Add Beauty and Function with a Stone Sitting Wall

February 20th, 2019 Posted in Natural Stone
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Do you love spending time on your back patio or yard? If your outdoor space is one of the favorite “rooms” of your home, make it even more inviting with a stone sitting wall. Natural stone can add elegance to your outdoor living space, and a sitting wall is beautiful as well as functional. Here are some benefits of creating a stone sitting wall around your back patio.

  • More seating. One of the obvious benefits of a sitting wall is more places for people to sit. A patio can get crowded adding too many chairs or additional furniture. A sitting wall does not take space away from your patio but can be placed on the edge for added seating.
  • Gorgeous edging. Using flagstone or fieldstone to build your sitting wall can create a gorgeous edging to your patio and separate spaces in your outdoor area. Sitting walls use a low retaining wall with a sitting platform to encase your patio and improve the design of your space. This can be a great divider between areas, like your outdoor kitchen and dining space.
  • Year-round outdoor furniture. When your patio table and chairs are put away for the winter, your sitting wall will still be available for seating. Enjoy sustainable furniture that will last for decades, adding beauty and value to your home all the seasons of the year.

There are many different natural stone options for building a sitting wall on your back patio. Visit your local quarry and view all the different colors, shapes and sizes of stone that can be used to add more elegance and seating area to your outdoor living space.

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

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The Top 3 Stones to Use for Landscaping

July 17th, 2018 Posted in Natural Stone
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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

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Choosing Mortar For Your Hardcape

November 24th, 2011 Posted in Mortar
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When you are at your landscaping supply center loading up on stone for your next outdoor hardscaping project, don’t forget to swing by the accessories and supplies area and pick up the right mortar for the job.  Whether you are installing a new outdoor kitchen, retaining wall, or other hardscape, you will need to choose the right type of mortar for your project.  Mortar is made from Portland cement, lime, sand and water.  The relative amount of each ingredient affects the bonding strength, compressive strength, flexibility, and shrinkage.

Type M mortar has the highest compressive strength and is used primarily for load bearing walls or below grade masonry work such as retaining walls where high compression strength is desirable.  Type S mortar has moderate compression strength, but higher bonding strength than Type M mortar.

Type N mortar has even lower compression strength, but excellent bonding strength and resistance to shrinkage and cracking.  It is commonly used for exterior or interior above grade walls.  You may also encounter type O or type K mortar.  These are low strength mortars typically used for tuckpointing or other masonry repair work.

One other type of mortar is refractory mortar which is specially formulated to be resistant to high temperatures.  It is used to set firebrick that lines the inside of fireplaces.

When choosing a mortar for any outdoor landscaping project, a general rule of thumb is to use the lowest strength mortar that will do the job.  Many landscaping professionals recommend using Type N mortar for most mortar work unless there is some reason that higher compression strength is needed. It’s combination of good compression strength, high bonding strength, flexibility and resistance to shrinkage and weather make Type N mortar a great all round choice.

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