The most beautiful species + tips for processing

the essentials in brief

• Sandstone Half consists of grains of sand and is the generic term for a variety of species with specific properties such as texture, color and weather resistance.
• Premium types are fine-grain Obernkirchen sandstone and medium to coarse-grain Ibbenbürener sandstone in different colors.
• To clean dirty sandstone, succeeds with

Buy sandstone - beautiful types with their properties

Sandstone is a sedimentary rock that mainly consists of grains of sand. The size range of the sand grains extends from 0.063 mm to 2 mm, rarely up to 4 mm. Large deposits worldwide and in Germany make sandstone a highly valued building material for buildings, facades, paving, sculptures, and landscaping and gardening. Almost every region has individual types of sandstone to offer that inspire home and garden owners to come up with creative ideas. The following table gives an insight into the diverse world of beautiful sandstones with specific properties:

There are many different types of sandstone in many different shades

Please note: The classification according to sandstone types refers to the sand contained, whereby the naming refers to the region of the occurrence. Popular sandstone colors can be traced back to specific admixtures and have no direct relevance for species affiliation. Red sandstone can be both the popular Main sandstone and Weser sandstone. Yellow sandstone often comes from Poland and is known as Warthauer sandstone, but it can also be native to India. Blue sandstone is a rarity from the Teutoburg Forest and is known as Osning sandstone. Therefore, when buying sandstone by color, ask exactly what type it is. Because the sandstone type provides information about the texture and, consequently, how you can work or use the natural stone.

Ibbenbürener sandstone - short portrait

Ibbenbürener Sandstein owes its name to the city of the same name in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its premium quality is due to a formation that took place around 300 million years ago. As a frost-hard quartz rock with a markedly high silica content, Ibbenbüren sandstone is characterized by a pronounced resistance to weathering. The flexible color as a red sandstone qualifies the medium to coarse-grained sandstone for these uses:

• Bricks
• Facing brick
• Window sills
• Block steps
• floor tiles

Contrary to popular belief, the Statue of Liberty in New York does not stand on a base made of Ibbenbüren sandstone. Despite the sandstone-colored base color, the legendary Lady Liberty sits enthroned on concrete, clad with granite blocks.

Obernkirchener Sandstein - short portrait

Obernkirchen sandstone is slightly yellowish

Occurrences of Obernkirchen sandstone are locally limited to the town of Obernkirchen in northern Germany. The fine-grained, compact texture fascinates with unusual textures that make the sandstone look like streaks. If the quarry extracts yellowish blocks, the mineral limonite dominates in the rock. A gray coloration results from increased carbon components. Obernkirchen sandstone is primarily recommended for this natural stone work:

• ornate sculptures
• Hydraulic engineering work, such as edging wells or pool surrounds
• New buildings, in particular window sills, window frames and garden sculptures

The weather resistance of Obernkirchen sandstone is legendary. From 1153 to 1167, the town's collegiate church was built with this type of sandstone. Until today only minimal weathering can be observed. The high-quality type is often used as a water building block to expand shipping canals. Resourceful garden owners recognize this as an advantageous use for the design of the pond, Stream and water features.

Elbe sandstone - short portrait

As the name suggests, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains are made of sandstone

The Elbe was the inspiration behind the naming of Elbe sandstone. Natural occurrences are the north of Bohemia and parts of Saxony in the Dresden area. Delicate, marbled sandstone can be admired in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in Saxon Switzerland. It is not a single type of sandstone, but rather several types of sandstone that formed during the Cretaceous around 145 million years ago. Silica-bound quartz grains make up the main component and ensure high strength. As a building material with a load-bearing function, Elbe sandstone is often used to implement small and large projects.

