天然石はどのように形成されるのか？景観石

天然石 石は、家や庭で最もよく使われる素材の 1 つです。しかし、石のタイル、レンガ、床材がどこから来たのか考えたことがありますか?

美しい天然石積み石システムの外壁

Natural stone was created thousands of years ago when the Earth was just a ball of mineral gases. As these gases began to cool down, they compressed and solidified to form the world we know today. It was during this process that natural stone was formed – the type of stone created depends on what type of minerals were combined at that time. This was a slow process that occurred over millions of years. As the Earth began to settle, many of these seams of stone were gradually pushed to the surface by heat and pressure, creating the large formations we see today.

Stone can come from anywhere in the world, and the type of stone is determined by its origins. There are quarries in America, Mexico, Canada, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Brazil, as well as many other countries around the globe. Some countries have multiple natural stone quarries, whilst others only have a few. Let’s look in closer detail at where particular stones originate and how they were formed.

大理石

大理石 is the result of limestone that has been altered through heat and pressure. It’s a versatile stone that can be used on virtually anything – statues, stairs, walls, bathrooms, counter tops, and more. Usually seen in white, marble is also common in black and grey tints, and has great weather endurance.

珪岩

珪岩 熱と圧縮によって変化した砂岩から作られます。石は主に白色ですが、茶色、灰色、緑がかった色合いのものもあります。最も硬い天然石の 1 つで、建物のファサード、カウンタートップ、その他耐久性の高い石材を必要とする構造物に最適です。

花崗岩

花崗岩 もともとはマグマ（溶岩）にさらされ、さまざまな鉱物にさらされて変化した火成岩です。この石は、かつて火山活動が活発だった国でよく見られ、黒、茶色、赤、白、そしてその間のほぼすべての色まで、さまざまな色があります。花崗岩は抗菌性があるため、キッチンやバスルームに最適です。

石灰岩

石灰岩 石灰岩は、サンゴ、貝殻、その他の海洋生物が圧縮されてできたものです。石灰岩には、カルシウムを多く含む硬いタイプと、マグネシウムを多く含む柔らかいタイプの 2 種類があります。硬い石灰岩は、その防水性から建築業界でよく使われ、粉砕されてモルタルに使用されます。

ブルーストーン

ブルーストーン is sometimes referred to as basalt, and is one of the most common natural stones around the world. Bluestone forms through the alteration of lava, and because of this, is one of the closest stones to the Earth’s surface. Basalt is generally darker in colour, and is used as house roofing and floor tiles because of its hard texture.

スレート

スレート スレートは、頁岩と泥岩の堆積物が熱と圧力によって変化して生成されました。黒、紫、青、緑、灰色のカラーが揃ったスレートは、薄くカットでき、低温にも耐えられるため、損傷が最小限で済むため、屋根材として人気があります。また、耐久性があるため、床タイルとしてもよく使用されます。

トラバーチン

トラバーチン is created when floodwaters wash through limestone, leaving mineral deposits throughout. As it dries out, the extra minerals solidify to gradually create a much denser material called travertine. This stone is good as a replacement for marble or granite, as it’s much lighter and easier to work with, yet still durable. For this reason travertine is often used on floors or walls, and is estimated to last around fifty years if maintained regularly.