Design Ideas for a Fieldstone Fireplace

Fieldstone makes a wonderful material for fireplaces, whether you are building one outside or inside your home. This natural stone is forged from glaciers and offers a unique and classic beauty that is durable and will last a lifetime. Plus, there are many different design options to give each fireplace a distinguishable style. Here are some design ideas if you are considering building a fireplace from fieldstone.

Outdoor Fireplaces

Fieldstone fits perfectly into an outdoor setting. Designs can be more formal for modern settings with fieldstones cut into uniform shapes, or more natural in irregular patterns. Some outdoor designs include:

  • Adding the fireplace to the outside of the home. This works well with homes with fieldstone siding or accents.
  • Double-sided center fireplace. Give more access to the flickering flames with a double-sided fireplace in the center of your patio.
  • View backdrop. Place your new fieldstone fireplace in front of your view to enjoy both the fire and the scenery beyond.

Indoor Fireplaces

Fieldstone works well inside for homes with a cozy style. If uniform slabs are used, the mantel can be designed in different patterns or a classic mortar style. Many people love to embrace the natural shape and colors of the fieldstone in their fireplace, with large mantels that showoff the beauty of the stone. Wide mantels and chimneys that extend to the ceiling create a centerpiece for your living area that is stunning.

There are many different options for using fieldstone in fireplaces and other surfaces in your home. A visit to your local quarry can give you a taste of the natural splendor fieldstone can offer for your next stone project, including fireplaces.

Posted on behalf of:
Alliance Stone
5420 Campground Rd
Cumming, GA 30040
(404) 759-0617

The Top 3 Stones to Use for Landscaping

Stone is the perfect material to build your hardscapes in your landscaping. Stone blends naturally into your setting while providing a durable surface. The type of stone you use depends on the project you are doing and your desired result. Here are three of the stones popular for using in landscaping projects and their best attributes.

  1. Fieldstone. Fieldstones were created by glaciers and are irregular in shape. Many have been above ground, giving them round, smooth edges from exposure. Fieldstones can be used “as-is” to build retaining walls, seating walls, fences and other structures. They can also be cut to make a flat surface. Their irregular shape offers a natural outline for pavers around ponds or to create a garden path.
  2. Flagstone. Flagstone are quarried sedimentary rocks that are cut into slabs. The flat surface of flagstone and semi-uniform shapes makes them a natural choice for patios and pool decks. While they can also be used to build retaining walls and other structures, you will often see them uses as natural flooring.
  3. River rock. Another popular option for landscaping is river rocks and boulders. These are natural rocks, usually round in shape from exposure to water. These are beautiful options for edging or focal points. Boulders can make a natural divider or fence for lawn edges or even used as furniture.

Using stone in your landscaping adds texture and dimension. While there are many man-made pavers that are functional for building hardscapes, nothing man-made has the same durability and beauty of natural stone. Visit your local quarry or stone supplier to learn more about the options available to enhance your landscaping with natural stone.

Posted on behalf of:
Alliance Stone
5420 Campground Rd
Cumming, GA 30040
(404) 759-0617

Adding a Staircase to Your Hill or Slope

If you have a slope or hill on your property, adding a staircase can create a safe, functional way to navigate the hill. An excellent choice for creating a staircase on a hill is using natural stone for the treads. Natural stone such as fieldstone can be cut to create perfect stairway treads that are beautiful and complement your landscaping. 

Benefits of Using Fieldstone Treads for Hillside Staircases

While you can build a staircase for your hillside using a wide variety of materials, there are benefits to choosing fieldstone treads. First of all, they are a beautiful addition to your yard, lending a natural appeal compared to cement or formed blocks. Some of the other benefits of using fieldstone treads include:

  • Simplicity. Fieldstone treads are heavy and do not need any mortar to keep them in place. These means you can simply put them in place without any support.
  • Durability. Fieldstone is durable and will last for decades without showing wear, unlike many other materials. This stone has been around for centuries and can withstand heavy traffic, day after day, for many years.
  • Unique variety. With natural stone, you will always have a unique staircase. Each piece of stone has its own color patterns and beauty. Quality stone suppliers offer a variety of fieldstone treads, cut to different sizes to meet your needs.

