November 2021 - Regatta Universal Exports

Natural Stones and Their Relationship with Indoor Air Quality

In recent times, deteriorating air quality has become a matter of concern in almost all popular cities across the world. There was a time when very few people concerned or put much belief into it. With the increasing focus on greener construction and attaining different types of LEED certifications and points, Indoor Air Quality, or IAQ has been getting more attention these days. As the use of natural stones like white marble is quite common in today’s structures, it is necessary to determine its relationship with the indoor air quality.

In a construction project which is near to its completion, particularly the surfacing, the most commonly known term around that is “natural”. This usually refers to the use of natural materials like white granite or white marble for flooring and other surfacing applications along with the chemicals that are used to clean these surfaces once the installation is done. In some cases, these surfacing materials are not handled properly which is known to affect the overall indoor air quality.

The use of natural stones in surfacing activities is nothing new as they have been used extensively in both residential and commercial structures worldwide. Be it granite, marble, sandstone, limestone, slate, or any other natural stone, they are used in a variety of architectural applications.

What is the relation between natural stones like white marble and indoor air quality?

Before getting to know how natural stones and indoor air quality are interconnected, it is necessary to know the primary drivers of bad indoor air quality. From an architectural point of view, any materials that release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are found to negatively affect indoor air quality.

There are different types of products that are known to discharge VOCs like carpets, engineered and hardwood flooring, cabinetry, adhesives, furniture, adhesives, and wall paints. One of the biggest perpetrators behind a contribution to VOCs is formaldehyde which is widely used in a variety of composite wood products. Different types of chemical solvents are present in adhesives and paint that discharge VOCs into the air.

However, in the case of natural stone like granite, white marble, or any other natural stone, there is no such issue since all these materials are natural.

One wonderful example is the comparison between carpeted flooring and a natural stone floor done using granite tiles. The carpet, except certified otherwise, is highly likely to discharge a bunch of VOCs into the air, primarily from the adhesives used to follow the carpet and pad to the subfloor along with the latex binder which locks the strands of the carpet to the carpet base itself. Now, compare it with a natural stone floor that contributes to zero VOCs, and install it with a zero VOC adhesive and you get the best quality product in terms of Indoor Air Quality improvement.

Of the total 4 million premature deaths that happen every year from exposure to indoor air pollutants, the causes are categorized as follows:

Diseased related to indoor air — Source:- World Health Organization

In addition, the cost of cleaning and replacing carpet after every few years would simply outweigh the installation cost of a lasting natural stone surface.

Below are some of the conditions that need to be met in terms of good indoor air quality.

Particulars	Conditions To Be Met

Particulate Matter	10 micrometers or less in diameter: 50 ug/m3; 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter: 15 ug/m3
Carbon Monoxide	Less than 9 ppm
VOCs	Less than 500 ug/m3
Fomaldehyde	Less than 27 ppb
Carbon Dioxide	About 700 ppm above outdoor air levels (typically about 1,000 to 1200 ppm)
Moisture	Below 60%, ideally between 30% and 50%
Temperature	68.5°F to 74°F (winter); 75°F to 80.5°F (summer)

Let’s find out different types of natural stone flooring and their effects on indoor air quality.

Granite

When it comes to choosing from the best flooring materials for indoors, granite emerges as a wonderful choice due to many reasons. Due to its high level of durability, it remains a favorite choice for flooring in different types of residential and commercial projects.

In terms of indoor air quality, granite flooring is known to be a great choice for people suffering from asthma or allergies. If your entire home has granite flooring, you are less likely to get exposed to allergens. The optimistic effects can really do much more than reducing the frequency of getting a runny nose or sore throat. The EPA terms poor indoor air quality as a grave health concern. The longstanding effects of living in a home with poor indoor air quality are augmented risks of cancer, respiratory illnesses, and cardiovascular diseases.

