Batu alam adalah salah satu bahan yang paling biasa digunakan di rumah dan taman. Tetapi pernahkah anda berhenti untuk tertanya-tanya dari mana asalnya jubin batu, batu bata atau lantai anda?
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.
Marmar 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.
Kuarzit berasal dari batu pasir yang telah diubah melalui haba dan mampatan. Batu itu kebanyakannya berwarna putih, tetapi juga boleh didapati dengan warna coklat, kelabu atau kehijauan padanya. Ia adalah salah satu jenis batu semula jadi yang paling sukar, menjadikannya pilihan yang sangat baik untuk membina fasad, countertop dan struktur lain yang memerlukan batu tugas berat.
Granit pada asalnya adalah batu igneus yang telah terdedah kepada magma (lava) dan diubah melalui pendedahan kepada mineral yang berbeza. Batu ini biasanya ditemui di negara-negara yang telah melihat aktiviti gunung berapi yang tinggi pada satu ketika, dan boleh didapati dalam pelbagai jenis warna dari hitam, coklat, merah, putih, dan hampir semua warna di antaranya. Granit adalah pilihan yang bagus untuk dapur dan bilik mandi kerana kualiti antibakterianya.
Batu kapur adalah hasil daripada pemampatan terumbu karang, kerang laut dan hidupan laut lain bersama-sama. Terdapat dua jenis batu kapur, jenis yang lebih keras yang penuh dengan kalsium, dan jenis yang lebih lembut dengan lebih banyak magnesium. Batu kapur keras sering digunakan dalam industri pembinaan, atau dikisar dan digunakan dalam mortar kerana kualiti kalis airnya.
Bluestone 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.
Batu tulis dicipta apabila sedimen syal dan batu lumpur diubah melalui haba dan tekanan. Tersedia dalam warna hitam, ungu, biru, hijau dan kelabu, batu tulis telah menjadi pilihan popular untuk bumbung kerana ia boleh dipotong nipis dan menahan suhu sejuk dengan kerosakan yang minimum. Batu tulis juga sering digunakan sebagai jubin lantai kerana sifatnya yang berkekalan.
Travertine 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.