1. Similar in appearance to natural bricks

Years ago, the contrast between brick veneer and traditional concrete or clay bricks was jarring.  You could easily distinguish which was veneer and which was natural.

Not anymore.

Today’s modern brick veneers are made from clay and shale. This ensures that the look and feel/texture of veneer is virtually identical to regular bricks.

In fact, the only noticeable difference comes in thickness:

• Veneer brick panels are approximately 1” thick
• Natural bricks are around 3”- 4” thick

Which leads us to…

2. Veneer is very lightweight

Because veneer is lightweight compared to natural bricks:

• They’re much easier to handle and manipulate during installation
• The surface underneath brick veneer doesn’t need to have excessive weight-bearing element
• They can be installed on most residential walls

3. Lower monetary and time costs compared to natural bricks

Perhaps the most appealing advantage of brick veneer is that they’re much more affordable versus natural stone bricks – in all aspects:

• Unit costs
• Construction and/or installation costs (when measured by the square foot compared to conventional bricks)
• Time spent during installation and maintenance
• Cleaning and/or care costs

And because today’s brick veneer is just as strong as conventional bricks, they’ll last an exceptionally long time without requiring high maintenance costs.

4. Ease of installation for DIY’ers

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, it’s much easier to install and keep brick veneer vs. full bed brick.

Here’s are a few reasons why

• Usually only one layer of masonry should do the trick
• Brick veneer requires a very simple support system, compared to solid brick which needs a heavier (and more expensive) foundation
• Veneer doesn’t require much maintenance once it’s installed
• It is very easy to paint or stain brick veneer in the colour of your choice

View our gallery to get some design inspiration for your next veneer project

5. Great insulation

Most brick veneer is graded and sold based upon their insulation capacity. This is known as R-Values.

When installed properly, homeowners can take advantage of the veneer’s high insulation capacity.

This also means they can use brick veneer just about anywhere in the home to create the perfect level of insulation, comfort and style

• • • Fireplaces
    • Walls
    • Siding
    • Kitchen backsplash

Want to know more about brick veneer? Just ask

Many people have already made it a priority to visit any of our 4 locations to learn more about brick veneer. And if you’re interesting in experiencing the benefits of brick veneer, you should too. Of course, you can always request more information or a FREE quote when it comes to our veneer products.

The post Five Key Advantages of Brick Veneer appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.

Make your yard the one everyone else talks about—something you can be proud of.  But first let’s take a minute to go over some quick decisions that need to be made before you start your journey into becoming a pond owner:

Site selection

Choosing the location to construct your pond is key to an attractive, healthy, low maintenance piece of beautiful landscape.  Since we tend to spend more time indoors than out, it would make sense to put your pond where it can be enjoyed through your windows as well.

Your pond should be built on level ground in an area that receives a fair amount of sun.  Having it where you have easy access to water and electricity can be quite helpful as well.  Putting your pond under trees where it will catch leaves or pine needles throughout the year will call for the endless chore of cleaning out the pond.  Also, do not construct your pond in low spots within your yard.  This can cause potential flooding during heavy rain.

Once you’ve picked your location, Grand River Natural Stone offers a wide variety of stones you can use to border, build or enhance the look of your pond:

• Flagstone
• Armour stone
• Retaining walls

Fish or no fish

Some people like to enhance their pond experience with different types of goldfish and Koi.  The maintenance of your pond will, of course, be a bit more with the caring of your fish, by keeping the water relatively balanced as well as different diets for the fish; however, the anesthetic may be worth it. Before purchasing fish for your pond contemplate on whether or not you are willing to take the extra time to add this lively feature.

Sizing a liner

There are three types of liners to choose from when building your pond

• Pre-formed
• Concrete
• Flexible

Normally concrete stone is not used due to it not being as economically feasible, as well as issues with eventual cracking.  Pre-formed ponds are generally for ponds sized 50 to 200 gallons.  They are easy to drop in, but ensuring that the pond is stable and balanced takes a bit more time than a flexible liner.

Also, you are limited in shapes and cannot customize your pond to your liking.  Flexible liners offer the most options in terms of the size and shape of your pond.  They are very durable, easy to install and conform to any shape hole.

You can DIY and we can help

Regardless of the location, size, or liner you choose to use, Grand River Natural Stone carries ideal landscaping enhancements to make your yard that paradise on earth you’ve always wanted.

Contact us and let’s get you started on your dream yard today.

The post DIY Pond Construction appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.

The term patio stones is a broad catch all for many types of outdoor building materials. The phrase can include flagstone and natural rock, brick and concrete pavers. The pros, cons and best location for each will be laid out at so you may judge which is best for your patio, walkway, or driveway project.

Flagstone and other natural stone

Pros and cons: Local stone will cost less and be more friendly to the environment due to lower emissions used during shipping. Once you have a good installation of natural stone set up it has excellent durability and requires little to no maintenance. The main drawback is the cost of shipping it to your house from the store, and the installation is highly demanding labour wise.

Best Location: Around pools, accents along a driveway, walkways up to your door, porches

Brick

Pros and cons: There is no other look that is as old-world charming as a well set up brick patio or walkway. The porous nature of bricks makes it ideal for walking as it is low slip. A potential drawback is the shifting of bricks over time.

This can lead to trip hazards and difficulty shoveling snow off of it.

Best location: Patios, paths in and around a garden, deck or fountain surrounds, driveways, the deck of your pool

Concrete Pavers

Pros and cons: Their interlocking design is an improvement on bricks, it leads them to be less likely to shift up and down. Concrete pavers are easy to repair, simply pull up broken ones and replace them with spares. They are not prone to cracking like a solid concrete slab will do. They can be a lot of work to get down, but are well worth the effort.

Best Location: Patios, around a pool, paths in and around a garden, driveways, the area around your pool

This has been a basic look at the building materials available. The options for patio stones to build your deck or walkway with are nearly endless.

The post A Buyers Guide for Patio Stones appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.