Marble

Another popular flooring surface material is a marble. Be it white marble or black one, its usage doesn’t seem to exhibit any respiratory issues in humans. Being a hard stone flooring, marble flooring is easy to clean and it doesn’t emit any harmful gases or chemicals in the air which makes it a great choice for both residential and commercial flooring applications.

One big advantage with marble flooring procured from top marble exporters is that it remains cooler even in harsh summer which negates the likelihood of any harmful gas emission due to high temperature. Overall, marble flooring is considered a safer bet for indoor architectural applications.

Sandstone

Primarily used for outdoor paving, wall cladding, and other decorative applications, sandstone always remains a hot favorite choice of architects, homeowners, contractors, and builders. This natural stone has been used for many years to spruce up the décor of any outdoor space.

The Bottom Line

At a time when the world is reeling under the clutches of poor air quality due to rapid industrialization and greenhouse emissions, natural stones emerge as a versatile choice for flooring and other architectural application. As indoor air pollution is found to be 10 times more harmful than outdoor air pollution, choosing the right flooring material is necessary.

An overview of Marble Exports in India

As the world economy strives to regain its lost momentum due to the coronavirus pandemic, the rapid increase in the exports of natural stones in India has sent a positive vibe to the country. In fact, the exports of the natural stones have returned to pre-pandemic levels. According to the latest reports, the exports recorded of the first half of the year surpassed even the figures of the previous year and witnessed a surge in the value of exports of marble stone by over 6.43%, granite by 20.92% and ceramics by 57.35%. The industry witnessed a jump between the first quarter of the year and the second trimester of 2021 in regard to the value of marble and granite exports, while in ceramics a minimal reduction was apprehended by marble exporters. The following given table exhibits the changes (%) between the first Semesters of 2020 – 2021 and between the first three months and the second trimester of 2021:

Exports Value Growth — Source: Government Of India – Ministry Of Commerce and Industry

The above-given table clearly shows the quick surge between the first quarters of both 2020 and 2021 across all materials but also the contained jump between the first and second trimester of 2021 in the marble and granite segments. According to experts, the major reasons behind this slow growth are the shortages of shipment containers and increasing transit costs.

2021

Now, look at the scenario of the first three months of 2021.

Marble Stone Products:

251511: Marble and travertine, crude or roughly trimmed.
251512 Marble and travertine, hardly cut, by sawing or otherwise, into blocks or slabs of a square or rectangular dimension.
680221: Marble, travertine, and alabaster articles thereof, just cut or sawn, with a standard or even surface (Not including totally or partly planed, sand-treated, coarsely or superbly ground or polished surface, tiles, cubes, and parallel stuff of subheading 6802.10, setts, curbstones and flagstones).
680291: Marble, travertine, and alabaster, of any type (Not inclusive of Tiles, cubes, and similar articles of subheading 6802.10, imitation jewelry, clocks, lamps, and lighting fittings and parts thereof, buttons, original sculptures and statuary, setts, curbstones, and flagstones).

Now, if we talk about the exports of marble products from India to other countries in the year 2019, the following data emerges up.

Below is the share of total exports across all the nations where it is exported.

In year 2019, India stands at the 3^rd position in the overall exports of building stone. (Consider the following graph)

Most Popular Indian Marble Variants

Makrana White Marble

Due to its crystallized appearance and finer design pattern, Makrana white marble boasts no variation. Since it is of high quality, this stone product features a unique look and look that is indignant. If you are looking for a wonderful white marble that contains no variation, it is Makrana white marble stone that would emerge as the most sought-after choice. Processed at various marble manufacturing units in Rajasthan, this white Indian marble is a great choice. Its major physical and chemical features include compressive strength (157.0 MPa), density (2560 kg/m3), flexural strength (14.2 MPa), and water absorption (0.62% mass).

