Custom Cut Polished & Wire Wrapped Granite from Newfoundland Necklace/Pendant 14kgf

Overall size: 1 7/8 x 7/8 Inch or 48mm x 22mm

Dimension Stone (Building Stone) in Newfoundland and Labrador

Dimension stone includes any natural stone that has been quarried and cut or shaped to specified sizes. Some stones require very little work before being used; for example, sandstone is quarried and then shaped with a hammer for use in landscaping walls, patios, or walkways. Other stones require substantial processing before being used. Monuments are cut from large quarried blocks of granite, sawed to the correct size, then polished and lettered.

The markets for dimension stone grew exponentially during the 1970s and 1980s, paralleling the improvement in stone-cutting technology. The ability to economically cut large blocks into thin slabs and tiles has made it much easier to use stone in commercial buildings and private homes. There has also been a strong architectural/fashion trend to return to "natural building materials".

Large volumes of stone are used in the construction industry. Polished slabs of 2 cm thick granite are used for the exterior facings of banks and office buildings. Marble and granite can also be cut into floor tiles (30 cm by 30 cm) and countertops, and used in shopping malls, hotels, and even private homes. Granite curbing and cobblestone are still used in many cities because it lasts so long. Slate is cut into small square blocks and split into roofing shingles; in large sheets it can be used for pool table tops. 

Dimension stone was often used as a building material in Newfoundland. Historical landmarks such as Cabot Tower and the railway station, in St. John's, were built from stone quarried from Signal Hill above St. John's and the Topsails in central Newfoundland, respectively. Across the island, lighthouses and railway bridge abutments were made of stone quarried near the building site. The foundations of houses and retaining walls were also commonly composed of slabs of slate or sandstone, still seen in historic communities such as Brigus, Conception Bay.

In the 1990's, there were six active dimension stone quarries in Newfoundland and Labrador: a slate quarry in eastern Newfoundland; three granite quarries in central Newfoundland; a sandstone quarry on the west coast; and an anorthosite (labradorite-granite) quarry in Labrador.