In Kenya, according to the cultural and economic circumstances, the prices of construction materials and types of mostly used stones can change.
Kenya was one of the few countries to experience construction expansion in 2020, with real output growing by 11.8% that year.
The publisher expects Kenya's construction industry to grow by another 9 percent this year, before growing at an average annual rate of 6.1 percent between 2022 and 2025.
Types of Building Stones in Kenya
In Kenya, we can also classify types of building stones based on their properties, quality, and durability.
The stone used to build roads is not the same as the stone used to build buildings Below are the types of building blocks based on their quality, properties, and durability.
- Sandstone
They are considered very strong stones and are also waterproof. These stones are usually used where there is water, such as near a river. They are also ideal for building water tanks, dams, and bridges.
| Title | Description |
| Types | Sandstone, Limestone, Basalt |
| Pricing | Mining, Quality, Processing |
| Used in | Places Exposed to Water |
| Resistant to | Weather Change, Moisture |
- Limestone
These are the softest building blocks.
Due to its softness, it is not suitable for construction, otherwise, it can be used as a finishing polish since they do not have cracks.
Since this building stone cannot be used in larger buildings, it can be used on floors and roofs, but it should be ensured that the stone is not exposed to factories that pollute the air.
- Basalt
They are also very strong and if you are building bridges or eve roads you must use these stones.
Like sandstone, basalt can also be used for construction in waterlogged areas such as rivers and near water tanks.
Building Stones Prices in Kenya
The price of building stones can drastically change due to some factors in Kenya.
There are several factors that directly and indirectly affect the price of stone.
These factors will depend to a greater extent on how the various stones are extracted and processed.
How stones are mined will greatly influence their final price.
Harder rocks have more complex mining operations.
To extract this type of stone, special equipment must be used, which takes more time and costs.
This is one of the reasons why granite stone is more expensive than other types of stone.
Since the granite stone is composed of carbon and the material is very hard, it requires more energy and costs during the extraction process.
Buy marble and travertine, these are hard stones that usually take longer to mine and are more expensive.
Another very important and effective factor that affects the price of a building stone is its processing method.
Softer stones generally require more processing steps.
The processing of the stone takes place in different phases.
The first phase of stone processing is the cutting phase.
Rock chipping is usually done to break the rock into smaller pieces.
In this step, different equipment is used to cut the stone.
Hard, soft and miter saws are the types of equipment used for cutting.
The next stage of stone processing is the grinding and polishing stage.
At this stage, the stone is polished with special abrasives, depending on its hardness or softness.
In the next stages, different methods will be used to improve the quality of the stone.
Using stone enhancers, painting the stone, and using resin on the stone will improve the quality and appearance of the stone.
The above steps are usually performed on many stones.
However, the quality of doing this and the time it takes to complete these steps can affect the final price of the stone and the price of the finished product.
Therefore, a significant part of the price of building stones is due to their extraction and processing.
Today, a type of stone is also widely used for cupboards, kitchens, living rooms and is called antique stone.
Building Stones for Sale in Kenya
Kenya is one of the countries where its construction industry highly depends on the importation of building stones.
Many stone sale companies in Kenya work on importation for domestic purposes.
One of the materials that have been used for building facades in the past is stone, this type of building facade gives buildings a beautiful appearance and they are considered strong and durable.
You know for sure that the facade of the building is exposed to external damage factors such as wind, rain, etc.
, it is more prone to erosion, and if the facade construction does not use high-quality materials, the facade of the building will be damaged within a short time after implementation and will erode and collapse.
Stone is one of the most expensive materials in the construction industry.
Stone can be used for building facades, interior design, floors, etc.
Of course, it should be noted that the type and weight of stone used for different purposes are different.
Selection of the best building stone for building exteriors must have high durability and strength.
Exterior wall stone is always exposed to sunlight, rain and snow, dust, pollution, cold, heat, moisture, etc.
Therefore, the resistant stone is the best choice for exterior walls.
Basically, building exterior designers recommend using travertine, sandstone, and granite, each with its own unique beauty and function, travertine is cheaper and has a higher resistance than the other two building stones.
In addition, this stone adheres very well to cement so that it cannot be separated from the surface.
Stone can be used for the interior and exterior of buildings.
Building stones can be used in interior spaces like: Stone walls such as staircase walls, car park walls, interior walls in houses, shops, offices, etc.