Alaska White Marble

Highlighting a white backdrop and a mix of snow-white, brown, and grey colored spots, Alaska White Marble is an extremely popular white Indian marble all across the world. Due to its superb physical and chemical characteristics, this marble stone lends superior levels of strength, enactment, and original sheen. Although white is considered a neutral color, white marble emerges as the most preferred choice of architects and builders when it comes to giving an astonishing visual appeal to any space. For both residential and commercial projects, white marble leads the chart due to its enticing aesthetical appeal and efficient supremacy.

White Onyx Marble

Whenever it comes to giving an astounding visual appeal to any space, white onyx marble emerges as the foremost choice. Often termed as regal stone, White Onyx Stone exhibits a glowing effect when placed over a light source. The design pattern of this white marble boasts a clear white backdrop with unevent waves in varying colors of green, whitish-grey, brown, and pink.

There are many Indian marble exporters in India that provide this marble variant at the most attractive rates for both domestic and commercial applications.

Statuario Marble

Commonly admired for its natural surface texture and appearance, Statuario Marble is a wonderful marble stone for different types of architecture and construction applications. Due to its unmatched hardness, endurance, strength, and weathering properties, it is widely used in flooring, monuments, kitchen countertops, monuments, window sills, pool coping, and sinks.

It is a very common marble that can easily be found with any marble slab supplier in India. Whether you are an architect, contractor, builder or even a homeowner, India would surely be a great choice to buy high quality marble stones for your project.

What is Mohs Scale and Why Hardness of Natural Stone is So Important?

Does marble scratch easier than quartzite? Which is harder – granite or quartzite? Why the hardness of a natural stone is considered while buying the stone? To get the answers to all these questions, it is necessary to understand what does the hardness of a natural stone means and what the ways to measure it are.

Though the use of natural stones is quite common in both residential and commercial architecture, most people prefer to use them due to their visual characteristics and durability. And, when it comes to finding the reasons behind their durability, their hardness emerges as the most important element to consider. For example, granite is known to be one of the hardest natural stones available today for people.

How hardness is measured?

The hardness of any mineral is calculated on a scale of 1 to 10 which is called the Moh’s scale. This scale was designed by German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs in the year 1812, and rates minerals based on their capability to scratch or withstand scratches. A rank of 1 means the mineral is extremely soft, while a ranking of 10 refers that it is extremely hard.

The Mohs scale of hardness works on a mineral’s ability to scratch another mineral noticeably. The samples of matter used by Mohs are all various minerals. Minerals refer to chemically genuine solids discovered in nature. Rocks are comprised of one or more minerals. Being the hardest known naturally occurring material, diamonds emerge at the top of the scale. The hardness of a material is gauged against the scale by discovering the hardest object that the selected material can scratch, or the softest thing that can scratch the same material.

The hardness of Natural Stones

In the natural stone industry, particularly in commercial construction, the hardness of a natural stone matters a lot. It is one of its abilities that play a decisive role in selecting or rejecting the stone. For Indian sandstone suppliers, limestone exporters, marble exports, Mohs scale is undeniably the most widely chosen approach to test a material’s hardness.

Below is the hardness score of different natural stones on the Mohs Scale.

STONE COUNTERTOPS: MOHS SCALE RANKINGS

From the above table, it gets clear that granite with a score of 6 to 7 is one of the hardest natural stones trailed by diamond, which has a score of 10. For projects that demand a tougher surface, granite is undoubtedly the best choice.

Granite Hardness

Most products are effectively resistant to etch or stain, but some may scratch, particularly the ones that contain black minerals known as mica or schist, such as Nova Black, Black Marine, and Black Beauty. A leather or honed surface finish is found to reduce scratch-related issues to much extent. Some black granite such as Impala Black is rich in mica and therefore scratch easier.

Marble Hardness

Marble, for example, is a comparatively soft stone. Its hardness, as per the Mohs scale, stands at nearly 3 – slightly harder than alabaster or gypsum. This is why marble also emerges as a great natural stone choice for sculpting purposes. Besides marble, travertine also features a hardness of 3. A copper penny would be strong enough to scratch such natural stones!

