Australian Bluestone Vs Imported Bluestone

Australian Bluestone has a very good reputation as a high quality product. It has a particular shade of grey/blue that is unique and has a low iron pyrite content, meaning it doesn’t experience much or any color change over a period of time. From a durability perspective, there is no practical difference between imported and local Bluestone. It’s helpful to listen to David Attenborough’s YouTube video on the basalt formation (which we call Bluestone in Victoria) to gain a broader understanding. The price of Australian Bluestone is much higher than imported varieties.

Some resellers like to report that they are selling Australian Bluestone and give it a local name from one of our South East Melbourne suburbs, however there is no Bluestone quarry in this area and the product sold is usually Chinese. Buyer beware!

Most of the good Bluestone is usually imported from China, although there are some imports from Vietnam. The quality, cut, color and porosity of the Chinese material is as good as the best in the world. The author of this article selected Chinese Bluestone for his own home.

Another great advantage of the Chinese blue stone is the price, it represents excellent value for money and provides an excellent long-term investment due to the durability of the stone.

About Bluestone

Bluestone is the local Victorian name for basalt, which means volcanic rock. Bluestone is a very hard and durable stone. It has many qualities that make it an excellent flooring solution. There are also many different qualities to examine before purchasing your Bluestone (in other words, not all bluestones are created equal).

• Color. The color of the blue stone varies and this also helps determine the final price. Typically, the attractive blue/gray type costs a bit more than the flat gray varieties.
• Finish type. The surface of bluestone tiles can be sawn, leaving you with a rougher, more slip-resistant surface. It can also be polished which makes it smoother and generally brings out dark colors. Bluestone can be honed to a semi-polished or honed finish, due to the inherent hardness of the stone.
• Cast of “cat’s paw”. Bluestone has tiny holes in the surface that were created when hot volcanic rock cooled. Some types of Bluestone are very compact (without small holes); although this is not always considered an aesthetic advantage as the end result may be too plain for some applications. Cats Paw is a word used to explain a pattern of slightly larger holes running through some of the tiles and is generally considered very attractive when present in the correct amount.
• Thickness. The thickness of the stone helps determine its longevity, once it has been set in position. Some companies will suggest a 15mm thick Bluestone for exterior use, however we suggest 20mm as the minimum thickness for exterior use. Bluestone 20mm tiles work well in driveway and general landscaping applications as their extra thickness, and therefore strength, allows for expansion and contraction and improves impact resistance. We also stock 30mm tile for commercial applications, when a thicker tile is required.

Bluestone is used effectively for driveways, patios, pool surrounds, and interior applications. Bluestone is a traditional stone and has been used in Melbourne since our inception and due to its color and quality is widely used in modern building applications.