Enhancing Your Home with Natural Stonework

February 17th, 2017 Posted in Natural Stone
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Few things enhance curb appeal and property value like a handsome landscape. One of the most effective techniques in landscaping for long-lasting form and function is stonework.

Natural stone retaining walls; stone paving for walkways or driveways offer ease of maintenance and enduring beauty to any home. Stone veneers offer an elegant alternative to traditional siding, and increase property value.

Why settle for the boring sameness of a traditional gate when you can highlight your entrance with landscape boulders? No holes to dig or posts to bury, just call your local landscape supplier and have the eye-catching boulders set in place.

Flagstone walkways will complement your landscape and provide a natural path to welcome guests into your garden home.  Modular block walls are a great choice for properties with uneven landscapes. Prevent soil erosion and create garden tiers for easy access; use each tier for a variety of plants and vegetation.

A stone fireplace in the center of your patio or to accent an outdoor kitchen is easier and more affordable than you might imagine. There’s no substitute for high quality natural stone materials to make your yard beautiful and functional.

Stone landscaping is an excellent choice for homeowners who want to make a lasting impression with a minimum of maintenance. Give your home the striking appeal of natural stone that will last for many years.

Find a local stone and landscape supply company and talk to an expert. Discover all the possibilities for your home that stone landscaping offers. Set your home apart from the rest of the neighborhood, and relax. Your stone work will look good long after the neighbors’ siding has faded.

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

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Components of a Strong, Stone Retaining Wall

January 17th, 2017 Posted in Stone Retaining Walls
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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

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Is Natural Stone Worth the Investment?

December 30th, 2016 Posted in Natural Stone
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There are many cultured or manufactured stone products available for home improvement. These tend to be much less expensive than the natural varieties, making them appealing to homeowners that are on a tight budget. But do these artificial stones offer the same benefits? In many cases, cultured stone can be disappointing when compared to the beauty of natural stone. Here are a few reasons why natural stone may be worth the extra investment when completing home projects. 

  • Durability. Nothing beats the durability of natural stone. This material has already withstood the elements for thousands of years and can easily last a lifetime for your home projects.
  • Fade resistance. Natural stone does not fade or lose its beauty over time like cultivated or manufactured products. You can rest assured that it will still look gorgeous ten or twenty years down the road, unlike many manufactured stones.
  • Uniqueness. Every piece of natural stone is unique. Like snowflakes, no stone is exactly the same. You will have a patio, walkway or veneer siding for your home that is unlike any other in the world.
  • Age adds even more beauty. While artificial stone deteriorates with age, natural stone can become more beautiful as it patinas.
  • Adds value. Quality materials always add value to your home and natural stone is no exception. It can add to the curb appeal of your home and create incredible interior designs that are excellent selling points.

So is natural stone worth the investment? Absolutely! Whatever your home project, talk to your local stone quarry to find the best natural stone products for the highest quality results. You will be glad you did.

Posted on behalf of:
Culbreth Stone
Whitwell, TN 37397
423-930-8249

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5 Ways to Add Beauty to Your Home with Natural Stone

December 30th, 2016 Posted in Landscape Materials Suppliers
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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

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5 Ways to Use Natural Stone in Your Landscape

August 10th, 2016 Posted in Natural Stone
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Using natural stone in your landscape design can be a budget-friendly approach to building curb appeal in front and an amazing area of fun out back.

As state laws and municipal ordinances continue to limit lawn watering and thus lawn growth, it is perhaps wise to use natural stones to create better curb appeal for drought-tolerant yards. Thus, many environmentally aware homeowners are moving away from lawns altogether. Many are now utilizing natural stone in the design of their home landscapes. Using natural stone formations with boulders, gravel, cactus, stone walks and steps can create a stunning approach to your front-door that is nearly maintenance free.

Keep it simple out-front and build the fun outback or on the side of your home.  Here are five great landscaping ideas for natural stone, even if you choose to keep your lawn.

Using Natural Stone to Build that Fire-Pit

A fire-pit can be a nice, useful center-piece for your backyard. Imagine the fun you and your children will have with a long stick and some hot dogs or marshmallows. You might even imagine a round fire-pit with flat stone, high-back seating on one side and a Koi pond on the other to reflect that roaring fire. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination; actually, even without much imagination you can find a design you and your family will love on the internet. Since there are many intricacies to building a Koi pond and your fishes life depends on you getting it right, you should consult a professional before getting started.

