Exterior

Background

Portuguese limestones have been used for centuries on traditional landscaping and street paving in Portugal and is today found on basically any historical center in the country.

The export of this type of products started recently with demand from France, where limestones have also been used historically in its cities and public areas. However and mostly because of the high price of French limestones, Portuguese limestones started to be popular and on demand. And this is how a market for landscaping, garden decoration and exterior application products using Portuguese limestones started. Today, countries from all over the world buy such products from Portuguese suppliers.

Limestones

Landscaping requires specific types of limestones that are harder, more compact and little porosity. In this scope, the types of Moleanos limestone that are mostly recommended are the Moleanos Vidraco and the Moleanos Classic. Other types of Moleanos and its close alternatives are less hard and therefore resistant to such applications, being mostly used on warmer climates and with moderate to low use.

Markets

France is perhaps the number 1 market for Portuguese limestone landscaping and garden decoration work, which includes both Moleanos variations described here. This is a country where many public spaces are traditionally built with limestone and where Portuguese limestones have been used as a direct alternative to more expensive and limited local limestones.

Other interesting markets for Moleanos limestones for exterior applications are the UK (for private residential projects), the Middle East (with its booming construction industry) and some other European countries.