Old Canaan Building Materials

Limestone does not come from New England. There is no significant limestone quarrying in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island. And yet it appears on traditional New England buildings — correctly, in specific places — because it was the right material for carved details at a time when carving in granite was prohibitively expensive. Knowing where it belongs, and where it does not, is the point.

Pale grey to creamy buff, fine-grained, without the sparkle of granite or the warmth of brownstone. Freshly cut, it is almost chalky in its evenness. Aged, it weathers to a silver-grey that harmonizes with granite without matching it. Against brick, it reads as a clean contrast. Its strength is its carvability and its neutrality. It does not dominate. It receives detail.

The limestone used historically on New England buildings was imported — Indiana Limestone (Salem Limestone) and Ohio Limestone were common for 19th and early 20th century institutional and residential work. Indiana Limestone is an oolitic limestone, cream to grey, with a fine even grain that takes carved profiles cleanly. It is still the standard for limestone carving and architectural detail work. Bluestone is sometimes called limestone by suppliers — it is not. They are different stones.

Indiana Limestone is moderately durable in New England conditions but softer than granite. It does not spall in freeze-thaw if properly installed with drainage. It stains from iron and from improper mortar. It should never be set with Portland cement mortar — the lime mortar used historically is correct and allows the stone to breathe. Carved limestone detail holds well for decades in a sheltered location; exposed horizontal surfaces weather faster.

Limestone is correct on Federal, Greek Revival, and Italianate buildings in New England for carved capitals, keystones, belt courses, and ornamental details where the material's carvability was essential. It is not correct as a general paving or walling material on most New England properties. The question to ask is whether the building's original specification included limestone. If so, match it. If not, the native stones are the right choice.

Indiana Limestone is available from limestone dealers and architectural stone suppliers throughout the Northeast. Specify Indiana Limestone (Salem Limestone) by name. For restoration work, matching the original stone character — color, grain, finish — is the priority. For new carved details, work with a stone carver who specifies the correct grade for the profile required.