Give your hillside an accessible staircase this spring or summer with the use of fieldstone treads. Talk to your local landscape supplier about what types of fieldstone treads they have available to get you started on your new staircase. In as little as one day, you can have your new stairs in place, adding beauty and functionality to your hillside or slope.

Posted on behalf of:
Alliance Stone
5420 Campground Rd
Cumming, GA 30040
(404) 759-0617

5 Different Types of Stone for Stacked Stone Walls

Stone for wall-building generally comes in three basic shapes: dressed stone, round fieldstone, and flat stacking stone.  Each shape will give your landscape a different look and feel.  Round field stone, for example, will create a more rustic feel while dressed stone is best used in formal settings.  You’ll also want to consider its use since harder stones will be needed for water-based features and so on.

Your landscape supply center will provide the widest selection of stones to choose from.  Fieldstone, granite, limestone, and flagstone are the most readily available stone types.  The following are five very popular looks:

1. Chocolate Sandstone

Like its name, this stone has a rich hue that subtly blends in with its surrounding landscape.  This is a good choice if you’re looking for an earthy tone that won’t call a lot of attention to itself.

2. Colorful Sandstone

Sandstone is not limited to one single color, which can bring some very interesting options to your wall.  In fact, if you feel like using a variety of colors, nothing says you can’t.  This look even keeps things looking vibrant even in the winter months.  White, cream, brown, gray, red, yellow, pink, and even blueish tones are some of the many color varieties.

3. Mixed Limestone

Mixed limestone refers to the shape of the stones.  This method is usually a wall made up of both thick and thin blocks to form a more rugged look and pattern.  You can use both light and dark stones, as well, for further variety.

4. Tennessee Fieldstone

Tennessee fieldstone comes in a variety of earth tone colors including buff, gray, light brown, dark brown and reddish-brown, among other colors.  This is a good choice for those wanting a more ordered look.

5. Gray Granite

As its name suggests, this stone comes in one color though shading may vary.  Granite is usually cut for thick and flat piece, giving you a stocky or chunky wall.

Landscaping With Natural Stone

When you are planning your next outdoor landscaping project, don’t forget to include stone.  Natural or manufactured stone adds a classic, beautiful appearance to any landscape feature.  Many different types of stone are available to fit every landscaping need.

Landscaping stone varies widely throughout the country, but it can be roughly grouped into categories based on its finish and use.  Pavers are natural flat stone, bricks, cobblestones, or manufactured cement or other hard blocks that are used to create driveways, walkways, patios, and other hard, flat outdoor surfaces.

Flagstones are natural flat stones that are harvested from a quarry.  Flagstones are sometimes split to get the desired thickness.  Flagstones can be used as pavers, but their surface is a little more uneven than manufactured pavers.  Also flagstones are normally irregularly shaped but can be worked into more or less regular shapes if needed for your project.  Flagstones are also used in many different landscape features including walls, benches, fireplaces, and ponds.

Fieldstones are natural stones harvested from the topsoil.  They are generally more or less flat, but they not as flat and are much more irregularly shaped than flagstones.  Fieldstone is used a wide variety of outdoor hardscapes including fireplaces, ponds, outdoor grills, benches, walls, and waterfalls.

Boulders are larger, irregularly shape, naturally occurring stones that are harvested like fieldstones.  They have recently become more popular as the trend toward natural landscaping has continued to grow.  Boulders make for a visually dramatic addition to many landscape designs such as waterfalls, ponds, and to add texture and character to flowerbeds and other areas.

No matter what your next landscaping project entails, you will be able to find a stone landscaping product to meet your needs.