Sandstone C616-I
Grade · default condition
ASTM C616
C616-I = class I
General building/landscape sandstone: easiest to carve and cut, but highest porosity and lowest strength — use in mild, non-freeze-thaw-critical exposures.
Values for the C616-I condition
Other Sandstone tempers and conditions
Sandstone is listed in 3 conditions; see the grade overview at Sandstone.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C616-IDefaultThis page Class I | General building/landscape sandstone: easiest to carve and cut, but highest porosity and lowest strength — use in mild, non-freeze-thaw-critical exposures. | — | 3 | — | — | 2 W/m·K |
Class II | Silica-cemented sandstone with low absorption (≤3 %) — the practical choice for exterior cladding and paving in freeze–thaw climates. | — | 6 | — | — | 3 W/m·K |
Class III | Fully recrystallized, near-zero-absorption silica rock — highest strength, abrasion and stain resistance; hardest and slowest to cut. | — | 12 | — | — | 6 W/m·K |
What is Sandstone C616-I?
Sandstone C616-I is Sandstone in the C616-I grade — general building/landscape sandstone: easiest to carve and cut, but highest porosity and lowest strength — use in mild, non-freeze-thaw-critical exposures. Sandstone C616-I has a tensile strength of 3 MPa (0.435 ksi), weaker than 87% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.25% and the elastic modulus is 15 GPa (2.18 Msi). Sandstone C616-I has a density of 2.25 g/cm³ (0.0813 lb/in³), heavier than 81% of natural material grades. It melts at 1,650°C (3,002 °F).
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 0.09 kg CO₂/kg, better than 95% of natural material grades
- Conducts heat well — 2 W/m·K (1.16 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 86% of natural material grades
- High service temperature — 250°C (482 °F), better than 85% of natural material grades
- Stiff — 15 GPa (2.18 Msi), better than 81% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 15/100, worse than 90% of natural material grades
- Limited ductility — 0.25%, worse than 86% of natural material grades
- Heavy — 2.25 g/cm³ (0.0813 lb/in³), worse than 81% of natural material grades
Sandstone C616-I properties
Typical room-temperature values for Sandstone C616-I; 15 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Sandstone reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical3
Sandstone C616-I has a density of 2.25 g/cm³ (0.0813 lb/in³), heavier than 81% of natural material grades. It melts at 1,650°C (3,002 °F).
Mechanical12
Sandstone C616-I has a tensile strength of 3 MPa (0.435 ksi), weaker than 87% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 0.25% and the elastic modulus is 15 GPa (2.18 Msi).
Thermal5
Sandstone C616-I is rated for continuous service to 250°C (482 °F). It conducts heat at 2 W/m·K (1.16 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 86% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 10.5 µm/m·K (5.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical1
Sandstone C616-I has an electrical resistivity of 10,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (45/100), better than 53% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Sandstone C616-I takes about 2 MJ of energy and emits 0.09 kg of CO₂ — less than 94% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability2
Sandstone C616-I's machinability is very good (70/100, worse than 67% of natural material grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Sandstone C616-I
Is Sandstone easy to machine?
Cut and profiled with diamond blades, wire saws and CNC routers under water flood; soft and easy to carve but highly abrasive — expect fast diamond-segment wear and avoid dry cutting (silica dust hazard).
Can Sandstone be welded?
Not weldable; joints are made with epoxy/polyester stone adhesive, mortar bedding or mechanical anchors (kerf, undercut, dowel).
Can Sandstone be formed, bent or molded?
Shaped only by subtractive quarrying, splitting along bedding planes, sawing, bush-hammering or hand carving — no plastic forming.
What surface finishes work on Sandstone?
Typical finishes are sawn, honed, sandblasted, bush-hammered, flamed or split-face; will not take a mirror polish. Impregnating silane/siloxane sealers are recommended against staining, efflorescence and freeze–thaw damage.
Sandstone chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| SiO2free silica (quartz grains + siliceous cement); ASTM C616 class minima 60/90/95 % | 60 – 95 | 80 |
| Al2O3feldspar and clay matrix | 1 – 12 | 7 |
| Fe2O3iron oxide cement — source of red/brown/yellow color | 0.3 – 6 | 2.5 |
| CaOcalcareous cement; raises acid sensitivity | 0.1 – 8 | 1.5 |
| K2O + Na2O | 0.2 – 5 | 2 |
| MgO | 0.1 – 3 | 0.8 |
| LOI / other mineralscarbonates, micas, organics, bound water | balance | — |
Sandstone C616-I — frequently asked
What is Sandstone C616-I used for?
Sandstone C616-I is typically used for paving and walkways, building facades and cladding, landscape walls, roofing tiles (flagstone) and interior flooring. In short: easiest-carving building stone; naturally slip-resistant paving; porous, needs sealing.
What is the tensile strength of Sandstone C616-I?
Sandstone C616-I has a typical tensile strength of 3 MPa (0.435 ksi) — weaker than 87% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Sandstone C616-I easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (70/100, worse than 67% of natural material grades). Cut and profiled with diamond blades, wire saws and CNC routers under water flood; soft and easy to carve but highly abrasive — expect fast diamond-segment wear and avoid dry cutting (silica dust hazard).
Can Sandstone C616-I be welded?
Not weldable; joints are made with epoxy/polyester stone adhesive, mortar bedding or mechanical anchors (kerf, undercut, dowel).
What surface finishes work on Sandstone C616-I?
Typical finishes are sawn, honed, sandblasted, bush-hammered, flamed or split-face; will not take a mirror polish. Impregnating silane/siloxane sealers are recommended against staining, efflorescence and freeze–thaw damage.
Can Sandstone C616-I be formed, bent or molded?
Shaped only by subtractive quarrying, splitting along bedding planes, sawing, bush-hammering or hand carving — no plastic forming.
What is the maximum service temperature of Sandstone C616-I?
Sandstone C616-I is rated for continuous use to about 250°C (482 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ASTM C616 Standard Specification for Quartz-Based Dimension Stone — ASTM International (2023)
- ASTM C99 / C170 / C97 (modulus of rupture, compressive strength, absorption and bulk specific gravity of dimension stone) — ASTM International (2018)
- GB/T 18600 / GB/T 18601 (related dimension-stone test practice) (2009)
- Rock Mechanics property compilations (ISRM suggested methods; strength, modulus and K_IC of sedimentary rock) — ISRM / Elsevier (2015)
- Thermophysical and geophysical property tables for sedimentary rock — AGU/Geothermal handbooks (2011)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.