What is Jerusalem stone, and is it a limestone or a marble?

Is Jerusalem stone a marble or a limestone?

Limestone, dolomite or a mix. The stone is sedimentary and often shows fossil shell fragments and small marine organisms, which is limestone texture, not the recrystallized texture of marble. Marble is limestone that has been metamorphosed by heat and pressure.

That matters for care. Limestone and dolomite are carbonate rocks, and calcite fizzes in dilute acid, so calcite-rich Jerusalem stone can etch under acidic cleaners in the same way marble does. Calcite is under Mohs 4, so it scratches more readily than quartz-rich stone.

Which colors does Jerusalem stone come in?

Reference sources give white to pink, yellow and tawny. A panel supplier describes the stock stone as cream to warm ivory, with scattered darker inclusions and fine natural fissures. Trade names map to different origins: one exporter lists a Ramon quarry near Mitzpe Ramon for Jerusalem Gold and Jerusalem Grey, Jerusalem Cream or Bone from the Hebron area, and Benjamin Grey from the Bir Zeit area.

Finishes sold include honed, polished, tumbled and antique, plus chiseled, sandblasted and flamed faces for exteriors. The exporter's own range spans cut-to-size textured stone, honed and polished tiles and slabs, and exterior paving.

Why does Jerusalem have a stone rule?

A municipal requirement to face buildings in local Jerusalem stone dates to 1918, under the British military governor Ronald Storrs, and was part of a city master plan. An exporter's history repeats that the building code requires every new building to be clad with local chiseled stone.

That is why most Jerusalem stone seen in photographs is rough-faced exterior cladding, not a polished interior surface. The chiseled finish is a Jerusalem tradition, and honed tile is the interior counterpart.

Can Jerusalem stone be used in a bathroom?

It can, mainly as tile. A panel supplier lists absorption of 0.55–1.2% for Jerusalem limestone, a medium abrasion rating and good freeze-thaw resistance, with variation by variety. The sources opened give no bathroom guidance, so these are general limestone cautions, not product claims.

Use a honed face, since polish shows etching quickly. Seal with a penetrating sealer and avoid vinegar, bleach and tub cleaners. Shower floors and tub surrounds will show soap and hard-water film sooner than a denser stone. Ask for wet slip data on the exact finish.

What is Jerusalem stone confused with?

Cream limestones and travertine. Travertine has linear pits and banding, while Jerusalem stone is more evenly fossil-fleck textured. Spanish Crema Marfil is a similar cream tone sold as marble with fine dark veins, and Indiana limestone is a buff American stone with a pale cream-to-brown range. For a travertine comparison see travertine vs marble.

Does Pietra Fonte make pieces in Jerusalem stone?

We don't currently offer Jerusalem stone. We carve marble, travertine, onyx and a small range of other stones to order. See the stone library for what we work in, or write to us about a one-off piece through bespoke.