Dimension Stone

Stone is considered by many to be the premium material in all kinds of construction. Its use dates to the dawn of civilization, and only buildings made of stone have survived from ancient times. Dimension Stone is a stone that is cut and finished to specified sizes and shapes, which can be used for buildings, monuments, paving, furniture, and decorative objects. Sometimes called a cut stone, it is typically quarried in rectangular blocks, then sawed and finished to specification.

Dimension Stone is produced from quarrying. Quarry operations typically involve isolating a mass of stone by cutting it free from the parent mass on all sides but one. The isolated mass is then lifted or separated from the parent mass by breaking it free or by undercutting it with a wire or chain saw. The freed stone can either be a mill block (block suitable for either sale or resizing) or a quarry block (a much larger block size).

Quarry blocks are subdivided by breaking them into smaller blocks that can be removed from the quarry and sent to the mill. Typical mill blocks range in size from 12 to 30 t, but they can reach weights as large as 65 t. Quarry operations thus involve cutting the stone, breaking the stone, and removing the stone from the quarry.

Uses: Rough block production represents more than half of the dimension stone produced annually. Rough blocks of various dimension stone are used mostly in construction and to make monuments. Dressed stone is used to make curbstones for streets, flagstones for roofs and walkways, and other decorative uses such as for carvings and statues. The dressed stone represents more than half by tonnage of total dimension stone sold or used.

Rough block production represents more than half of the dimension stone produced annually. Rough blocks of various dimension stone are used mostly in construction and to make monuments. Dressed stone is used to make curbstones for streets, flagstones for roofs and walkways, and other decorative uses such as for carvings and statues. The dressed stone represents more than half by tonnage of total dimension stone sold or used.