Cottaer Sandstein - short portrait

Cotta sandstone is one of the Elbe sandstone types. Its special characteristics are expressed in an outstanding cultural significance. As the lowest stone horizon of a total of three, about 400 meters thick stone layers, Cotta sandstone is predestined for sculpting stone. A composition of lime, clay and gravel creates beautiful marble textures. This is what gifted stonemasons know how to use to process Cotta sandstone like this:

• Window and door frames
• restore historical buildings
• Window sill inside and outside of new buildings
• modern sculptures, such as fountains or stone lanterns for the Japanese garden design

Facades, columns and pillars with a cladding made of Cotta sandstone shine with a unique beauty. The surprising color changes do not always follow the course of the stratification, but appear as a cloudy, nodular, lively structure. Thanks to this special property, every object is stylized to be unique.

Baumberger Sandstein - short portrait

Baumberger sandstone is actually not a real sandstone. In fact, it is a sand-lime brick with a particularly high proportion of sand. Its home is the Münsterland with concentrated deposits near the town of Baumberge. Here, 145 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, the wonderful rock was formed, which is useful in many ways:

• Stone carving on historic and modern buildings
• Solid structures
• Cobblestones
• Curbs
• Stairs
• floor tiles
• Tombstones

Baumberger Sandstein has earned a good reputation for the expansion and design of interiors. Living room walls, clad with brick cladding strips made of light Baumberger sandstone, exude a cozy and cozy ambience. As tiles in the bathroom and living room, the fine-pored sandstone texture invites you to walk barefoot.

Seeberger Sandstein - short portrait

If you want to admire Seeberger sandstone in its natural environment, travel to Thuringia to the Großer Seeberg near Gotha. In the eponymous 6-kilometer-long Seeberg ridge there are two quarries that extract the noble natural stone. Seeberger sandstone is characterized by a predominantly light color with brown veins. Famous buildings testify to its weather resistance, such as the Erfurt Cathedral or the Wartburg in Eisenach. Modern uses are:

• Bricks
• Panels for facades, terraces and floor surfaces
• Paving stones, mainly small paving stones

Seeberger sandstone is a good choice to achieve the typical sandstone effect in creative garden design. Use the frost-resistant natural stone for the impressive dry stone wall, as barefoot-friendly terrace slabs or as stylish wall cladding for a facade with Mediterranean charm.

Udelfanger Sandstein - short portrait

Quarry stones from Udelfanger sandstone are mined near Trier. Experts date the geological age to the Lower Muschelkalk about 230 million years ago. The soft stone is very rare and has always been in great demand with sculptors and stonemasons due to its filigree fine grain. As green sandstone, the beautiful type of natural stone is also familiar to private builders who want to give their building project, indoors and outdoors, a noble, green need. If you want to buy Udelfanger sandstone, competent purchasing sources are few and far between. We recommend contacting local natural stone works and stonemasons, such as M & K Udelfanger Sandstein in the Eifel or Mayko natural stone works in Mayen.

Silesian sandstone - short portrait

Sandstone is also mined in Silesia and used in a variety of ways

Wünschelburger sandstone is the best-known representative of Silesian sandstones. Its history goes back to the Cretaceous around 130 million years ago. Wind and water transport sand in various grain sizes in the direction of the Inner Sudetian Depression, where the grains of sand sedimented. Silica and sediments on top of it gradually solidify the sand to form sandstone. Gradually the younger sediments weather and expose the Silesian sandstone close to the surface. Since the 13th In the 19th century, the mining of the beautiful sandstone flourished in Poland, which is so used in modern times:

• restore and renovate historical buildings
• Cladding of facades in new buildings
• Panels as pillar cover or wall cladding
• Stone for stairs and block steps

Since Silesian sandstone can be obtained in large blocks, sculptors favor natural stone for the creation of imposing sculptures. This fact is interesting for private builders and garden owners who are on the lookout for a majestic boulder.

Palatinate sandstone - short portrait

A representative representative of Palatine sandstone types is Schweinstaler sandstone, which has also made a name for itself as red sandstone. The career began in the middle red sandstone period, the so-called Lower Triassic around 250 million years ago. There are rich quarries in Rhineland-Palatinate near Landstuhl, where the sandstone with a spectacular red color is brought to the light of day. Flexible color and grain allow numerous options for setting the scene for natural stone indoors and outdoors:

• Bricks
• Building block for bridges
• Frames for windows and doors
• Stairs
• Floor slabs, terrace tiles, polygonal slabs
• Grasp cladding

A beautiful red color in combination with robust longevity recommend Schweinstaler sandstone for tasteful grave design. With a unique, unmistakable tombstone and a matching border, the relatives bow to the inimitable nature of the deceased.

