Woodkirk yorkstone alternative: Rustic and Perla
Woodkirk is a fine-grained yorkstone from south of Leeds that leaves the quarry grey-buff and warms with the years. It is specified as readily for paving as for walling and facades. Rustic is close to its quarry tone and shares its density, with lower open porosity and a freeze-thaw test with a figure. Perla covers the palest buffs, for facades and large formats. In flexural strength, Woodkirk gives higher values than Rustic and Perla.
Woodkirk yorkstone
- Type:
- Fine-grained Carboniferous sandstone (Coal Measures), yorkstone
- Origin:
- Morley, south of Leeds, West Yorkshire (UK)
- Colour:
- Grey-buff when freshly quarried; buff-brown as it weathers
Woodkirk has been quarried in Morley since 1841 and its quarry remains active. Looking for an alternative makes sense when the site date is fixed and the job needs a grey or golden buff from the same stone family, or when the project is in Ireland or on the Continent and prefers a European own quarry with documented test data.
Rustic
Grey sandstone with golden hues, close to freshly quarried Woodkirk, with 9.9 % open porosity, 86 MPa in compression and 85 PTV wet. For pedestrian paving, setts and masonry.
View stone
Perla
Fine-grained sandstone in perlatto cream for facades, masonry and large formats, with large-format facades already built.
View stoneTechnical comparison
| Property | Woodkirk yorkstone | Rustic · Perla |
|---|---|---|
| Petrographic family | Fine-grained Carboniferous sandstone (Coal Measures) | Calcarenite (lithic arenite) · Calcarenite |
| Colour | Grey-buff when freshly quarried; buff-brown as it weathers | Grey with golden tones · Perlatto cream |
| Apparent density | 2,313 to 2,460 kg/m³ (published data) | 2,460 · 2,410 kg/m³ |
| Compressive strength | 54 to 98 MPa depending on the datasheet | 86 · 73 MPa |
| The Woodkirk range comes from two different datasheets; Rustic sits inside it and Perla at its lower end. | ||
| Flexural strength | 10.7 to 13.4 MPa | 10.5 · 8.5 MPa |
| In flexural strength, Woodkirk exceeds Rustic and Perla. | ||
| Flexural strength after 56 freeze-thaw cycles | No figure; the datasheet considers frost failure unlikely | 10.1 MPa, drops by 4 % · 7.9 MPa, drops by 7 % |
| Water absorption / open porosity | 4 to 4.45 % absorption; 14.9 % open porosity | 9.9 % · 12.6 % open porosity |
| Absorption for Rustic and Perla is not on their datasheets; the like-for-like comparison is open porosity, where both sit below the yorkstone. | ||
| Abrasion | No figure on the datasheets | 25.5 · 25 mm |
| At 25.5 and 25 mm, Rustic and Perla are for pedestrian use; for vehicular traffic, Northcliff Blue. | ||
| Slip resistance | 82 dry, unpolished surface | Rustic: 85 PTV wet · Perla: 94 dry, 78 wet |
| One figure is dry and the others wet, so they are not comparable. If the project needs the test by finish, we send it with the sample. | ||
| Finishes | Sawn, among others | Rustic: brushed, sandblasted, split-face and aged setts · Perla: bush-hammered and aged; neither takes a flamed finish |
| Supply | West Yorkshire yorkstone from an active quarry | Quarried and processed at our own quarries and factory in Lleida; availability confirmed project by project for the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe |
Rustic and Perla suit pedestrian paving, setts, walling and facades. For cantilevered steps, large-format slabs on supports or streets with vehicular traffic, Woodkirk has more margin than either; there we suggest Northcliff Blue, or sizing each option with its own values before choosing.
The same grey-buff, with porosity and freeze-thaw quantified
Woodkirk leaves the quarry grey-buff and darkens to buff-brown outdoors. Rustic, grey with golden hues, is close to that quarry tone. Both stones have a density of 2,460 kg/m³, and Rustic’s 86 MPa compressive strength falls within Woodkirk’s range of 54 to 98 MPa. Rustic’s open porosity is 9.9 %, against 14.9 % for Woodkirk. After 56 frost cycles Rustic retains 10.1 MPa in bending, 4 % less than at the start; for Woodkirk, the datasheet describes frost resistance without giving a figure.
Where the yorkstone wins
Woodkirk’s flexural strength ranges from 10.7 to 13.4 MPa, above Rustic’s 10.5 MPa and Perla’s 8.5. The difference matters on pieces that work in bending, such as a cantilevered step or a large-format slab on supports. For vehicular traffic, Rustic’s 25.5 mm abrasion falls short, and the reference stone becomes Northcliff Blue, compared on the Scoutmoor page.
When Rustic and when Perla
Rustic goes to pedestrian paving, setts, aged ones included, and masonry facing. Perla goes to facades, masonry and large formats in the pale buffs; it clads the ME Barcelona hotel in pre-assembled panels of up to 2.40 by 1 metre.
Frequently asked questions
Does Rustic match the Woodkirk tone?
It is closer to freshly quarried Woodkirk, grey-buff, than to weathered Woodkirk, which is warmer. Rustic is grey with golden hues. To fix the tone, set the sample next to the specified stone or the stone already laid.
Do you supply walling and coping pieces, as well as paving?
Yes. At our factory in Lleida we cut flags, setts, ashlar, copings and special pieces to measure in Rustic and in Perla. For exposed masonry, Rustic is also supplied in split-face.
Which of the two for a facade?
Perla. Its cream tone covers Woodkirk’s pale buffs, and the ME Barcelona hotel facade was built in bush-hammered Perla. Rustic is for pedestrian paving, setts and masonry.
Do you supply to Ireland?
Yes, we quote projects in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Tell us the site destination and we will confirm availability and transport along with the sample.
Check availability and lead time
Tell us where the stone will go, how many square metres and by what date. We will send Rustic and Perla samples with their technical datasheets and availability for your project.
- Availability, lead time and price with your measurements
- Physical sample free of charge for professionals
- Technical datasheet with test values