Despite not being very popular abroad, Portuguese grey limestones still present a high quality profile with remarkable attributes and competitive features. Moreover, there are quite a lot of types of grey limestones from Portugal but only a few are currently known in the international market, such as the Moleanos Blue and Moleanos B1.

With a growing reputation, Portuguese grey limestones are quite reliable, especially in terms of background uniformity and colour consistency. They usually present a very considerable hardness and an impressive versatility, that makes them suitable for about any type of application or project. Also, they present a high availability and a competitive pricing – ideal conditions when it comes to business. There is certainly a huge variety of grey limestones from Portugal, but only a few have been able to enter the international market. At the current time, there are four limestones that have been growing in both, popularity and demand at a global level.

1. Moleanos Blue Limestone

The Moleanos Blue is possibly the most famous blue-grey limestone from Portugal. It displays a set of superior attributes, including a very smooth and uniform background. Additionally, it presents a pale blue-grey colour, followed by some darker areas and occasional natural elements, like fossils, shells and calcite. This grey limestone is recommended for almost any sort of application, due to its versatility and increased hardness. However, cladding and flooring are generally the most common applications when it comes to Moleanos Blue projects.

Main Features: Uniform background; increased hardness; consistent grey-blue colour.

Recommended for: Exterior and interior applications in general.

2. Moleanos B1 Limestone

As a direct alternative to the Azul Valverde, the Moleanos B1 is a grey limestone with a high utility value. It presents a pale light grey colour and a quite uniform background, with hardly any visible elements. Overall, this is a limestone with a very plain and regular surface, which makes it a perfect choice for cladding, flooring and decoration projects. Despite this preference, the Moleanos B1 is recommended for all exterior and interior applications. Additionally, the Moleanos B1 is one of the main replacements for the well-known Azul Valverde, non-existent at the time.

Main Features: Very uniform background; increased hardness; consistent pale grey colour.

Recommended for: Cladding, flooring and decoration.

3. Moleanos B3 Limestone

Known for its diversity, the Moleanos B3 is a variation of the Moleanos limestone, which presents a little less purity. This is a multi-colour limestone, with light grey as the main colour and blue and beige as the secondary tonalities. The background is somewhat uniform, as it displays strong signs of natural elements, particularly fossils and calcite. Moreover, the Moleanos B3 is a very hard type of limestone, which together with its versatility makes it suitable for essentially any project.  Still, the main applications for this limestone are exterior ones, specifically exterior cladding and landscaping.

Main Features: Somewhat uniform background; increased hardness; strong signs of elements; multi-colour.

Recommended for: Exterior cladding and landscaping.

4. Perlato Limestone

The Perlato Limestone is a grey limestone that presents an interesting appearance, composed by the abundancy of calcite and fossils. These natural elements create some lighter areas but overall, this is a somewhat uniform limestone. In terms of structure, the Perlato displays a consistent grey colour, as well as an increased hardness. As a versatile limestone, the Perlato can be suitable for a wide range of applications. Despite the consolidate position in Portugal, the Perlato is not so known abroad and is still developing its own market.

Main Features: Somewhat uniform background; increased hardness; consistent grey colour.

Recommended for: Exterior and interior applications in general.

For more information about grey limestones from Portugal or any other natural stone, contact us directly for a specialized feedback.