A Natural Stone Patio

You can even imagine the back of that flat stone seating being the wall of your patio. Natural flat stones make excellent flooring for that patio. You may even choose to place a natural stone walk-down, hot tub just off the patio. Use boulders, gravel, and flagstone step treads to create a unique, natural looking stairway down to your backyard area from your patio. Once again, let your imagination run wild to design and create a backyard everyone will admire.

The Pool Area

In the pool area, you can continue with flagstone or utilize fieldstone, another excellent choice of landscape construction stone normally used for retaining walls and other projects. It is easily cut to your specifications to make your project look as natural as possible. Both flagstone and fieldstone are less slippery when wet than either marble or slate making those a better selection for use around the pool area.

An Outdoor Kitchen

An amazing outdoor kitchen can be crafted from natural stone; however, you may decide to mix in some modular blocks for your retaining walls to cut some of the expense. Modular blocks are easier for the do-it-yourselfer to work with, so these are an excellent alternative. Whichever you use, natural stone or modular blocks, don’t forget to include some “fun” gadgets, such as a smoker, rotisserie, or wood-fired pizza oven!

A Traditional Outdoor Fireplace

If you already have a magnificent fire-pit and outdoor kitchen you may decide against the outdoor fireplace, but just in case you decide on the fireplace in addition or in place of one or both of the others, here are a few things to consider. Like the fire-pit, the outdoor fireplace can be an excellent center-piece for your family’s outdoor activities.The outdoor stone fireplace is like a piece of art. The high smokestack is an amazing eye-catcher, as well as an eye-saver because the smokestack draws the smoke up and away from your backyard party.

Posted on behalf of:
Culbreth Stone
Whitwell, TN 37397
423-930-8249

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The Benefits of Buying Stone Directly from a Quarry

August 10th, 2016 Posted in Natural Stone
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When purchasing any commodity, it is important to always get the best value. The same is true when purchasing stones for your landscaping projects.

It may be possible to spend much less than you expected going directly to the source. Purchasing anything from a distributor adds unnecessary expense due to additional handling. The same is true when purchasing stones, boulders, and gravel for your landscaping projects directly from the quarry.

There are many different stones in color and shape; therefore, it is wise to go to the quarry yourself and pick the stones, boulders, and gravel you need for the project you have in mind. Since the workers at the quarry work with the stone every day, it is most likely they know exactly where to look for what you need. The workers there can take you to the stones you have in mind and then you will be in a position to choose the ones you prefer, rather than taking a chance with a near blind internet or phone order.

Landscaping

Natural stones are the best elements for your landscaping projects. Natural stone can be split or cut for you right there at the quarry to provide the right shapes and sizes for your project. Additionally, natural stone requires less maintenance, or no maintenance at all and you can be certain you are getting a durable and long-lasting groundcover or material for a stone fireplace, smoker, or outdoor oven.

Gardening

In case you want to decorate your garden and not spend too much, consider gardening with stones. What many call “Xeriscaping” is the art of using natural stones and other material to eliminate or reduce the need for water or irrigation. This concept is widely promoted in areas where there is a lack of fresh water. However, it has caught on in many other areas as well, mainly due to its low maintenance, yet still reserves fresh water for human consumption.

Xeriscaping can be a suitable alternative to traditional gardens. It may sound confusing, but there are many beautiful stones at the quarry to build a low-maintenance rock garden. In addition, it a less expensive method to decorate your garden and make it look more attractive, with less maintenance.

Stone

When you visit a quarry, you will more than likely find as many stones as you need to complete your project. This will give you a chance to come up with what you are looking for, for your home garden. Going directly to the quarry yourself allows you to mix and match stones by color and pattern, with a side benefit of eliminating the middleman to save big money.

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

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Get the Look of Natural Stone with Cost Effective Veneer

March 13th, 2016 Posted in Natural Stone
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Natural stone is popular for many home improvement projects, but the cost is often prohibitive for many homeowner’s budgets. If you have always loved the look of natural stone but the price tag has kept you from buying, there are new options available. Natural stone veneer is the cost effective option to get real natural stone for a more affordable price.

While there are manufactured stone sidings that are also cost effective, they do not have the same look or uniqueness that natural stone veneers can offer. These thin panels are made from real stone, giving your project the look and feel of natural, genuine stone. Stone veneers are durable and are cost effective to use as siding or exterior surfaces for outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and fire pits.

