Sandstone is a firm, finerained sedimentary rock, which came into existence as a result of cementation of grains of quartz, feldspar, mica and spalls of other rocks and minerals with silty, siliceous, calcareous (calcitic, dolomitic) or ferruginous cement. It takes various colourings from grey to yellow, red and white.

On account of their mineral composition, quartz, arkosic (containing a significant amount of feldspar) and lithic (containing spalls of various rocks) sandstone can be set apart. On account of the presence of finerained filling matrix, we distinguish arenites (“pure” sandstones) and wackes (contain significant amounts of mud matrix).

In Poland, sandstone forms certain parts of Sudety, mainly the Stołowe Mountains, as well as small parts of the Izerskie and Kaczawskie Foothills, the Kaczawskie, Wałbrzyskie, Kamienne, Bystrzyckie Mountains and the Kłodzka Basin, most of the Beskidy Mountains, i.e. the Outside Carpathian Mountains and Podhale, the Basin of Zakopane and small parts of the Tatra Mountains, as well as big parts of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and their surroundings.

Sandstones are usually relatively soft and easy in treatment, particularly just after their excavation, whereas after drying up, they harden. On account of this, they have been used in building as construction or decorative material for ages.

Rock formations, consisting mainly of sandstone, are porous, which allows percolation and retaining large amounts of water. Therefore, sandstones can be employed as effective filters to cleanse water of pollutants.