Masonary, Stone, & Pavers

Stone walls are beautiful landscaping ideas that connect your house design with the nature in a harmonious and attractive way. Stone walls are great structures that define cozy patios and create charming raised flower beds. Natural stone wall design transforms yard landscaping ideas and add chic and style to outdoor living spaces.

A dry-stone wall design can incorporate beautiful landscaping ideas, water features, seating areas, flower beds and fireplaces into gorgeous natural stone structures, creating elegant and functional outdoor living spaces which are perfect for modern lifestyle. Here is a collection of beautiful natural stone wall pictures and drystone wall design ideas that will help you to find the ideal solution for your yard landscaping.

A drystone wall design is great for creating a cozy outdoor seating area with a fireplace or a fire pit, a water fountain or a small pond. Building stone walls add luxurious looks to patio designs. Building a stone wall defines your patio design and creates a gorgeous stone wall background to show off your creative landscaping ideas, plants and flowers, modern patio furniture and outdoor lights.Building a stone wall makes a small patio look elegant and charming. A natural stone wall creates a relaxing, cottage-like feel and a sophisticated look. Building a stone wall with a gate is an excellent yard landscaping idea that provides plants and flowers an elegant backdrop.

Compare natural and artificial

Natural stone is quarried and then transported. Depending on the type of stone and location of the quarry, delivery can cost more than the materials. When quarried locally, natural stone adds a sense of place and timelessness to a home. Artificial stone is manufactured by mixing cement, aggregate, and pigment; it's nearly impossible to discern from the natural stone it imitates. Plus, a look that isn't locally available in natural stone might be possible with artificial stone options. Artificial stone is also known as manufactured or cast stone. Cultured Stone is a trademarked manufactured-stone product.

Consider paint

Depending on architectural styles and brick types, painting an existing brick exterior may be a viable remodeling strategy. But a change like that is permanent and requires maintenance every few years. Also, improper paint application may trap moisture and cause deterioration of the brick's surface and structural damage after freezing. If you're considering painting brick, consult a professional who specializes in masonry projects.

Alter your surface

Change the look of an existing wall with a veneer (a thin layer of material such as brick or natural or artificial stone) that dresses up a surface without the expense or support required for a true stone or brick structure. Veneers can be applied to brick, concrete block, poured concrete, and other surfaces. Artificial stone veneers may be applied to wood framing, rigid foam, and other surfaces.

Discern patterns

For a sense of cohesion, extend your home's exterior style into the landscape with garden walkways and walls. Style statements can be woven brick by brick or stone by stone with a pattern. A traditional running-bond brick layout, for example, suggests a simple cottage feel, while a herringbone pattern evokes formal elegance.

Salvage streets

Looking to add a touch of history? Inquire with local brickyards and architectural salvage businesses to find antique brick pavers reclaimed from old streets.

Make it stick

A typical mortar mix is 1 part portland cement to 4 parts sand (and a bit of lime if the mortar needs to be stickier). Mix it too wet, and it will slump off the materials you are trying to put together. Mix it too dry, and it will set too quickly for you to move the materials into position.

Build it dry

Stones, bricks, and other masonry materials can be laid without mortar (dry-laid); the weight of the material holds everything together and in place. That means width can be as important as height. For example, a wall 3 feet high should be at least 2 feet thick. Taller walls require additional thickness and possibly a footing below the frost line. Ask your municipal building department about regulations, particularly if you're building a retaining wall

Repoint pointers

If your exterior walls are missing mortar between bricks, you'll need to have the mortar repointed or tuck-pointed by a professional. (These terms vary by region.) A good mortar joint between bricks helps prevent rainwater from infiltrating the wall. In new masonry projects, the spaces between the bricks can be just as important to the visual texture as the brick and color pattern.

Cut it out

Masonry projects such as walkways and low walls are doable for dedicated do-it-yourselfers. Whenever possible, lay bricks or pavers in patterns that minimize cuts. To make a small number of cuts by hand, use a saw with a dry-cut diamond blade. For larger projects, rent a saw from a hardware store; you'll minimize wear and tear on your power tools.

• Attractiveness - Many homeowners consider pavers a much more attractive way to go than asphalt and poured concrete. Concrete pavers come in a vast array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures. Concrete paver colors include beautiful beige, coral, variegated or darker blends, as well as blends with flashed tones to harmonize with a home's exterior cladding. They can easily be put into patterns that complement the architectural style of your home because there's such a wide variety of style available.
• Durability - Concrete pavers should maintain their beauty and strength for a number of years when installed correctly. Other pavements, such as asphalt or poured concrete, typically experience shorter lives.
• Maintenance - Concrete pavers are easier to maintain and last longer without needing to be repaired. In fact, factory-made pavers last for decades and need practically no maintenance when installed to ICPI guidelines. If a concrete paver becomes stained or broken, it can be easily replaced individually without patches.
• Cost - The cost of concrete pavers is substantially less than natural stone, and concrete pavers provide an equally as attractive appearance. When factoring in maintenance costs and project durability, concrete pavers are also extremely affordable compared to other outdoor surface choices, such as poured concrete.
• Safety - Pavers provide a safe, slip-resistant surface for pedestrian, vehicular, and pool projects.