What are the difference between natural stones, and how would each type best suit your need? Let’s begin with the three major types of natural stones: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks.

Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of magma (molten rock) inside the Earth or on the surface. The extreme temperature of the magma resulted in a resilient and unyielding type of rock. Granite is the most famous example of igneous rock

Sedimentary rocks are formed at the earth’s surface by the accumulation and cementation of fragments of earlier rocks, minerals, and organisms or as chemical precipitates and organic growths in water. This results in slabs of rocks that are not as durable as igneous rocks. However, the ease of formation of these types of rocks make sedimentary rocks one of the most abundant natural stones available. Examples of sedimentary rocks are travertine and quartz.

The last of the three rock types, metamorphic rocks are formed by subjecting any rock type— sedimentary and igneous rocks or another older metamorphic rock—to different temperature and conditions than those in which the original rock was formed. This results in a so-called fusion reaction that changes the property of the original rock drastically. Generally speaking, metamorphic rocks are not as strong as igneous rocks but stronger than sedimentary rocks. Marble is by far and away the most widely recognized type of metamorphic rock.

So how do you choose between these three types of natural stones for your buildings? The answer is that it depends: if you want a strong stone that is mostly uniform in colour, go for granite. If you are looking for reasonable prices and earthen colours, go for travertine and quartz.

But if you are looking for class and elegance, marble is the surefire choice.

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