Consumers are becoming more conscious of the materials they’re using to pave their outdoor areas and add texture and depth to their home interiors. If eco-friendly construction is on your mind, you can’t look past the strength, beauty, and durability of natural stone.
Regardless of how versatile your design goals are, granite, limestone, sandstone, and slate are all-natural, long-lasting natural stone varieties that are produced and manufactured in a more sustainable fashion.
So, what makes natural stone sustainable?
Anything that’s produced naturally is inherently more sustainable to manufacture, and stone is no exception. Natural stone is one of the world’s first green building materials, as it doesn’t require any other materials or resources to create it.
There are also no shortages of stone, as there is an abundant supply available from across the globe. Unlike most forms of engineered stone, natural stone varies in appearance, with each piece of stone coming with different veining, textures, colours, and shapes. These aesthetic differences can be attributed to millions of years of geologic change and variances in mineral composition.
Natural stone is also more eco-friendly, as it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals or toxins. While stone is available from across the globe, locally-sourced Australian stone will help reduce any greenhouse gas emissions that are typically associated with importing goods from overseas.
Thanks to advancements in technology, the methods used for quarrying, extracting and fabricating natural stone have been streamlined, making stone more affordable and desirable than ever before.
Stone can easily be recycled and re-purposed, which can lengthen its lifespan, while preserving energy, water, and other essential resources that are usually utilised when producing new stone.
This means that if you’re ripping up your old granite paving and replacing it with limestone pavers, the granite you’re throwing out can be repurposed for around your home, or recycled in one of Australia’s recycling plants. Another benefit of this is that it reduces the amount of waste in Australian landfills.
Sustainability aside, natural stone products, such as limestone tiles and sandstone pavers require very little maintenance, but will effortlessly create a beautiful aesthetic.
If you’re looking for a supplier of quality stone in Melbourne, talk to the team at Australian Slate & Stone today! We’ve got a great selection of natural stone pavers that will be both beautiful and practical in any space.