Quoting%20commentary for Middot 3:4

אֶחָד אַבְנֵי הַכֶּבֶשׁ וְאֶחָד אַבְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, מִבִּקְעַת בֵּית כָּרֶם. וְחוֹפְרִין לְמַטָּה מֵהַבְּתוּלָה, וּמְבִיאִים מִשָּׁם אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא הוּנַף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל, שֶׁהַבַּרְזֶל פּוֹסֵל בִּנְגִיעָה. וּבִפְגִימָה לְכָל דָּבָר. נִפְגְּמָה אַחַת מֵהֶן, הִיא פְסוּלָה וְכֻלָּן כְּשֵׁרוֹת. וּמְלַבְּנִים אוֹתָן פַּעֲמַיִם בַּשָּׁנָה, אַחַת בַּפֶּסַח וְאַחַת בֶּחָג. וְהַהֵיכָל, פַּעַם אַחַת, בַּפֶּסַח. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, כָּל עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת מְלַבְּנִים אוֹתוֹ בְמַפָּה מִפְּנֵי הַדָּמִים. לֹא הָיוּ סָדִין אוֹתָן בְּכָפִיס שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, שֶׁמָּא יִגַּע וְיִפְסֹל, שֶׁהַבַּרְזֶל נִבְרָא לְקַצֵּר יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ נִבְרָא לְהַאֲרִיךְ יָמָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, אֵינוֹ בַדִין שֶׁיּוּנַף הַמְקַצֵּר עַל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ:

Both the stones of the ramp and the stones for the altar [came] from the valley of Beit Kerem. They would dig below [the stones] virgin soil and would bring complete stones that were never touched by iron, because iron renders them [the stones] unfit by just touch. [They are also unfit] if they are chipped through any means. If one of them were chipped, it is rendered unfit, but the rest [of the sones] are not. The [walls and the the top of the altar] were whitewashed twice a year, once on Pesach and once on Sukkot. The vestibule [was whitewashed] once a year, on Pesach. Rebbi says, every Friday they would be whitewashed with a cloth because of the blood stains. The whitewash was not applied with an iron trowel, out of the concern that the iron trowel would touch the stones, and render them unfit, since iron was created to shorten man's days, and the altar was created to extend man's days, and it is improper that that the shortner be placed upon that which extender.

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