Igneous Products
Igneous – comes from the Latin word for fire ‘igneus’ and indicates that natural stones from this family have been formed by liquid, magma and volcanic lava and then cooled over thousands of years. Bluestone (Basalt) and Granite are types of igneous products.
Bluestone (Basalt)
Basalt – the word is said to have had an Ethiopian origin, meaning a ‘black stone’.
Basalt is an extrusive igneous stone formed from the liquid magma and molten lava that have flowed on the earth’s surface following a volcanic eruption. It is considered the most common rock type on Earth, and forms the crust under virtually all ocean beds.
Basalt is commonly very fine grained and generally dark grey, dark green, or black in colour. Due to the dark grey/blue toning of the stone, basalt has been commonly referred to as “Bluestone” in Victoria and has been used extensively as pavers in the Melbourne CBD since the 1800’s.
The holes that appear on the surface of basalt are as a result of gases escaping during the cooling process. It is part of the natural beauty of the stone.
Basalt is available in a range of sizes and configurations and is another ideal choice for residential and commercial projects.
The popularity of basalt pavers is due to:
- It is available in a large range of sizes and finishes
- “Bluestone” has been extensively used in Melbourne’s laneways and building
- Competitively priced against man made replicas
- It is durable and hard wearing
Technical Data:
Stocked Products
Basalt is available in a wide range of textures, finishes and sizes. Komplete Bricks and Pavers are able to tailor product to the exact dimensions and finishes required for your project. Please find below a list of some of the most common sizes and finishes we stock in our range of Basalt (bluestone). If the specific size or texture you are after is not listed, please contact us for further information.
Finishes
Exfoliated. Exfoliation – to shed the thin, outermost layer of stone through weathering or heating. In the case of natural stone, an exfoliated finish is achieved by heating the surface of the stone to extreme temperatures, followed by cooling. The outermost layer blisters and chips creating a textured surface. (also known as flamed finish)
Polished. A polished surface creates a beautiful glossy shine from the natural reflection of the stone’s crystals. The mirror-like shine is created by using an abrasive machining process – progressively finer polishing heads are used during the polishing process, similar to the way that sandpaper smoothes timber.
Honed. Honing is an abrasive machining process that produces a more precise surface on a piece of stone. A honed surface provides a flat softer look and is created by stopping short of the last stage of polishing. A honed finish is matt and not reflective.
Natural Split. A natural split surface provides a rough undulating texture to the surface of the stone. This finish is typically achieved by splitting the stone along the ‘natural fault lines’ either by hand or machine. This finish is very popular on sandstone and slate and cobblestone setts.
Chiseled. The face of the stone has been etched with a sharp beveled chisel to create a unique look.
Special Chisel – A heavy, course looking finish where lines have been carved in the stone to give a rough textured finish. This finish is especially effective with water features.
Fine Chisel – A very fine detailed finish to the surface of the stone. The surface appears to have been raked and has fine lines running on the surface.
Bush Hammered. Stone that has a rough pockmarked texture that resembles naturally weathered rock. This look is created by repeatedly hitting the face of the stone with a hammer head which has a grid of pyramidal points. This finish is often used around swimming pools and steep driveways.
Sandblasted. When the surface of the stone is etched by a blast of air carrying sand at high velocity. This process gives the surface of the stone a fine textured finish.