Indian sandstone - short portrait

Indian sandstone is particularly popular because of its beautiful colors

Have you ever wondered what natural stone the picturesque Maharaja palaces and Hindu temples of India are made of? It is Indian sandstone that excels with high density, robust frost resistance and beautiful colors. The 'Yellow Mint' variety shines in a warm yellow. 'Modak' is unmistakable as a red sandstone. 'Kandla Gray' convinces with subtle gray nuances. Here you can use Indian sandstone creatively:

• Terrace slabs
• Pond border
• Floor slabs, polygonal slabs
• Steps and stairs
• Bricks
• Wall cladding and skirting boards

So far, you can only buy Indian sandstone from specialist dealers who import the natural stone from India. Stonennaturelle is not only represented on the Internet, but also invites you to visit showrooms in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The prices are 41 euros per square meter for terrace slabs plus a flat shipping fee of 200 euros.

Digression

Make artificial sandstone yourself

Cleaning sandstone with home remedies - this is how it works

Sandstone should be cleaned dry or with gentle cleaners

The long, wet and cold winter time leaves unmistakable traces on sandstone surfaces. Moss, algae and dirt have to give way so that the outdoor season in the garden, on the balcony and terrace can start fresh and sparkling clean. Due to the porous texture, harsh, acidic cleaning agents are taboo. Vinegar or citric acid dissolve the lime and destroy the noble sandstone surface. The following instructions explain how to gently and thoroughly clean sandstone with home remedies:

1. Sweep off the dirty sandstone surface
2. Stir 20-30 g of soda into 10 l of hot water
3. alternatively, dissolve 40-50 g curd soap in the water
4. Cleaning solution with watering can or Pressure sprayer apply on sandstone
5. leave on for a few hours
6. Remove softened dirt and moss with a scrubber or brush
7. with Water hose (no high-pressure cleaner) remove the last dirt particles

In the last step, you impregnate the sandstone. Good means let water roll off and prevent dirt without sealing the sandstone. Special products from specialist retailers are suitable for impregnation, which are tailored to the special properties of sandstone and protect against renewed soiling for a long time.

Remove paint from sandstone

Removing old, dried-up paint from sandstone with home remedies can be achieved with heat and muscle fat. You can generate the required superheated steam (120 ° -150 ° Celsius) with a disused steam iron, hairdryer or wallpaper stripper. First perforate the old layer of paint with a spiked roller so that the heat can penetrate completely. Expose the paint to the hot steam until signs of disintegration can be seen. A spatula is suitable to remove the softened paint from the sandstone.

Clean sandstone with chlorine

If home remedies fail to clean sandstone, use harder bandages to get rid of dirt and greenery. The product 'Eau de Javel bleaching water', also known as Javel water, contains chlorine and requires appropriate safety measures when using it, such as wearing gloves. Dissolve detergent in water according to the manufacturer's instructions. Please never use pure agents containing chlorine on sandstone, as damage to the surface is inevitable.

Working on sandstone - this must be taken into account

A Diamond saw blade is best for cutting sandstone

Sandstone is one of the soft stones and is easy to work with for the skilled do-it-yourselfer. In the quarry, the rock is broken into blocks and can then be processed individually. Private builders primarily strive for the final adaptation of sandstone so that the natural stone can be perfectly integrated into the house and garden. In this context, important aspects must be observed so that the valuable rock is not damaged:

A compressed air-operated chisel is suitable for carving sandstone by hand. If you pursue the ambitious goal of making sculptures out of sandstone yourself, the plan succeeds with compressed air chisels of various sizes, as used by stonemasons and sculptors.

Explanations of the processing methods

The parallel cut of the stone saw is associated with a high level of dust when cutting sandstone. Protect your eyes and airways before you get to work. In practice it has been found that hard metal blades on a stone saw cause less dust than diamond saw blades. You can skilfully grind sandstone by moving the grinder over the surface in circular movements. Even, light pressure prevents unwanted sanding marks.

