Reference
Stone & tool database
Twenty-four stones compared by hardness, density, porosity, colour, origin, price and working method. Sort any column, filter the list, or pick up to three to compare side by side.
| Stone | Type | Hardness | Density | Porosity | Colour | Origin | Price | Working | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metamorphic | Mohs 1 | 2.8 | Very low | Grey / green | Brazil, India, Finland | Low | Rasp, file, saw | No | |
| Sedimentary (gypsum) | Mohs 1.8 | 2.3 | Low, soluble | White / honey | Italy, Spain, UK | Medium | Riffler, rasp | No | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 1.5 | 2.8 | Very low | Grey / black | Zimbabwe, Brazil | Low | Rasp, file | No | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 3 | 2.4 | High | Cream / buff | France, USA, Portugal | Low | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 3.2 | 2.4 | High | Pale grey | USA | Low | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 3.5 | 2.2 | High | Cream | UK | Medium | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 3.5 | 2.7 | Low | White / grey | Italy | Medium | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 4 | 2.7 | Low | Green / black / red | Greece, Turkey, China | Medium | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 4 | 2.85 | Low | White / cream | Italy, Spain | Medium | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 4 | 2.5 | Very high | Cream / tan | Italy, Turkey | Medium | Steel chisel | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 3.5 | 2.6 | Low | Banded | Iran, Mexico | High | Steel chisel | No | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 3.5 | 2.8 | Very low | Grey / black | UK, Spain, China | Low | Chisel, split | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 6 | 2.3 | High | Buff / red | India, UK, Germany | Low | Steel / carbide | Yes | |
| Igneous | Mohs 6 | 2.9 | Low | Dark grey | Italy, China | Medium | Carbide | Yes | |
| Igneous | Mohs 6.5 | 2.75 | Very low | Speckled grey | India, China, Italy | Medium | Carbide / diamond | Yes | |
| Igneous | Mohs 6.8 | 2.9 | Very low | Black | India, South Africa | High | Carbide / diamond | Yes | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 7 | 2.65 | Very low | White / grey | Brazil, India | High | Diamond | Yes | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 6.5 | 2.95 | Very low | Green | China, Canada, NZ | Very high | Diamond | Yes | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 4.5 | 2.6 | Low | Green / black | Italy, China | Medium | Steel / carbide | Yes | |
| Igneous | Mohs 6.5 | 2.7 | Low | Purple / grey | Italy | Medium | Carbide | Yes | |
| Sedimentary | Mohs 1.5 | 2 | Very high | White | UK, France | Low | Rasp, saw | No | |
| Igneous | Mohs 6 | 0.9 | Extreme | Pale grey | Italy, Turkey | Low | Saw, rasp | Yes | |
| Metamorphic | Mohs 3.5 | 2.6 | Low | Banded white | Iran, Pakistan | High | Steel chisel | No | |
| Mixed | Mohs 5 | 2.6 | Variable | Variable | Local | Free | Carbide | Yes |
Densities are typical values for each stone type; real blocks vary by several percent. Hardness is a range, not a single number — the same stone from two quarries can behave differently. Use this table to narrow a choice, then test on an offcut before committing to a block.