Bluestone is a construction material often used in outdoor settings. It’s a highly durable material used in a wide range of settings like stone steps, patios, pool decks, walk paths, and so on. The color of this stone depends on the place where it is mined.
Full Answer
Is bluestone the same as slate?
“Bluestone and slate are both used as building stone, but the properties and uses of the two types of rock are very different. Both bluestone and slate, however, are built of sedimentary deposits which have been altered over millennia of geologic processes.
What does the name bluestone mean?
“Bluestone” is a term that refers to sedimentary rocks, like sandstone or limestone that appear blue-grey in colour. When wet or freshly cut, bluestone usually appears blue, however, it’s also available in many other colours. Is blue Stone expensive? High Cost Per Square Foot Natural bluestone variety costs nearly $4 to $8 per square foot.
What does bluestone mean in Urban Dictionary?
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word BLUESTONE. A form of dolerite which appears blue when wet or freshly broken. Any of several massive stones used to construct Stonehenge. A feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. A basalt or olivine basalt. Slate from quarries in or near Adelaide.
Where does bluestone come from?
Where does Bluestone come from? Bluestone is usually a kind of sandstone or limestone if it originates in the United States. Specifically, North American bluestone is usually quarried in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania, and New York. Over 345 million years ago, small sand grains, as well as sea creatures like clams, were deposited in the Catskill Delta.
Why do people use bluestone?
Individuals and companies use bluestones in buildings due to their excellent resistance against slipping and scratching. Some construction companies also use them in the building walls or as a thin stone veneer.
Why is bluestone used in construction?
Many people and companies choose bluestone for their projects because this material is highly durable. It has dense composition and hardness, making it highly durable that can withstand harsh weather conditions. The texture of bluestone plays a crucial role in its durability.
How many square feet does a 1.5 inch bluestone patio cover?
Typically, a palette of 1.5 inch bluestone covers about 180 square feet of patio without cuts. 1 inch thick bluestone will cover approximately 220 square feet. When you figure out the material you need make sure to order enough for all the cuts and buy a little extra for broken pieces or stone you just don’t like.
How much does bluestone cost in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania bluestone and other varieties native to the US cost around $15 to $30 per square foot installed. Factors affecting the price include the area where you live, the pattern, thickness, and size of your patio. Another major factor is how the patio is built and how the stone is laid.
What is the best material for pool sides?
Bluestone is one of the most popular construction materials available on the market. It is scratch and slip-resistant and can withstand harsh weather conditions. However, when used at pool sides in hotter climates, it can absorb more heat.
What is the name of the stone that fades to grey?
In Australia there are two types. The first is commonly known as Victorian Bluestone which is a form of Basalt.
What is limestone made of?
Limestone is a sedimentary rock that is mainly made up of minerals calcite and aragonite, which are dissimilar crystal forms of calcium carbonate. Off color bluestone patio tiles with a textured surface. Blue-blue bluestone patio tiles with a smooth surface.
What is bluestone?
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including: basalt in Victoria, Australia, and in New Zealand. dolerites in Tasmania, Australia; and in Britain (including Stonehenge) feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada.
Where is bluestone used in Melbourne?
These include the Southgate complex and the promenade in Southbank, Victoria . Bluestone was also used extensively as cobblestone, and for kerbs and gutters, many examples which still exist in some of Melbourne's smaller city lanes and 19th century inner-suburban lanes.
What are the bluestones that humans have transported to Stonehenge?
Carn Menyn bluestones. These dolerite slabs, split by frost action, seem to be stacked ready for the taking, and many have been removed over the centuries for local use. Research favors the theory that humans also transported stones from Carn Menyn to Stonehenge, about 250 kilometers away.
What is the bluestone conundrum?
In the same year a book devoted specifically to the problem of bluestone provenance and transport concluded that the Stonehenge bluestones are essentially an ill-sorted assemblage of glacial erratics. Further research into the origin of the bluestones was published in 2012. If a glacier transported the stones, then it must have been the Irish Sea Glacier. In support of the glacial erratic theory, researchers reporting in 2015 found no firm evidence of quarrying at Rhosyfelin in the Preselis. However, in such event, one might expect to find other bluestone boulders or slabs near the Stonehenge site, but no such bluestones (apart from fragments) have been found.
What type of stone is used in the Starrucca Viaduct?
The Starrucca Viaduct, finished in 1848, is an example of Pennsylvania bluestone as a building material. The other, lesser known, type of American 'bluestone' is a blue-tinted limestone abundant in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
What is the bluestone at Stonehenge?
Stonehenge. The term "bluestone" in Britain is used in a loose sense to cover all of the "foreign," not intrinsic, stones at Stonehenge. It is a "convenience" label rather than a geological term, since at least 20 different rock types are represented. One of the most common rocks in the assemblage is known as Preseli Spotted Dolerite—a chemically ...
What is Timaru bluestone?
Timaru bluestone (also known as Port Chalmers bluestone) is an attractive building material, used both historically and to the present. It is a grey basalt similar to Victorian bluestone, quarried near Timaru in the South Island.
What Is Bluestone?