A test borehole provides information about the exact nature of sandstone. In the course of the main drilling that follows later, a slow rotation is just as important as regular water cooling. You can split sandstone blocks up to 50 centimeters thick by hand. Use a masonry drill to drill holes for driving wedges. The split can be achieved with a sledge hammer or demolition hammer. Place the riving knife in such a way that the authentic layers in the sandstone are preserved.

For painting sandstone, only colors that allow the natural stone to continue to breathe come into consideration. For this reason, emulsion paints and acrylic varnishes are taboo. Silicate paints do not seal the sandstone surface and are therefore the first choice for painting. When you glue sandstone, you have to differentiate between indoor and outdoor. You can fix wall cladding and brick slips indoors with hard plaster, also known as rotband. In the outdoor area, adhesive mortar ensures a weather-resistant stability of terrace slabs, tiles or stairs.

frequently asked Questions

I would like to buy terrace slabs and bricks made of sandstone. What price has to be paid if I can pick up the natural stone with my own trailer?

You can buy terrace slabs made of Ibbenbürener sandstone at a price from 36 EUR / m² in specialist shops. More affordable, but not in Ibbenbüren quality, you can get beautiful sandstone slabs at Obi from 28 EUR / m². For bricks, please calculate with a unit price from 1.59 EUR to 8.50 EUR, depending on the quality and processing. Added to this are the costs for important accessories such as tools, foundations and grout.

What is the density of sandstone?

The wide range of sandstone types only allows the specification of average values ​​at this point. In general, popular sandstone types have a density between 2.2 and 2.8 grams per cubic centimeter. From this you can calculate the weight, provided you know the dimensions of the sandstone. For example, if it is a paving stone with side dimensions of 10 centimeters, calculate as follows: 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm results in 1000 cm³ multiplied by 2.2 g / m³ density corresponds to a weight of 2200 grams or 2.2 Kilogram.

What's another name for sandstone?

The generic term sandstone brings together numerous synonyms that refer to specific properties. If the natural rock contains more than 90 percent quartz, it is quartz rock. If the quartz content is below 75 percent, the other name for sandstone is Grauwacke. If sandstone with 25 percent feldspars comes out of the quarry, it is called acrose. Particularly coarse-grained sandstone with a grain size between 2 and 4 mm is called grit.

What is the difference between sandstone and sand-lime brick?

Sandstone is a natural stone with a high proportion of sand grains of more than 50 percent. If sand-lime bricks are mentioned in the trade, it is mostly an artificially manufactured product made of sand and cement. The production process was started at the end of the 19th century. Century developed as an inexpensive building material for social housing. To this day, inexpensive bricks made of sand-lime brick are used in shell construction, for the construction of soundproof and fire protection walls.

In connection with sandstone, there is often talk of its texture. What does this term mean?

The word comes from geology, the science of the structure, properties and structure of stones. Texture describes the spatial arrangement of the components in the rock. In sandstone, different grain sizes and admixtures of materials cause different textures. Color differences in the stone layers create the unique sandstone effect in the form of veins and streaks, such as in Obernkirchen sandstone.

We plan the natural garden design with sandstone. In what form can we integrate sandstones into the garden?

One of the best options for using sandstones in the natural garden is to build a dry stone wall. The ecologically valuable walls are built from reading stones, which ideally come from a local quarry. The resulting joints are planted with wildflowers, native perennials and succulents. The ungrounded masonry serves as a life-saving retreat for insects and small animals. Over time, beetles, lizards, blindworms and spiders colonize and turn your dry stone wall into a living one Biotope transform.

Tips

A raised bed made of sandstone should not be missing in the representative natural garden. The stones are supported by a frost-proof foundation made of gravel and sand. Talented do-it-yourselfers use drywall construction so that mortar and joint adhesive are superfluous. It is important to note a north-south orientation, regardless of whether you have one Herb spiral or build a back-friendly raised vegetable bed out of sandstone.