If you are building a new home or putting new siding on your existing home, consider the beauty of stone veneers. Although it is rare to build a home from stone due to the cost, stone veneers give you the option to have the look of stone without the need for the substantial structure needed to build with stone. You can find stone veneers in a variety of colors, patterns and stone types, all offering the glamour that only nature can provide.

For your next home project that would look great made of stone, talk to your local stone or landscape supplier about the natural stone veneer option. There are many styles available to give your project the classic look of stone from sawn or stacked stone veneers. You are sure to find a veneer that will fit both your taste and budget.

Posted on behalf of:
Culbreth Stone
Whitwell, TN 37397
423-930-8249

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Choosing Materials for Your New Retaining Wall

March 13th, 2016 Posted in Natural Stone
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If you are adding a retaining wall to your property, you want to use a material that is easy to work with, looks great and is durable enough to last for many years. The good news is that there are several options to create an attractive, yet functional, retaining wall. The bad news is now you much decide which is best for your project. Here are some of the most popular materials for retaining walls and their attributes.

  • Modular blocks. Want a sturdy material that is made to stack nicely? Modular blocks are made to create walls, fitting together easily. They are also inexpensive in comparison to natural stone products.
  • Field stone. For a beautifully rustic retaining wall, field stones are an aesthetic option. Since these stones are in various shapes and sizes, mortar often is used to cement the rocks together.
  • Natural stone pavers. For the ease of a modular block with the beauty and durability of natural stone, choose natural stone pavers. These stackable natural stones work great for creating retaining walls, often without the need for mortar.
  • Wood. Wood can be used to create a retaining wall. However, compared to modular blocks or natural stone, wood will not last nearly as long. Wood will rot when exposed to soil and will need to be replaced in only a few years.

The decision is made even tougher with the many varieties of each type of material. The best option is to visit your local stone supplier to choose the material that is right for your project and budget. They can point you in the right direction.

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

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Creating a Beautiful Dry Creek Bed for Drainage

December 3rd, 2015 Posted in Landscape Materials Suppliers
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If you are tired of watching a small lake form in your yard ever year, it may be time to invest in a drainage solution. One of the most cost effective and aesthetically pleasing options is a dry creek bed. Using natural stone, you can build a meandering creek bed in your yard to divert your excess moisture to a storm drain or pond. Here are some of the basics you need to know.

Start High

You want your creek bed to start where the highest point in your yard is or where you have an obvious source of water run-off. If there is a drainage pipe dumping water onto your yard that is where your creek should begin.

Plan Your Path

The beginning and the end of your creek bed should be predetermined by where the water is coming from and where it needs to go. In between, you have some creative say. A curving creek bed will look more natural than a straight line, so try to give your creek bed some curves.

Choose Your Stone

For the stones, you will want a variety of sizes to create a natural looking creek bed. For the bottom of the bed, you can use smaller river rock like river slicks or surge stone. You will want larger river stones to border your bed and boulders for curves and for hiding the drain pipe that may be the source.

A dry creek bed is a lovely way to add beauty and drainage to your landscaping. To get started creating your new creek bed, contact our local landscape supplier to find the right stones for your project.

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

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Creating Solid Pathways and Steps with Stone

July 25th, 2015 Posted in Natural Stone
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Stone walkways are a gorgeous introduction to any home. Welcoming a guest with natural looking fieldstone path can make them feel at home. But stone paths and porches are not as simple and elegant as they look. These landscaping beauties take lots of consideration and time to construct. 

Flagstone and Fieldstone for Steps and Pathways

The path up to your front door is the first glimpse anyone has of your home and because of that, choosing what to use can be difficult. Most stone pathways are made up of either flagstone or fieldstone. 

  • Flagstone is cut from rock quarries to make flat surface rock that is perfect for stone walkways and porches and various other landscaping projects. Its flat surface makes it a stable footing for any porch or patio and is perfect for stone stairs.
  • Fieldstone is large slabs of rock found in fields. Fieldstone has a natural beauty to it that many admire. This stone is used in gardens and fireplaces put also works well for paths and patios. 

Both flagstone and fieldstone come in a variety of colors and sizes. Using a mixture of both creates a beautiful path which is highly customizable. Consulting with landscape material suppliers can help you find the right fit for whatever project you are planning. 

If you plan on redoing your walkway and front porch then maybe consider finishing off the look with stone walls enclosing your all stone path. Stone siding for your porch is a simple way to pull together the entire pathway. Flagstone and fieldstone may not be the right pick for this so asking for advice at your landscape supply store can be helpful, when you are unsure of where to start. These experts can always send you down the right path.

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

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