Flagstone is one of the most interesting varieties of stone used in construction and architecture, even for thousands of years. All this is due to its unique physical and visual properties, as well as its relative abundance in nature.
Its importance lies in the fact that it has a wide variety of applications in modern construction and architecture, for example, it is used to cover floors, walls, gardens, facades and much more.
Origin and formation of flagstone
The flagstone It may owe its origin to any type of rock. You just have to comply with the fact that it is easy to extract, that it has a suitable shape and texture.
Its most common and abundant origin is due to igneous and volcanic activity related to basalts and andesites.
They also have a sedimentary origin, that is, due to the consolidation of fine sediments from the erosion of other types of rocks. In this case they are mainly related to sandstones, siltstones and shales.
Finally, there are those with a metamorphic origin, which have been formed by the metamorphism of other types of rocks and naturally have lamination and schistosity that allow them to be cut into flat faces. In this case the most common examples are slates and schists.
Why are they flat?
One of the characteristics that flagstones have is that their faces must be flat so that they can be used to cover various structures such as walls, walls and floors.
In nature, rocks do not always appear with their flat faces, and when they do, it is because they are affected by tectonism due to the action and movement of geological faults, which break the rocks into these flat shapes.
They are also usually associated with the form of deposition in sedimentary rocks and the fissility of shales, which naturally create flat shapes.
Properties and characteristics of flagstone
Next, the most important physical and chemical characteristics and properties of this rock used in construction will be highlighted.
Form
Flagstone by nature has a rectangular shape, that is, it is longer than it is wide. It is further preferred that it have flat edges and faces. However, today there are also flagstones of various shapes, for example, circular, oval or even irregular.
The preference of its shape will depend on the taste and the objective in the construction and the objective of coating.
Texture
For a flagstone to be used in construction and cladding, it must have a smooth and uniform texture. In addition, it must be a dense rock, that is, it must not have many pores or sharp structures.
resistance and durability
High quality materials are always desired in the construction industry. Flagstone is naturally very resident and durable, much more than other materials. For this reason its price is usually relatively high but it is worth it.
Color
The advantage of flagstone is that it can come in a wide variety of colors, depending on the type of rock and its origin. Also the color will depend on the mineral composition and the chemical composition of the rock.
Thus, a certain amount of iron will give it reddish and yellowish tones, while a certain amount of magnesium will give it gray, green and black tones.
The most common are basalt flagstones, those usually have a dark gray to black color. There are also sandstone flagstones, those usually have green, yellow, white, red brown colors, etc.
There are also slabs of metamorphic rocks such as schist and slate, their colors are green, blue, yellow, black, white and much more.
Types of flagstone
The classification of the different types of flagstones can be somewhat complex, however we can find the following groups.
Flagstones according to their origin
According to their origin, there are flagstones that are formed by igneous and volcanic activity, and the most common examples are the basalt and andesite. Also if the conditions are right there are granite and diorite flagstones.
There are the flagstones of sedimentary origin, that is, those that are formed by the consolidation of sediments and soil. The examples are the shale and sandstone.
Finally there are those that have metamorphic origin. These are the most striking because they naturally have the shape of slabs or flat sheets. The most common examples include the slate and slate.
Flagstones according to their shape
Even though the flagstone commonly has a rectangular shape, at present it has been accepted that they can also have forms circular, oval and even square. The important thing is that their faces are flat.
Flagstones according to their color
The flagstones appear in various types of colors and this is one of the attractions of this material for construction. Its color is due to the materials and chemical composition of the rock. The most common are gray, white, yellow, brown and green flagstone.
Uses and applications of flagstone
Currently, the applications of this construction material are very varied, all due to its ability to adapt to different architectural themes. The most important and common ones are named and explained below.
Flagstones in wall and wall cladding
This is one of the most important uses that it has, currently these rocks are used to cover interior walls in homes and buildings, and also to cover exteriors.
In the interiors they are used to decorate and cover entire walls of living rooms, dining rooms and even bathrooms. Outdoors it is used to cover walls and walls in patios, gardens and enclosures.
Flagstones on floors
This is another of the important applications that it has. Flagstone is naturally very resistant and durable, which is why it is applied on floors. It can be used for r cover floors of gardens, patios and even exclusive places inside the home.
For roofs and roofs of houses or buildings
For this purpose, the flagstone needs to be relatively thin, that is, with a thickness of no more than 1.5 centimeters, which allows it to be used as a roof covering.