STONE SHOWCASE: Autumn Blend

Product Description

Named for the most colorful of seasons, Kirby Stone Company’s Autumn Blend Natural Sandstone products offer a natural ambiance with warm, earthy colors representative of leaves during the Fall. The natural sandstone mixture consists primarily of tan sandstone, approximately 65 to 75% of the blend, but Autumn Blend also includes light and dark browns, rusts and golds associated with Autumn.

Autumn Blend is most often paired with a tan, or buckskin, mortar. Aesthetically, the tan mortar color assists in maintaining the warm, natural colors of the stone.

Autumn Blend sandstone is quarried in Lometa, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s Autumn Blend natural sandstone products, please visit the Autumn Blend portion of our website. You may get there immediately by clicking HERE.

Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Autumn Blend natural sandstone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.

• Quarry Chopped Stone

• Thin Veneer Chopped Stone

• 3” to 5” Flagstone

• 4” to 6” Flagstone

• Thin Veneer Flagstone

• Sawn Patio Stone

• Sawn Hearths and Lintels

• Sawn Blocks

For more information regarding all of our stone products, please visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC online at www.KIRBYSTONE.com.

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“HISTORIC STONE PROJECTS: The Empire State Building”

NATURAL STONE FUNDAMENTALS SERIES: Sandstone

We follow Kirby Stone Company's initial lesson in natural limestone by taking a look at a sedimentary relative, sandstone. This blog post will help to better serve a compare/contrast analysis between natural sandstone and limestone.

Please feel free to visit Kirby Stone Company's OFFICIAL WEBSITE to find out more about our wide variety of products.

What is Sandstone?

Referring back to our reference guide, The Columbia Encyclopedia¹, we can gather this definition of sandstone:

"sedimentary rock formed by the cementing together of grains of sand. The usual cementing material in sandstone is calcium carbonate, iron oxides, or silica, and the hardness of sandstone varies according to the character of the cementing material; quartz sandstones cemented with quartz are the hardest."

Comparatively, natural sandstone and limestone are both sedimentary rocks. You can refer to our LIMESTONE lesson for more information on the classification of sedimentary rock. However, in contrast, natural sandstone is classified as grains of sand and rock that have been cemented together.

Natural sandstone often vary greatly in color, more so than limestone, due to the variations within the grains themselves. Thus, many times, sandstone is much more "earthy" with colors ranging from grays, buffs (or tan), reds, or browns, although green and some other colors may also be found.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, Australia

Usage of Sandstone Today

Similar to limestone, natural sandstone has been used for centuries a primary masonry material. From beautiful examples of art and architecture, like St. Mary's Cathedral above, structures that have stood the very test of time, like the Karnak Temple of Ancient Egypt below, sandstone has been used greatly worldwide due to the rich variety of colors that can be attained. This wide variety of colors give each project a unique aesthetic that, in turn, will never be exactly matched.

Karnak Temple, Egypt

It can only be assumed a product like natural sandstone was also used, aside from it's availability, because it is tremendously durable. While some sandstones are softer than others, a private residence today may not have worry about the slow erosion of a stone house because, even with some deterioration, the sandstone will be there long after we are all gone!

In addition to large structures and buildings, natural sandstone is also much easier to split than limestone. Therefore, it has become a tremendously popular product in a flagstone pattern, or irregular shape. With flagstone, a user is able to utilize it in a vertical wall application, similar to dimensional stone, but it can also be utilized creatively in landscaping and patio applications.

The versatility and durability of natural sandstone products in today's construction world make it a tremendous asset in planning your next project, inside or out. The wide array of colors, textures and shapes will be sure to make your project one of a kind!

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"Stone Showcase: Autumn Blend"

References
1 "sandstone." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-sandston.html

"ROCK" 2011 with Kirby Stone Company, LLC!

Ready, Set...2011!!!

As we embark into the year 2011, a new decade, Kirby Stone Company, LLC plans to become YOUR source for everything natural stone. Through the implementation of social media outlets, Kirby Stone Company, LLC promises to keep all of our followers apprised and informed regarding natural stone in the marketplace, including new and existing products, market trends and lessons to grow your knowledge of natural stone.

Upon the review of several resources, Kirby Stone Company, LLC is forecasting growth in 2011 within an improving market with new commercial projects, homes construction, remodels, landscape renovations and more!

In 2011, Kirby Stone Company, LLC want to become your natural stone expert for all of your upcoming projects. There is no project too big or too small! Be sure to follow us along the way as we implement our plan to share more information and knowledge regarding natural stone and all of our products. We will have several series throughout 2011 on natural stone fundamentals, benefits, uses of natural stone, industry standard installation practices and coverage expectations as your personal authority and consultant for natural stone. In addition, we will share project highlights as the year progresses.

Be sure to check often as we begin this process, so you may be updated frequently and be able to make the most informed decisions possible when selecting your natural stone product. You may also visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC via our WEBSITE or follow us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER and LINKEDIN.

Kirby Stone Company, LLC wishes each of you a blessed and prosperous 2011, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Kirby Stone Company, LLC Participates in ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

On Sunday, October 18, 2009, America will once again grab for their box of tissues, as they learn of one family’s daily struggle after a life-altering tragedy and the effects a tremendous outpouring of generosity exhibited from their community can have, in a new episode of ABC’s hit series, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

The employees of Kirby Stone Company, LLC have always been avid fans of the show, and typical Monday office banter includes chatting about the episode from the previous night. Kirby Stone Company, LLC has often discussed how the natural stone supplier could get involved in such a noble cause, so when they were approached by Acme Brick Company to partner in a project to be completed in Lancaster, Texas, Kirby Stone Company, LLC eagerly accepted.

