Limestone Descriptions

‘Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcite (CaCO3). Limestone forms through chemical precipitation in warm, shallow seas, and often contains marine fossils’. (def. from www.visionlearning.com) The following stones are primarily used by Holland Architectural Limestone.

	Cordova Cream – Cream colored limestone with subtle swirling veins and a fine to medium grain. The swirl pattern becomes more pronounced with finer finishing. Sparse but occasional fossils are typically filled if void. Color tone variations are minor even in larger jobs. Carvings present themselves clean in this stone. This stone is well suited for detailed carving. AKA “Texas Cream”.

	Cordova Shell – Cream colored limestone characterized by many void shell fossils. Voids can be 1/8” or smaller up to 2” or more. Typically, the voids are not filled. Color tone variations are minor. Carvings will not be clean and crisp using this stone but that is not necessarily an objection. Carvings with much fine detail should be avoided. AKA “Shellstone”, “Texas Shel”, etc.

	Hadrian – Light Cream fossilized limestone with varying amounts of void fossils. Larger jobs are likely to display a moderate amount of color tone variations tending toward brown in the background color. Void fossils are generally not filled but regard for the type of application is the most important consideration. Carvings are acceptable but difficult or impossible to fill. Carvings with much fine detail should be avoided. Especially well suited for antique finish. AKA “Western Ivory”.

	Lueders – Buff to light gray in color with a fine to medium grain. There are many quarriers of this stone in operation all producing slightly to significantly different color tones. Some producers describe their stone as “buff”, “gray” tending toward blue, or “antique” which is variegated brown, buff and gray. Holland Architectural Limestone describes our standard stock selection as “buff”. Larger jobs are likely to display color tone variations. Sparse but occasional fossils are typically filled if void. Carvings present themselves clean in this stone. This stone is well suited for detailed carving. AKA “Leuders” sic.

	West Texas Cream – Dark Cream color with a medium to coarse grain and widely varying fossil intensity. Some fossils are void and typically filled. Large jobs will show minor to moderate color tone variation and moderate to large variations in fossil intensity. Carvings present themselves mostly clean in this stone. This stone is suited for detailed carving. AKA “Cedar Hill Cream”.

	Moleanos – Very light buff to off white color with a fine to medium grain and occasional small fossils. Large jobs will show minor to color tone variation and small variations in fossil intensity. This material is imported from Portugal. Carvings present themselves very clean in this stone. This stone is suited for detailed carving. AKA “Porto Beige”.

Holland Architectural Limestone can also fabricate
using the following stone where requested:

	Coral – Light to medium brown color with a coarse to open grain. A small amount of rose coloration should be expected. A moderate to large amount of fossils, which are frequently void, are well distributed. It is difficult to tell the difference between a small void fossil and open grain structure. Voids are generally not filled but regard for the type of application is the most important consideration. Surprisingly, this stone is harder, denser, less absorptive and more resistant to abrasion than any of the stones described above. It has a distinctive variegated linear vein when cut perpendicular to the sedimentary rift (aka vein cut). When cut parallel to the rift (aka fleuri cut) a mottled appearance results with light and dark colors more pronounced. Color tone variations are moderate. Carvings will not be clean and crisp using this stone but that is not necessarily an objection. Carvings with much fine detail should be avoided. AKA “Permian Sea Coral”. Call for availability.

	Indiana Limestone – Quarried in Monroe and Owens counties in southeastern Indiana since the 1850’s this well known building material has a well earned reputation as “The Nation’s Building Stone”. The material is available in Buff, Gray or Variegated, that is, both buff and gray. It is graded according to industry standards: Select, Standard, Rustic or Variegated. Select is used primarily for statuary. Standard and Rustic are the best choices for most exterior architectural applications. AKA “Bedford Stone”, “Bloomington Stone”, “Standard Buff”, etc. Call for a more complete description and availability.