See also:
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Garden Paving Stone
Stone is a natural and attractive choice
for paved areas of the garden. It can be
used for walkways, patios, terraces, and
pool decks. It also makes an excellent floor
for pergolas, gazebos, loggias, and outdoor
room and outside kitchen areas. Stone is
durable and long lasting. It is easy to maintain,
as it generally needs nothing more than an
occasional sweeping or hosing off. Weather
extremes rarely damage it.
If you are thinking of installing
a stone
paved area in your yard, consider
the following:
- Unfinished stone has been split into flat
slabs but has not had any surface treating.
Although it can be somewhat rough, it looks
completely natural and provides better foot
traction than treated stone. Finished stone
has been treated with heat, sanded, or polished
to bring out the nuances of color and texture
in the stone. It provides a smoother surface,
but it can be slippery, especially when it
gets wet.
- Slate comes in shades of gray, green, purple,
and black. Since it is formed in layers,
it can occasionally delaminate. Slate mined
from Vermont is denser than that from other
geographical areas, so it is less likely
to absorb stains.
- Limestone is formed mainly from marine organisms
that have been compressed over
time, so some
types can be soft and porous.
Its color is
determined by the amount of
clay, sand or
minerals such as iron oxide
contained in
it. It can be brush hammered
to provide a
natural, non-slip surface.
When limestone
is polished, it resembles marble.
- Travertine is a type of limestone whose attractive
colors and bandings come from
the presence
of iron compounds in its make
up. It is characterized
by pitted holes on the surface
that give
it a beautiful naturally aged
look. If these
holes are filled with grout,
the surface
of travertine can be polished
to a smooth,
shiny surface, but this is
generally more
appropriate to a covered area
when travertine
is used outdoors.
- Granite is an extremely hard stone that can
stand up to almost anything.
It has a rough
surface if it is unfinished,
but it can be
honed and brushed to provide
a smoother finish.
Treated granite has a beautiful
black sheen
with flecks of whitish silver.
- Sandstone (sometimes called flagstone) is
formed when various layers of sedimentary
sand sized minerals and rock grains are compressed.
It comes in a wide variety of colors and
textures, depending on what geographical
area it originates in. Because it is a porous
stone, it is a good choice for areas that
need to drain quickly. It can be finished
to bring out its natural red and bronze colors
- Bluestone is a deep blue colored sandstone
from New York and Pennsylvania.
It is a high
quality stone that can be quarried
in large
flat sections due to its silica
content.
A good garden should always blend into its
surroundings, so choosing a stone that comes
from your own geographical region will usually
result in the most satisfactory outcome.
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