Bluestone is a sedimentary sandstone found in New York and Pennsylvania, and a limestone from Shenandoah Valley. What a treat for us Americans! If you choose this stone, you won’t have to wait for overseas shipping (which can take forever and can cost you an arm and a leg). Both types of bluestone are commonly used as pavers in hardscapes.
Why You Want It
You want a stone that is durable and will last for years to come. Bluestone is just that, and a bit more! This natural stone can withstand all types of weather and temperature fluctuations, so you won’t have to worry about your patio in the icy winter or the steaming hot summer.
What is bluestone used for?
Mixed with lime it is called Bordeaux mixture and used to control fungus on grapes, melons, and other berries. Bluestone is frequently encountered as an ingredient in mojo hands made by African-American hoodoo doctors, especially those for gamblers' luck and protection from evil.
What is copper sulfate used for?
Copper sulfate is used to test blood for anemia. The blood is tested by dropping it into a solution of copper sulfate of known specific gravity. Copper sulfate crystals is still used today dissolved in water in a "foot bath" for sheep to pass through as a prevention and cure for "foot rot".
What is bluestone used for?
Thermal Bluestone – This type of bluestone is most commonly used for driveways, pathways, walkways, sidewalks, patios and decks where the surface needs to be non-slip. The non-slip surface is created through heat-treating ...
What color pavers are used for bluestone?
Below is a list of the most common color options available in bluestone stair treads and other types of cut bluestone. blues. blue grays. browns. grays. oranges. purples. yellows.
What is a non-slip bluestone?
The non-slip surface is created through heat-treating the bluestone until a textured groove is created. Honed Finish Bluestone – This type of cut bluestone is most often suggested for use indoors where a smooth and thin paver finish is most appreciated.
Is bluestone good for walkways?
However, the beauty of natural cleft bluestone or thermal bluestone materials makes it a great choice for aesthetic veneer treatments both indoors ...
Can you use bluestone for stair treads in Westport?
Bluestone can be used as primary paving materials, veneer and as bluestone stair treads, both indoors and outdoors.
Where is bluestone found?
The Pros of Bluestone. Bluestone is a type of flagstone. It is unique in that it is only quarried in a few places in the northeastern United States and Canada (most bluestone comes from Pennsylvania or New York). This means that quantities are limited, which gives the stone an exclusive air.
What color pavers are available in Bristol Valley?
Bristol Valley. Bristol Valley pavers give you the look of bluestone in an easy-care package. The pavers are available in three colors: Bavarian, New York Blend, and Steel Mountain, with Steel Mountain being the closest in appearance to natural bluestone .
Is bluestone good for pool surrounds?
Bluestone’s dark colors can become very hot on bare feet, and bluestone also tends to become very slippery when wet. That’s why it’s rarely chosen as a material for pool surrounds, but this is something to keep in mind for walkways and patios too. Every outdoor space built using bluestone will truly be one-of-a-kind.
Overview
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:
• basalt in Victoria, Australia, and in New Zealand
• bluestone from Europe including the largest European bluestone quarry in Hochberg, Germany
Stonehenge
The term "bluestone" in Britain is used in a loose sense to cover all of the "foreign," not intrinsic, stones at Stonehenge. It is a "convenience" label rather than a geological term, since at least 20 different rock types are represented. One of the most common rocks in the assemblage is known as Preseli Spotted Dolerite—a chemically altered igneous rock containing spots or clusters of seco…
Australia
There are three distinct building materials called "bluestone" in Australia.
In Victoria, what is known as bluestone is a basalt or olivine basalt. It was one of the favoured building materials during the Victorian Gold Rush period of the 1850s. In Melbourne it was extracted from quarries throughout the inner northern suburbs, such as Clifton Hill, Brunswick and Coburg, where the quarry used to so…
New Zealand
Timaru bluestone (also known as Port Chalmers bluestone) is an attractive building material, used both historically and to the present. It is a grey basalt similar to Victorian bluestone, quarried near Timaru in the South Island. Bluestone from near Kokonga in Central Otago is also widely used, and is the main construction material (often with facing of Oamaru stone, a local compac…
United States and Canada
There are two distinct building materials called "bluestone" in the United States, one is also found in Canada.
Bluestone is quarried in western New Jersey, Pennsylvania and eastern New York. It is also quarried in the Canadian Appalachians near Deer Lake in Western Newfoundland. The Pennsylvania Bluestone Association has 105 members, th…
See also
• Theories about Stonehenge
Bibliography
• Jack, R Lockhart. The Building Stones of South Australia. Bulletin No. 10, Geological Survey of South Australia, Adelaide, 1923.
• John, Brian. The Bluestone Enigma: Stonehenge, Preseli and the Ice Age. Greencroft Books, 2008, page 95. ISBN 978-0-905559-89-6.
• Jones, Nancy. Rooted on Bluestone Hill: A History of James Madison University. Center for American Places, Inc. Santa Fe, NM. 2004.
External links
• Examination of the conflicting theories relating to the Stonehenge bluestones
• Enigma of the Stonehenge Bluestones and the Preseli Hills
• Wessex Archaeology's Bluestone information
• Secrets of the Preseli Bluestones