definition
strict definition
alabaster
A translucent gypsum or calcite stone, usually decorative indoors but occasionally used as a facade material.
Alabaster is a name applied to two different rocks, each similar in its properties: gypsum and calcite. The latter was used frequently in ancient sculpture, while the gypsum variety is far more common in architectural usage.
The rock is similar to marble but more translucent, and is often white but can also be yellowish, reddish, or other colors.
Alabaster is more commonly used as a decorative interior stone than as a facade material, but it is used occasionally in that capacity.
Related definitions
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basalt
A dark, generally fine-grained igneous facade stone formed when lava cools and solidifies at the surface. -
gabbro
A dark, visibly grained intrusive igneous facade stone formed underground, here also including finer-grained diabase. -
granite
A hard, visibly grained igneous facade stone formed from magma cooling underground, used rough or polished. -
limestone
A sedimentary stone composed mainly of calcium carbonate, commonly used in natural stone building facades. -
marble
A brittle rock formed from calcite crystal and prized for its mottled patterns. -
quartz
A hard crystalline mineral occurring in many colors, normally clear or whitish when used on building facades. -
quartzite
A hard natural facade stone formed by the metamorphism and recrystallization of sandstone under heat and pressure. -
sandstone
A natural sedimentary facade stone made of cemented sand grains, commonly quartz, with varied colors and textures. -
serpentinite
A green metamorphic facade stone composed mainly of serpentine minerals, often selected for its color and pattern. -
slate
A metamorphic stone that splits into sheets, used as facade sheets or shingles outside roof surfaces. -
soapstone
A soft, talc-rich metamorphic rock with a slippery feel, used as a natural stone material on building facades. -
suevite
A composite rock formed in a meteor impact containing glass and fragments of rocks. -
travertine
A calcium-carbonate stone deposited from water, used as decorative natural stone and sometimes called travertine marble. -
tuff
A relatively soft volcanic rock made from consolidated erupted material, used as a textured natural facade stone.