Stone

Stones are solid natural materials compound of different minerals. In most areas where stone is available, it has been favoured over other materials for the construction of monumental architecture. Its advantages are durability, adaptability to sculptural treatment, and the fact that it can be used in modest structures in its natural state. But it is difficult to quarry, transport, and cut, and its weakness in tension limits its use for beams, lintels, and floor supports.
 * What are stones?

Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
 * How many kinds of stone do you know?

They are strong and rough. Some of them are precious, others are porous..
 * What characteristics do stones have?

Stones are used in construction because of their durability and resistance. In some cases because of its beauty.
 * Why are stones used in construction?

Stone is a natural and solid material compounded by different minerals. Stones can be easily found in nature, however the quarry is the place established to extract them. In construction, stone has many advantages and some disadvantages. It is a very durable material as it is evidenced in the Egyptian pyramids. It is also very adaptable into many different shapes, as it is used to make sculptures and engravings. The stone can be used naturally, and sometimes it is even better that way. Nevertheless stone is not the perfect construction material. Even though it is easily found it is hard to quarry it. This material is not as resistant in tension as it is in compression. Because of its heaviness it’s difficult to transport and sometimes to mold it as well. There are different stonework techniques. One of them, rubble, is the most natural way to use it. It consists in cutting the stones in irregular shapes and set them together with mortar. The second technique is called Ashlar-Masonry and the shapes made with this technique are regular, so they don´t need as much bounding material because they can work by compression. **The best stone bounding is the one where the blocks are placed so that the joints aren’t one above the other.** **Stone slabs are not very useful because frequently they required other materials to be able to resist the weight.** This is why stone has been a very used material all along architecture history, and it is still as important. media type="file" key="stone.wma" width="309" height="75"
 * PARAGRAPH** 2