The Family
Ty Pennington and the ABC "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team arrived in Lancaster, Texas, at the Marshall Family's residence, a tremendous surprise to Carlton Marshall and another chapter in his long road to recovery.

Dallas Police Department’s Lieutenant Marshall was shot in the neck in October of 2007 while the Dallas SWAT team was executing a narcotics warrant at a residence in Oak Cliff. The injuries he sustained from the gunshot wound include severe spinal cord damage, loss of his hearing and a stroke. Since his injury, Lt. Marshall’s mobility is primarily limited to a wheelchair. However, even after doctors doubted he would ever walk again, Lt. Marshall can now move around for brief stints of time with the assistance of a cane.

But with mounting medical bills, the father of two young children has been unable to afford to make his home wheelchair accessible, much less address other, more expensive, issues with the Marshall’s home, including foundation problems, snakes in the wall and a septic system that backs up.

The new home will solve these issues as well as enable the Marshalls to continue their long-time volunteer work with Therapeutic Riding of Texas (TROT), a horseback riding therapy program for children and adults with mental and physical challenges, with a modified horse barn and stable capable of hosting TROT sessions.

The Project
In July of 2009, ABC, Ty Pennington and the rest of the crew for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” traveled to Lancaster, Texas to meet and surprise the Marshall Family. However, after Kirby Stone Company executives and employees visited the job site at midday during a Texas summer, one employee wondered who was more surprised: the Marshall Family surprised by the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” crew OR the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” crew after being welcomed in from Hollywood by the 100+ degree Texas heat!

Visiting the site was certainly an experience for all of the Kirby Stone Company staff attending. The entire project was completely orchestrated prior to the demolition and build days ensuing. However, even with an all encompassing plan, balancing construction time, film time, safety and other needs of the subcontractors and the countless volunteers was truly inspiring. Have you ever seen ants hard at work? They are all going in different directions and doing different things, but they are each focused on their individual responsibility contributing to the common goal. THAT is an “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” jobsite!

After being surprised by Pennington on Friday, July, 10th, the Marshall Family went on vacation to Disneyland. By July 17th, the Marshall Family was back at home in their fantastic new home!

The Stone
In partnership with Acme Brick Company, Kirby Stone Company, LLC donated sixty-five tons of Tumbleweed Tan chopped natural stone for the project in Lancaster. The sandstone product was delivered to Lancaster by Acme Brick Company, via Kirby Stone Company’s sandstone quarry located in Lometa, Texas.

In a unique turn of events, the Dallas Police Department, a brotherhood affected greatly by the tragic event in 2007, circulated an email asking for officers to volunteer in hauling the Tumbleweed Tan natural sandstone for the masons to lay. So many responded, some had to be turned away.

The Revelation
The Marshall Family episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will air on ABC on Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Tune in this Sunday to learn more about the Marshall Family and the project in Lancaster, Texas!

For more information about Kirby Stone Company, LLC, our portfolio and our products, please visit us at our newly redesigned website.

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

PROJECT PROFILE: Fidelity Investments Southwest Region Headquarters - Phase II (Westlake, Texas)

General Contractor: The Beck Group
Architectural Firm: HKS Architects
Masonry Contractor: Texas Stone and Tile

Situated upon approximately 315 acres of the Circle T Ranch in Westlake, Texas, the second phase of Fidelity Investments’ Southwest Region Headquarters is nearing completion. With HKS Architects, Inc. (http://www.hksinc.com/) as the design firm associated with Phase I, they along with The Beck Group (http://www.beckgroup.com/) have lead the design and construction management portions of the Phase II Building as well. Phase II of the project will share many similar features as Phase I, including the building’s location within a wooded campus overlooking a large lake. In addition to its surroundings, Phase II will also have a similar aesthetic appeal and layout, with a primarily natural stone exterior and a three-winged floor plan.

Also similar to Phase I, The Beck Group contracted Texas Stone and Tile (http://www.texasstone.com/) to be responsible for the masonry portion of Phase II’s development. Further, Texas Stone and Tile selected Kirby Stone Company, LLC to provide them with the natural stone for the project and deliver it directly from our sandstone quarry in Lometa, Texas. According to William Kelley, Kirby Stone Company’s sandstone quarry manager, Phase II of the Fidelity Southwest Regional Headquarters has used natural stone on approximately 135,000 square feet of the Phase II’s exterior and interior surfaces, including common areas such as stairwells and the cafeteria. An area of that magnitude calculates to approximately 3,000 tons of Kirby Stone Company’s Cimarron and Autumn Blend stone supplying Texas Stone and Tile from our 1,700 acre sandstone quarry.

The sandstone product used in the Phase II Building include a ratio of approximate 85% of 3” to 5” veneer flagstone to about 15% regular chopped stone. In addition, as mentioned previously, the blend used for this project is primarily Cimarron Blend with some Autumn Blend features as well.

Completion of Phase II of the Fidelity Corporate Headquarters is currently scheduled for June 2009.

For more information about Kirby Stone Company, LLC, our portfolio and our prodcuts, please visit us at our newly redesigned website.

www.KIRBYSTONE.com