Basalt

On the other hand, Basalt is a lot harder stone. It attains a hardness of a minimum of 6, often 7 Mohs, and it is so sturdy that metal equipment is required to work with it. Another option in the same category in terms of hardness is andesite.

Quartzite

Many natural stones are made up of quartz and this is why they won’t scratch at all. However, there are a few variants that are known to absorb water and other fluids. Almost all natural stone suppliers apply sealants that protect the material from absorbing water.

Sandstone

Being a sedimentary rock, sandstone is known to be found in sedimentary basins all across the world. It features a hardness score of 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale and conchoidal fractures are there.

Which natural stone is a good choice in terms of hardness?

In the case of a natural stone, the decision could be a bit of a trade-off as it would be based on your needs, panache, and taste against the performance. This is when you decide what you are ready to compromise on. If you’re a perfectionist and want that white tabletop looking like new for years – but have your heart set on Alaska White Marble – it is better to choose a quartzite in its place. The best thing about natural stones is that they come in a wide range of choices.

So, whatever application you want to use natural stone on, there are specific products available for the same. From flooring to wall cladding, countertops, and others, there is a great variety of products available for the same. And, one thing that can’t be denied is that it is the superb hardness of natural stones that make them a wonderful choice for modern construction. Both Indian sandstone and granite are known for their superior level of hardness and durability and this makes Indian natural stones the most sought-after choice for architectural projects worldwide.

Stone of the month: Kandla Grey Sandstone

Also known as Bhilwara Grey or Silver Sand Sandstone, Kandla Grey Sandstone always remains the most preferred choice of architects, construction contractors, builders, garden pavers, and homeowners worldwide. Its subtle yet stunning looks, amazing durability, and superb weather resistance make it a versatile choice for a range of applications.

Sandstone is one of the most immensely utilized stone resources, both from playing a role in various geological arrangements and emerging as a great choice for residential and commercial construction applications. In the field of construction, the biggest advantage with sandstone is that it has is the ease with which it can be divided along its grainy planes with the use of basic hand tools – and the natural cleft face is extremely wanted.

What is Sandstone?

Sandstone refers to a kind of sedimentary rock which is primarily made up of quartz sand, but it can also contain major amounts of feldspar, and often clay and silt. Sandstone with over 90% quartz is known as quartzose sandstone. When the sandstone is made up of more than 25% feldspar, it is referred as arkose or arkosic sandstone. In the case of significant amounts of silt or clay, it is called argillaceous sandstone. The color of sandstone differs, given its constitution. Most Argillaceous sandstones or of grey or blue color. Since it is made up of light colored minerals, sandstone is usually of light tan hue. The most common sandstones contain diverse shades of red, due to the presence of iron oxide. In some cases, one may find purple color, which is caused by manganese.

Sandstone is known to have two major applications – crushed stone and dimension stone.

Dimension stone refers to any rock material that can be cut into exact sizes, usually in the form of slabs and blocks. On the other hand, crushed stone is mainly used in the construction of various structures like bridges, roads, and several other commercial and residential units.

Kandla Grey Sandstone falls under the category of very hard stone materials due to its composition which involves the fusion of quart grains with calcite and silica. Being a hard wearing sandstone, it bonds the solid contemporary texture of bluestone and appears just stunning when installed around a pool. The hues of this sandstone are extremely consistent however for highly discerning customers it can still be categorized in two ways – Light Gray & Dark Gray.

- A visually striking natural stone that exhibits amazing durability

- Can be obtained in numerous sizes

- Sturdier and lasting functional properties

- Available in diverse finishes and edges

Mining of Kandla Grey Sandstone in India

This grey-colored natural stone is mined from the quarries located in the Bhilwara region of Rajasthan. There are large numbers of sandstone quarries in the region that delivering superior quality sandstone products including Kandla Grey Sandstone. The stone inherits its name from the regional dialect.

