Why would you buy a limestone mantel?
Why would you not?
Have you seen the beauty of these mantelpieces before?
I will tell you this much…
You will not forget it once you have.
So let’s find out why these mantels are so great!
The Majestic Limestone Mantelpiece
A fireplace needs a mantel to look finished, here lies the big question.
What sort of mantel are you going to buy?
I can tell you now, that a limestone mantel is not going to look good in a log cabin.
Stone surrounds are good when they are rustic for the old look.
But when it comes to limestone fireplace surrounds…
You need a fairly modern or majestic look for your house.
Want to look a million dollars?
Then a limestone fireplace is for you.
But if you want to go different to everybody else, a limestone mantel surrounding in your log cabin would look…
Well?
Unusual to say the least.
Is Limestone Good for a Fireplace?
Like many other natural stones out here…
Limestone is very durable and will not catch on fire, it in fact has good heat tolerance.
However, now this is important ok…
Limestone should only be used with:
- gas fireplaces
- electric fireplaces
Like granite, this limestone does require regular sealing in order to prevent stains.
It might sound a bit of a drag, but the stone is porous, and if you go and drag your dirty clothes by it after a good day’s work.
You are not going to be very happy, are you?
Because it is really going to be a pain getting that smudge out.
So…
Putting on some sealer to plug up those tiny pores is much more favourable, and can save a lot of swear words, true?
So when properly cared for it will handle a great deal of abuse you can throw at it, so smudge away…
Let’s get to the lovely different varieties that you can get limestone in.
Yes, it comes in a variety of colours which should fit into any colour scheme you have in your dwelling.
What Are The Different Types Of Limestone?
- Oolitic Limestone
- Travertine
- Fossiliferous Limestone
- Tufa
- Chalk
- Ataija Creme Limestone
- Coquina
- Lithographic Limestone
- Ataija Creme Limestone
Can Limestone Take Heat?
Yes, marble just like limestone both very strong and…
Somewhat heat-resistant, yet not fully heat-resistant.
But…
They do not however have the same heat level of resistance as compared to granite.
Granite is hard.
In fact, extreme heat can cause what is stated as thermal shock.
Yes, you heard it, and it is not a medical condition.
Thermal shock can in fact crack limestone, and even such things such as hot pans can lead to a colour change or a little burn damage.
So no putting hot pans on your limestone mantelpiece ok…
Does Limestone Heat Up?
You do need to watch this…
That is why you can not go burning logs in your limestone mantel fireplace.
See…
When limestone is heated up, the calcium carbonate in it absorbs the heat (endothermic) and this decomposes to form calcium oxide.
Calcium oxide is also known as quicklime, is a key ingredient in the making of cement, and is also used to make certain types of plasters.
How Much Heat Can Limestone Take?
That burning question?
How hot can Limestone get?
We have already found out that limestone can not take the heat that other stones such as granite can, and there is a reason why this beautiful stone came about.
In the earlier stages of marble formation, prior to its crystallisation, those magmatic processes that affect limestone burns at extremely high temperatures indeed.
You are looking between 600 and 1,200 degrees Celsius, and this means that the minerals are in liquid form and will later solidify into marble
Does Limestone Crack Easily?
If limestone was placed on the floor for example…
It is, therefore, cut thinner than it would be for a fireplace mantel, so cracking would not be a problem unless you take a sledgehammer to it, and I can’t see why you would want to do that.
So I would say you are safe…
Yet you do have to watch out for scratching limestone or staining it as I have mentioned above.
So make sure you seal that stone ok…
There can be many reasons why you might turn around and say that a limestone mantel is too much trouble.
But hold on a minute!
What about wood?
Is it not also prone to scratches and staining, the odd cup of coffee spilt on the top of your furniture?
Hmm…
I thought so.
You see, you are already living with furniture that you take for granted what you can and can not do to it.
So…
A limestone mantel is very beautiful and timely.
It is one of the most classic, grand, and beautiful materials for fireplace mantels that just stop a person in their tracks.
So why would you not consider it?