Limestone is a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate) with or without dolomite (magnesium carbonate). The color of limestone is altered by the presence of impurities, which broaden the color spectrum of limestone to include white, brown, gray, buff, yellow, red, block, or mixtures of these colors.
Limestone, being of sedimentary origin, is usually quite anisotropic, or "directionally specific" in its behavior. This accounts for a pronounced "rift", or plane of easiest splitting, within most limestone types.
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The flexural strength of limestone usually necessitates the use of thicker panels for cladding applications, where 3" or 4" thicknesses are not uncommon. (stone_buy)
Due to high absorption and susceptibility to staining, Limestone is not generally used is applications where it comes into contact with soil. A limestone clad building utilizing another stone type for the exterior base course is traditionally an attractive solution to this limitation.
The composition of this stone type allows for the cutting of profiles by means of "planing". The use of a plane to shape the stone makes profiles pieces (e.g. cornice or moulding pieces) more economical than in other stone types
