Article by ArchiPro.
Durable yet beautiful, Australian bluestone lends a premium aesthetic to outdoor environments.
Words by Tanisha Angel.
Australian bluestone unites strength and durability with aesthetic beauty, making it well suited for interior and exterior use in both residential and commercial spaces. A natural product, bluestone is a type of sedimentary rock, formed from deposits accumulated on the Earth’s surface.
An inherently Australian product, Bamstone bluestone is the result of the volcanic lava flow of Mount Rouse, which journeyed down the mountain to the coast of Port Fairy in Victoria where it resided for thousands of years, forming basalt bluestone. An Australian-owned family company, all Bamstone bluestone is sourced from the same Mount Rouse lava flow, with ownership of licensed Victorian quarry sites ensuring a consistent and sustainable supply of high-quality bluestone over time. Reflective of the duality of the Australian landscape, Bamstone’s Australia-made bluestone is able to weather the harshest storms while exuding timeless elegance, making it the product of choice for residential and commercial projects alike.
Why you should consider using Australian bluestone in your next project
Bluestone is a highly durable material; when professionally installed, it can easily last decades. “As a natural stone, Australian bluestone was formed by nature and not in a factory,” explains Sam Steel of Bamstone. “Specialists in dimension stone, Bamstone engages Stone Initiatives for all testing and quality checks to ensure a consistent and premium supply of Australian bluestone.”
Excavated, sliced and made-to-order, Bamstone’s Australian bluestone develops its own natural patina over time without the need for a sealant product. Extensive product testing has also confirmed that Bamstone bluestone products are not prone to warping, exfoliation, curling or rust upon installation.
Its cool, earthy tones allow Australian bluestone to complement both the natural and built environments, with unique characteristics in every stone making for a striking style statement in every project. “Our long-standing clients trust and appeal to the fact that they can source the same premium grade bluestone 20-30 years from now for their project. Owning local Victorian quarry sites ensures a consistent supply of Australian-made bluestone over time,” says Sam.
Types of bluestone grades
It’s essential to select the right grade of stone for your project; Australian bluestone comes in both standard- and landscape-grade varieties. Australian bluestone is graded based on the natural vesiculation that occurs in the stone. Vesiculation refers to the natural markings in the stone; these form when lava cools and degasses and can appear as stripes, bubbles or veining in the stone.
Standard-grade bluestone has 0-30% vesicles, offering a cleaner, uncluttered finish. Meanwhile, landscape-grade bluestone can have from 30-100% vesicles, taking on a more natural, organic finish.
“Both grades are suited to exterior conditions and environments,” Sam tells us. “Australian bluestone properties allow the product to excel in aesthetics, function and durability over time. It is a natural Australian product that many Victorians will have walked on in the streets and infamous laneways throughout Melbourne.”
For interior applications, standard grade bluestone is advisable.
How to use Australian bluestone to elevate your outdoor space
Both standard- and landscape-grade bluestone pavers in rectilinear cuts have proven to endure for outdoor projects, with Sam citing a diamond-sawn finish as the most popular.
Uniform cuts of bluestone lend themselves well to use in high-end outdoor areas, especially around pools and when creating a more manicured garden. For those desirous of a more natural, organic feel reminiscent of the Australian landscape, natural steppers and crazy pavers are highly sought-after products. Not only do they lend spaces a laidback aesthetic, but they also represent a sustainable use of resources.
“Crazy paving and offcuts are a highly sought-after landscaping product,” says Sam. The actual products themselves are a byproduct that results during the dimensional paving production and stone cutting process at Bamstone.”
“Their texture, natural colour, and size variations make such products ideal for courtyards, garden paving, pool surrounds, pathways and curved designs.”
Discover the full range of Bamstone indoor and outdoor bluestone products.