Beautify Your Home With Stone

I love building with natural stone for its durability and beauty. It always amazes me that walking through the woods just about anywhere in Vermont you can find a fieldstone wall. The physical labor it took to move those large stones from the plowed fields to build the “stone fences” for livestock is remarkable. I can picture a couple of men on a horse drawn cart carrying a load of stones to the edge of a field which would take a fraction of the time with the equipment used today.

I like fieldstone but there are many other choices. Panton stone, which is quarried in Addison VT is blocky and a dark grey color. Chester Granite from the Chester VT area is a very dense, uniform light grey stone highlighted with silver sparkles. American and Corinthian Granite have varying colors of iron(rust) and dark grey colors. Bluestone is also a very popular choice. Shipped in from Pennsylvania, it is available in variety of shapes and colors. The majority of patios and walks that are built with natural stone are bluestone. If you like a lighter look, South Bay Quartzite is a beige colored stone that comes in wall and flagging(large flat pieces). Rainbow Stone is dark red colored stone that comes in large irregular flagging.

The possibilities of constructing with stone are virtually endless. Do you have front steps that are in need of repair? Consider replacing your old concrete or wood timber steps with granite or bluestone steps. They come in a uniform size ranging from 18” deep x 4’ to 6’ wide with 6”-7” risers. The great thing about these steps is they can be easily placed on top of one another to construct a full set of steps and landing. Walkways are one of the easiest ways to make a big improvement to the front entrance to your house. Bluestone, brick and concrete pavers are the most common materials used and usually the choice comes down to what you like the best. Retaining walls can function as a border for patios or serve to bring the grade up in a sloping area to make it more level. Freestanding walls make great outdoor walls for gardens with benches built in for sitting and steps built in if there is a change in grade. A fire pit built into a patio is inviting on cold nights, especially if there is a hot tub built in next to it! Patios bordering swimming pools are easier to maintain than lawns and create a level area for tables, chairs and grills. Natural thin veneer stone is another product that is popular. This application is used to cover foundation walls, pillars, steps and can also be used as siding on a house. When it comes to working with stone, if you can dream it chances are it can be built.

http://www.vaughanlandscaping.com/com/
http://greenworksvermont.org/