This sandstone is sourced in the form of large rough blocks that are then moved to natural stone processing units where the next stage of processing is done using different mechanical equipment. As Indian is a top producer of sandstone, sandstone exporters here exports best quality sandstone material to various parts of the world.

Processing Unit

This stage of sandstone process is followed by the extraction of the stone from the quarry. During the process, the sandstone is further treated by cutting it into slabs and tiles of varying thickness and shape. The purpose of this activity is to make the stone ready for use in different types of construction projects worldwide.

For instance, specially prepared blades are used to transform rough blocks into slabs of varying shapes and sizes. Moreover, these slabs are processed at the deeper level to procure the tiles of different widths. The latest innovations in stone processing tech has enable sandstone suppliers and exporters to save enormous amounts of cost and time while attaining desired outcomes.

The main objective behind processing the stone under this stage is to get the exact size of sandstone slabs that can be further used for various construction applications. In addition, it make easier for these slabs to be transported to the project location. From using highly innovative stone processing equipment to using small hand-held tools like mauls and axes, sandstone exporters in India use different types of tools and equipment to get the stone in a particular size and finish.

Finished Material

One important thing to keep in mind that the sandstone can be treated in such a way to achieve a specific surface finish. The selection of a specific finish depends on the exact application of the stone at a later stage. The most commonly applied sandstone finishes are:

- Natural

- Brushed

- Sandblasted

- Bush hammered

Kandla Grey Sandstone Natural Sandblasted Brushed — Kandla Grey Sandblasted finish

Kandla Grey (semi-honed & Semi-brushed) Alt Tag — Kandla Grey Sandblasted finish

The most commonly preferred sizes of Kandla Grey Sandstone are:

- SLAB 120-190 CM X 90-60 CM

- COLOR GREY

- TILES 30 X 30, 60 X 30, 60 X 60 AND 60 X 90 CM

- PALISADE 10-12 X 12-25 X 30-250 CM

- WALL CLADDING 100 X 25-45 X 5 CM

- STEP BLOCKS 75-200 X 35 X 15 CM

Finishes

The character of surface finish in sandstone is supreme as this is what makes it appropriate for usage in a specific type of application. Be it an interior architectural application or an exterior one, it is important to choose an appropriate finish to get the desired outcomes. The selection of a specific finish depends on the exact nature of application. There are two types of side edges in sandstone – machine cut and hand-cut. The most common finishes in Kandla Grey Sandstone are given below:

• Natural calibrated machine cut and hand-cut

• Natural + brushed machine cut and hand-cut

• Natural + brushed calibrated machine cut and hand-cut tumbled

• Honed calibrated machine cut and hand-cut

• Honed +sandblasted calibrated machine cut and hand-cut

• Bush hammered calibrated machine cut

Installation

Kandla Grey Sandstone due to its appealing natural grey color and remarkable presence of various sandstone properties, is heavily popular in the paving, landscaping, window sills, kerb lintels, and other projects.

India is a leading exporter of Kandla Grey Sandstone and several other types of sandstone like Yellow Mint Sandstone, Autumn Brown Sandstone, Desert Mint Sandstone, Kota Desert, and more. For B2B sandstone buyers in the USA, UK, UAE, Australia, Germany, France, and other countries, Kandla Grey Sandstone from Indian is the best choice.

What is the relation between natural stones like white marble and indoor air quality?

Granite

Marble

Sandstone

Marble Stone Products:

Most Popular Indian Marble Variants

Makrana White Marble

Alaska White Marble

White Onyx Marble

Statuario Marble

How hardness is measured?

The hardness of Natural Stones

STONE COUNTERTOPS: MOHS SCALE RANKINGS

Granite Hardness

Marble Hardness

Basalt

Quartzite

Sandstone

Which natural stone is a good choice in terms of hardness?

Mining of Kandla Grey Sandstone in India

Processing Unit

Finished Material

Finishes

Installation

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