Due to the material's inherent resilience, stone masonry lasts the longest and can withstand the best elements. Stone is durable against bending and denting, making it ideal for heavily travelled structures.
The round shape of a stone mason's mallet makes maintaining a specific mallet orientation unnecessary and distributes wear uniformly in all directions. They often weigh a lot and are constructed from a plush fabric. The point will break if you hit a chisel with a metal hammer.
Nevertheless, corundum (including ruby and sapphire) are the most long-lasting stones, with a Mohs hardness scale rating of 8 (excellent). Sapphires, rubies, and diamonds are all excellent options for jewellery that will be worn frequently, such as an engagement ring.
Stone walls must be at least 350 millimetres thick, and brick walls must be 100 millimetres wide. Generally speaking, stone masonry buildings are susceptible to seismic activity damage.