Paving Stones
by Matthew Anthony
Imagine a beautiful pattern of paving stones as the central
focus of your new patio. Stone circle kits are one of the most popular
new products offered by suppliers of flagstones and pavers for patios.
Stone pavers, such as sandstone paving slabs offer a wide range of
beautiful styles and colors and can be the basis of an inviting and
classic patio that is one of the most-used areas of your home.
Traditionally, the paving stones used in the construction of
patios, drives and walkways have been York stone - stone cut from the
quarries in York - granite, slate and sandstone. The increasing
availability of imported stones from markets in India, China and
Brazil have added some intriguing and stunning patterns and colors to
the tried and true and still popular native stones. Because of the low
cost of labor to quarry those stones, natural stone paving is as
affordable as concrete and aggregate paving slabs, and natural stone
patios have been rising in popularity over the past two decades.
Laying a stonework patio has become a popular do-it-yourself
weekend project for homeowners. While patios made of concrete paving
stone are as easy as assembling a jigsaw puzzle (and a not very
challenging one at that), working with natural stone flags and slabs
is far more challenging. The irregular thicknesses and rough edges of
natural stone don`t come with pre-set spacer bars to help you
determine how far apart to lay stones, or pre-stamped with a
symmetrical pattern.
Rather than this being a discouragement, though, many
homeowners find the prospect of creating a natural flagstone patio a
challenge, and a well-made patio an accomplishment in which they can
take pride for years to come. The homeowner who wants to try his or
her hand at creating a unique patio floor will find plenty of
information on how to lay paving stones, as well as patterns for some
of the more popular accents and styles at many manufacturers` and DIY
web sites.
Choosing a Pattern for Your Stonework
The pattern you choose should be one that makes the most of the space
that is to be paved. A narrow walkway or path through a garden, for
instance, won`t display the intricate beauty of a sweeping fan as well
as the wider expanse of a full patio, while a patio can be as simple
as an evenly spaced coursed pattern or as intricate as a tiled mosaic
circle set into a squared frame.
The pattern you choose should also take into account the color
and style of stone that you`ve chosen. The top surface of your stones
may be sawn, riven or naturally domed. A polished sawn stone lends
itself naturally to more intricate patterns that rely as much on color
as laying pattern. A riven stone lends a more rustic look to your
patterns, and reclaimed stones offer the time-worn look of casual
elegance.
Whether you choose newly quarried stones or reclaimed, cobbles, flags
or sets, limestone, sandstone, slate or York stone, nothing compares
with the timeless beauty of real stone.
Author
Matthew Anthony has written a host of garden related pieces such as
paving stones
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