Sandstone

Building with Scottish Stone, published by the Natural Stone Institute and the Scottish Executive in 2005, states: ‘Sandstone is a sedimentary rock containing visible mineral grain constituents held together by natural cement. Sandstones vary widely in terms of constituent minerals, cement types, grain size and pore structure, leading to a wide variety of colours and different performances as building stones. Many Scottish sandstones are composed of variable proportions of quartz grains, naturally cemented by silica or, in some cases by carbonate. Variable quantities of clay minerals may be present. Mica may also be present. Sandstones may be massive (without internal lamination) or bedded. Sometimes they may have sedimentary structures such as ripple bedding or cross bedding. Rarely they may contain fossils. Depending upon these factors they respond differently to tooling. Bed heights vary and dictate how stone may be used for example as traditional ashlar or as modern cladding.’

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