Limestone 101

When it comes to custom fabricated limestone, there is a huge misconception in our industry. The misconception is that "limestone is limestone." This is insinuating that all limestone is the same.

When comparing prices on custom fabricated Indiana Limestone, there are a few things to look for. First of which being the grade. Similar to wood, limestone has different grades based on the degree of fineness of the grain particles and other natural characteristics that make up the stone. Here are the industry standards:

• Select: Fine grained stone having a controlled minimum of inclusions and veining.
• Standard: Average to large grained stone permitting an average amount of inclusions and veining.
• Rustic: Large to coarse-grained stone permitting an above average amount of inclusions and veining.

The second thing to look for is the color. Here are your options:

• Buff: Traditional buff color ranging from cream to light brown with some veining and grain movement visible in the face.
• Full Color Blend: A natural compilation of the full range of buff to light gray shades with the same great subtle veining.
• Silver Buff: Clean buff color with a subtle silver colored veining in the foreground.
• Gray: Varies in color from light to dark shades of gray with visible veining in the face.
• Variegated: An unselected mixture of buff and gray tones with a wide range of grain structure and veining.

At Schwake Stone Company, we believe that the quality of the product that comes out of our fabrication shop is a reflection on us. It is for this reason, that we quote and use the best quality of limestone for each project unless you specify otherwise. Make sure when comparing prices, you specify the grade and color of the material you are getting prices for.