Different types of materials are combined, and a variety of stones are manufactured. Some of the types of artificial stones are discussed below.
1. Cement Concrete Blocks
These are made using cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water similar to that of concrete. They may be cast-in-situ or cast-in-moulds in the required shapes. Sometimes they are precast with steel and are therefore called reinforced cement concrete blocks.
2. Artificial Marble
It is made using sand with Portland cement or one of the gypsum or magnesite cements. It is either precast or cast-in-situ and is used for external work.
Another form of artificial marble is made by fusing and moulding constituent mixture, which is composed of 60 parts of plaster in powder, 20 parts of pulverised marble, 15 parts of sulphate of potash with 5% solution of glue mixed with water. Such marble stones are mostly used in France.
3. Terrazo
It is prepared using mixtures of marble chips with white cement and some pigment. It is also either precast or cast-in-site. It is generally used in bathrooms, residential buildings, etc.
4. Mosaic Tiles
These are precast tiles where the upper surface is made of marble chips. They are available in different sizes and colours.
5. Reconstructed Stone
This is made from the debris of limestone quarries by crushing them into grit. This is mixed with lime made from dolomite and heated in a closed retort up to 980°C to drive out CO2. This is slaked, mixed with water and consolidated into blocks under pressure. It is then dried, and CO2 is admitted until the carbonization of the hydrate of lime blocks is complete.
6. Bituminous Stone
Diorite and other granite stones are impregnated with prepared or refined tar to form bituminous stones. These are preferred where noise-, wear- and dust-resistant stone surfaces are needed.
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