Decorative stone, wall stone, gravel, rocks – all play a significant role in beautifying your yard. From retaining walls to pavers to river rock in flower beds, adding stone creates an earthy, permanent feel you don’t get from flowers alone. If you are planning some changes or additions to your landscaping, take extra time to build a rock garden and stone features that look like they occurred naturally.

Build a rock garden

A rock garden is a simple way to add interest to any landscaping design by building a setting that looks like a natural outcropping of rocks. Keep the following in mind as you plan your project.

• Choose rocks that go together and can be placed to appear as if they belong. Sandstone, for example, set in layers will look like they existed before the ground was landscaped.
• Create an area where the soil drains well so that rocks and plants can coexist without shifting or flooding.
• Follow the natural lines and slopes of your property as you place rocks solidly and partially buried.
• Add perennials and ground cover (daffodils, lily of the valley, creeping phlox) that grow within and around the rocks, creating the additional illusion of years of existence.

Enhance with stonescaping

Whether you incorporate a decorative stone wall with a carefully scaped rock garden or a bed of annuals, following the contours of your property is crucial to getting a natural look. Add climbing plants to give a custom round stone wall or artificial stone wall the look of having weathered in your yard for many years.

Flagstone walkways winding past a rock garden create the atmosphere of walking through a nature trail. Add unique gravel, stone or lava rocks in a flower bed to create your own look from modern to tropical.

Landscaping with stone in Akron, Ohio, and the surrounding area provides a comfortable environment that immediately adds a warm, park feel to any yard. At Ohio Beauty Cut Stone, you may choose from a wide variety of landscaping and wall stone, decorative stone in many sizes, gravel, and artificial stone. For project ideas and guidance on choosing and installing stone features in your yard, contact our professionals today.

Frequently outdoor improvement projects get our attention in those early spring days when we start thinking about summer backyard activities. Get a jump on next year now by focusing on stone and paver projects that are easily done even in cold temperatures.

Stone and paver patios and other stone features are perfect cold-weather projects. As long as the ground is not frozen, stonework can be completed to specifications that will make it last for many years. Patios, walkways, retaining walls, and fire features are all great cold-weather projects that will be settled and ready to use in the early days of spring.

Keep in mind the following to ensure the best results:

• Check the ground for any signs of freezing or moisture. Minimizing moisture will help prevent some of the freezing and thawing that can impact the foundation of your hardscape features.
• Use a gravel base and bedding sand to provide a stable sub-base for your stone.
• Compact soil carefully before beginning installation and ensure that ground slopes away to provide maximum drainage.
• Consult a professional for guidance on creating solid, stable hardscape features for your yard.

Fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, and stone ovens are great additions to your backyard venues. Your local stone expert can provide guidance on materials needed and the best way to proceed with a project as the weather cools.

Pavers are a great choice if you are creating a new patio or if you are looking to improve an aging concrete patio. An old concrete or asphalt patio that is sound may be a candidate for a paver overlay, saving you on demolition costs. Check with your local expert on how to determine if your old patio, driveway, or walkway is appropriate for an overlay project.

Indoor stone projects

If your eye is on indoor improvements, consider a stone veneer to breathe new life into a dated fireplace in your home. Veneers come in a wide variety of colors and textures that replicate natural stone, providing you a new look at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.

If you are considering stonework for your home this winter, contact the experts at Ohio Beauty Cut Stone for the largest selection of natural stone, artificial stone and veneer products as well as expert advice for all your home improvement projects.

For all your projects, from your home’s interior or exterior walls to a backyard venue or outdoor kitchen, consider Prestige Stone Products to complete a rustic natural look.

Prestige Stone Products is a quality manufactured stone veneer engineered to perfectly mimic natural cut stone. Available in a wide variety of styles and colors, homeowners and builders can easily find the perfect stone look for any project. Individual stones are created using precise molds in varying sizes and lengths, and in shades of gray, tan and brown, then carefully and methodically installed to resemble a natural stone wall. A salvaged wood stone also is available, resembling weathered reclaimed wood.

Growing from Amish and Mennonite heritage, Prestige values customer relationships, focusing on satisfaction, integrity and the highest standards in quality and manufacturing. Products come with a 35-year limited warranty and precise instructions are provided to ensure architects and contractors complete a strong and lasting finish for both exterior and interior walls.

At Ohio Beauty Cut Stone, we are pleased to offer quality Prestige Stone Products as an excellent option for our customers seeking a rugged, natural stone look in a long-lasting veneer. Stop in to view a full range of options in Weatherledge, Ledgestone, Old County Ledge, Pro Stack, Fieldstone, and Nativestone, as well as Salvaged Wood.

In the effort to extend time outdoors in Northeast Ohio, more and more homeowners are adding outdoor fireplaces to their back yards. It’s a trend that not only provides quality entertainment space, it increases home value and provides a focal point around which friends and family can congregate. It also is a real benefit to those whose homes are not big enough to accommodate their entertainment plans

Those who have made the investment in a stone fireplace agree it was worth the time, effort and cost. Winter in Northeast Ohio finds many residents feeling cooped up, with some even suffering from depression. An outdoor fireplace can warm a patio enough to extend your season well into fall and allow enjoyment early in the spring, making those cold winter months a bit easier to get through. A crackling fire within a cozy stone setting creates the perfect ambiance for your evening party or for quiet relaxation with family.

With so many styles, colors and sizes of stone, a fireplace, patio, and seating can easily be customized to fit your taste and the look of your home. Whether you hire a professional to build your outdoor space or you tackle the construction yourself, at Ohio Beauty Cut Stone we provide a wide variety of quality options and the direction you need to make the right choices.

Thinking about building your own outdoor fireplace? It is a relatively simple project, but you will need to follow some specific steps.

1. Dig and pour footers to create a solid base that will hold the weight of your fireplace.
2. Use firebrick and refractory cement for your firebox.
3. Stagger, or overhang, your bricks to taper the opening of your firebox to fit the size of your flue. You may choose the height of your flue.
4. Set your exterior stone in the mortar, filling in all spaces. Rake and smooth the joints once the mortar is dry.

Construction of a stone fireplace takes a bit of time. If you want the look of stone in your yard without the work of a full fireplace, consider a small firepit. You can build one directly on the ground if you have a flat level place. Build your circular fire pit using stacked pavers or flat stones in three rings. Tightly stacked, your firepit is usable without mortar. For irregularly shaped stones, fill the gaps with a mortar and allow drying time. Complete the floor of your firepit using pavers and paver sand.

Also simple to construct are patios or walkways using pavers of flagstone. Be sure to plan the size before purchasing supplies

1. Excavate your patio or walkway area and pack about 4 inches of crushed stone to make a level base.
2. Set your pavers or stones in a layer of sand and tamp them.
3. Fill cracks with paver sand and tamp again.

Quality stone is a must if you plan to create the type of environment that invites relaxation. Utilize custom cut stone products from Ohio Beauty Cut Stone for materials and direction you need to safely design and build your outdoor living space.