually improves lighting with an even but muted reflection of natural light, much appreciated in glaring Australian summers and frosty winters alike.
When you are planning big spaces and feature floors, limestone should be on your preferred list of material options. Limestone is the stonemason’s joy, and you’ll soon see why as you work with your designs. Each tile is special. The ‘organic’ nature of limestone gives the tiles real individuality, with subtle differences and nuances.
Limestone flooring is perfect for any setting or occasion, providing the perfect base for designing elegant interiors.
