Add Timeless Beauty to Your Yard with Natural Stone

Natural stone features for outdoor spaces is not a passing phase. Compared to concrete or other man-made surfaces, natural stone offers a timeless beauty and value that cannot be matched. Whether you prefer the stunning look of flagstone or want the rugged, country style of fieldstone, natural stone can transform your yard and improve the overall design with elements that will last.

Perfect Patios

When you use natural stone for paving your patio, you do not need to worry about cracking cement or drainage issues. Natural stone of all types is more durable and can shift with the soil, offering a long-lasting patio surface that is simple to maintain. A quick sweep or rinsing is all that is needed to keep it looking beautiful and your patio will be unique as the stone that creates it.

Walkways

Welcome guests to your front door or to walk through your gardens with stunning natural stone pathways. Flagstone or natural pavers are ornamental and functional for walkways, while offering the durability and easy maintenance of stone.

Retaining Wall, Fire Pits and Water Features

Natural stone can help enhance almost any feature in your landscaping. From preventing erosion with a natural stone retaining wall to adding pizazz to your landscaping with a fire pit or waterfall, natural stone can help you create a variety of interesting and useful features in your yard.

Natural stone comes in many varieties for creating gorgeous paved spaces and other features in your outdoor living areas and yard. Visit your local quarry to investigate the many different styles, types, colors and shapes of natural stone for your next outdoor project.

Posted on behalf of:
Culbreth Stone
1968 US-41
Pelham, TN 37366
(423) 930-8249

3 Excellent Options for Retaining Walls

Are you planning on adding a retaining wall on your property? These walls can have functional and aesthetic benefits, from reducing erosion and mudslide on slopes, to creating a clean, sculpted appearance for your yard. One of the decisions you need to make when creating a retaining wall is the best material for the job. Here are three excellent choices for retaining wall materials and their benefits.

  1. Modular block. For easy building, modular block can be a great option for retaining walls. These blocks are made to fit together and stack, creating a tight, solid wall for your project. They can be square, rectangle or curved, depending on your needs, with a lower cost than some other options.
  2. Fieldstone. For natural style to your retaining wall, fieldstones can be an excellent option. Since the sizes and shapes in fieldstones vary, they do take more work and mortar to hold them in place. However, the beauty of natural stone can add value to your home and cannot be surpassed for aesthetics.
  3. Pavers. Pavers and modular block are similar, but pavers come with more color options and are easier to use than natural stone due to their uniform shapes. They can offer some of the beauty and design options of natural stone, with the ease of blocks, making them a nice in between option that is usually less expensive than natural stone.

Get the best choice for improving your landscaping with a retaining wall by visiting your local quarry or landscape supplier. They can help you decide which material will work best for your project and budget, while creating a beautiful retaining wall that will perform the function you need on your property.

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

When to Use Landscape Stones and Rocks

You have many choices when you are building hardscapes to add to your landscape design. Cement, brick and pavers can be used to create many hard surfaces and structures. However, using natural stone and rock has its advantages over man-made materials when it comes to durability and beauty. When creating your outdoor space, here are some good areas to use landscape stones and rocks.

Retaining Walls

Modular blocks may look uniform for retaining walls, but if you prefer a natural appearance, stone is the best option. Fieldstone, flagstone and ashlar can be cut to create stunning retailing walls. The natural uniqueness of stone can build a wall that looks like no other, giving a beauty that cannot be duplicated.

Paving

If you are building a patio or pool deck, flat natural stones like flagstones or cut fieldstones are excellent for paving. They offer a solid, durable surface for your outdoor living spaces. Natural stone is a wonderful choice for paving garden paths or edging ponds.

Edging

Rocks and stones make a great edging material for your landscaping. Lines and linear direction are important elements in landscape design; small landscape stones can edge your gardens or paths to create the lines you need for a well-blended design in your landscaping.

Fire Pits, Fireplaces and Outdoor Kitchens

Focal and functional features like fire pit and fireplaces are perfect for natural stone. They withstand heat and blend your fire features into a natural setting. Outdoor kitchens are another area where a natural stone floor or stone veneer for cabinetry can be used to enhance the beauty of your outdoor living area.

Natural stone can be more expensive than man-made pavers, but the benefits can be worth the extra investment. Check out the natural stone options for your landscaping project at your local quarry.

Posted on behalf of:
Culbreth Stone
1968 US-41
Pelham, TN 37366
(423) 930-8249

Components of a Strong, Stone Retaining Wall

Are you considering trying to build a retaining wall on your own? If you want a sturdy wall, stone is a great option that is also aesthetically appealing. However, there is more to building a strong retaining wall than stacking stone. Here are a few components that can help you create a wall that will be functional and last for many years to come.

Retaining Wall Grid

One of the ways to make sure your retaining wall has the structure it needs to last for decades is to use a retaining wall grid. This gives you the basic scaffolding for your natural stone wall. These grids can be found at quality landscape suppliers and can offer a great starting point for your project.

Portland Mortar

You want mortar that will hold your stones in place and create a strong, durable wall that will stand up to thousands of pounds of pressure. Portland mortar is one of the strongest mortars available, offering higher durability than the average mortar.

Stackable Stones

To make your project easier, find a landscape supplier that offers quality, stackable stone that will fit perfectly together to make your new retaining walls. You can have the beauty of natural stone cut into uniform shapes that work well to create a strong, sturdy wall that will last.

A retaining wall can help prevent erosion, make use of a hillside for planting or just be a beautiful addition to your landscape design. Before you begin, visit your local landscape supply store to find the right components to ensure your retaining wall is built right from start to finish.

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

5 Ways to Add Beauty to Your Home with Natural Stone

Home design trends come and go, but using natural stone always adds a classic beauty to any home project. Since humans began building homes, stone has been key material due to its durability and strength. Now, natural stone is also valued for the unique beauty it can add to a home, along with its long-lasting qualities. Here are five ideas on how to add the beauty of natural stone to your home.

  1. Stone walkways. Forget boring, industrial concrete for your front walkway. Add dimension to your front walk with natural stones such as flagstones or field stones.
  2. Stunning patio. Blend your patio in with nature by creating a unique flooring made from natural stone. Choose irregular-shaped stones for a natural appearance.
  3. Fire pit or outdoor fireplace. Add beauty and warmth to your backyard with a gorgeous fire feature for those cool nights. A natural stone fire pit or fireplace is a perfect addition to your outdoor living area.
  4. Replace your siding with stone veneer. Have you always wanted to live in a stone cottage? Make your existing home into your dream home by replacing your siding with stone veneer. You will have the look of a stone cottage without the cost of stone walls.
  5. Retaining walls and stone fences. Natural stone is perfect for building retaining walls for erosion control. It can also create an aesthetically pleasing fence for a classic, country appeal.

There are so many options for using natural stone to add to the beauty of your home. Contact your local quarry to learn more about all the stone products available for our home projects.

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