The stones used in the interior walls are mostly decorative.
Stones for stairs and staircases in commercial complexes.
Dimensions of Building Stones in Kenya
Imported stone slabs in Kenya can be cut in many dimensions for building purposes according to the usage of stones.
A slab is a special stone-cut and polished model.
In general, stones with a width of more than 70 cm are called slabs in the stone industry.
Various stones, including granite, marble, quartz, natural marble, and travertine, are mined and cut into large pieces and after cutting to the desired size, they are classified as the slab.
These cuts are usually made with a saw, in this case, the stone is 2 cm thick.
Considering the cutting and polishing process of these stones and their very difficult and sensitive transportation, they are more expensive than other stones.
The dimensions of the slab are usually in a size of 120 x 220 cm and its thickness is usually 2 cm or more.
These dimensions may of course vary depending on where the stone is used.
For example, the slab for export is 120 cm wide and 250 to 300 cm long.
Price of Machine Cut Building Stones in Kenya
The building stones market in Kenya is overwhelmed by the stones which are cut by machines, due to their affordable price.
The machine cat building stones have a huge portion of the market in Kenya.
Well, building blocks are one of the most important materials needed on a construction site.
Building stone is mainly used to build walls.
They form solid walls that are not prone to collapse.
Needless to say, it is very important to have an effective financial plan that acts as a compass for your purchase and use of building blocks on a construction site.
For this reason, I will answer your questions about building stone prices in Kenya in this article.
In Kenya, the cost of building stone for a truck ranges from Ksh.
25,000 to Ksh.30,000.
The price depends on the type of building block, including machine-cut building blocks and hand-cut building blocks.
Machine-cut building blocks are relatively expensive per lorry. Quarries and machine-cut stone You may also be interested in finding out about quarry prices in Kenya known as Ksh. 15 to Ksh. NOK 25 per building block.
This price is quite cheap and therefore affordable.
You may also want to know that machine-cut stone prices in Kenya range from Ksh.
25 to Ksh.40, depending on the size of the stone.
Eldoret's machine-cut stone can be found in many places, such as
- Adriel's stone and furniture work.
- Eldoret Mazeras and stones.
- Eldoret Quarry Ltd.
- Machine Cut Building Materials Co., Ltd.
Apart from Eldoret, there are other places in the country such as Nakuru where you can get machine-cut stones at affordable prices.
Prices for machine-cut stones in Nakuru range from Ksh. 20 to Ksh.
40 pieces per stone, depending on the size of the stone.
Where to Buy Building Stones in Kenya
In Kenya, providing the building materials and stones, where you can buy them at a suitable price, is a matter of knowing the market.
Machine-cut stone as the name suggests is mined using stone cutting machines and is typically cut into 3 main length sizes, 9, 6, and 4.
In Nairobi, the best machine-cut building stones are located at Juja, Ndarugu, and Thika Road.
Stone prices vary depending on stone quality but can be as low as 15 shillings per stone.
6*9 and 9*9 A grade machine cut stones cost an average of Ksh 24-30. Advantages of machine cut stone.
- Use less mortar: The stone is in good condition and has an even surface, so use a small amount of mortar to bind the stone.
- Save even more with plastering.
- Use less mortar than hand-cutting stone because you don't need to use mortar to fill uneven holes in the stone.
- Low labor costs: Machine-cut stone masonry is fast, and masons build a larger area in one day; therefore, you can save labor costs.
- The same labor services apply to plastering.
- Tidy: A wall made of machine-cut stone is tidy.
- Stone-free dressings: They do not require stone dressings, so you save on shipping.
Before placing an order, please have an experienced person/foundation help you check the quality of the machine cuts.
Experienced Fundi can easily identify or identify strong stones from weak ones.
This is important because poor quality can affect the structural strength of your home.
Another, easier method is to lift the stone to shoulder height and place it on top of another stone.
If it breaks, then it's weak.
The disadvantage of this method is that some porous stones do not crack when dropped on other stones, but when it rains they absorb water from the house and weaken over time when exposed to rain.
The Answer to Two Questions About Building Stones
1: Where can Building Stones be used?
They are also very strong and if you are building bridges or eve roads you must use these stones.
2: What types of stones can be used in building?
Sandstone, Limestone, Basalt.
0
0