pavers Archives - Grand River Natural Stone

The Importance of Landscape Design

Grand River Natural Stone — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:25:40 +0000

Turning your lawn into a hidden oasis is one of the quickest ways to increase the overall value of your property. Not only does this drive up your value, but it adds to your curb appeal. When your landscape looks like a picture out of a magazine, passersby are certain to give your home the second and third looks it deserves. This can be all summed up in landscape design.

Whether you add a garden in the front or create a waterfall with landscape rocks, your lawn is sure to be the talk of the town. Here are our top tips when it comes to manicuring your yards.

Your Landscape Sets the Tone for Your Home

When your lawn looks like it’s well taken care of, it tells everyone who stops by that you take great pride in the quality of your home. It doesn’t matter if you like things clean and simple or lush and green, your landscape design is important no matter how you look at it. Having a well-maintained lawn with beautiful flows and decorative walkways shows people that you want your home to look its best at all times.

Enhance Your Landscape with the Following:

Give Your Landscape a Personal Touch

Are you intrigued by intricate designs and lush gardens? If you answered yes, you should give interlocking pavers a try. Whether it’s for your driveway or walkway, these intricate designs add sophistication to your landscape design. Do you like to take a simple approach? Mulching around your home and walkways adds a clean, neat element to your landscaping design. No matter what your style preference is, you’re sure to get the look you need when you turn to us for help.

Get Expert Advice

If you’re unsure of what direction to take with your landscaping design, let our team of experienced professionals help you. Our teams have all the tips and tricks you need to get your landscape looking just the way you like. Even if you don’t need advice, we’re always here to answer questions and point you in the right direction.

Drive up Your Property Value with a Superior Landscape Design

We at Grand River Natural Stone are committed to providing you with the superior landscaping materials you need at a rate you can afford. Stop by today to learn more about how we can help you with your landscaping project, or give us a call now for directions.

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All About Polymeric Sand

Grand River Natural Stone — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 18:39:41 +0000

What is Polymeric Sand?

Every revolution needs a foundation. For the Interlock Revolution, that foundation is polymeric sand.

One of the recent labour-saving developments in landscaping supplies and hardscaping is the widespread availability of polymeric sand, but many homeowners may not know about this marvelous product.

When finishing off a patio, walkway or driveway with pavers, you have to fill all gaps between pavers with sand to improve the performance of your interlocking pavers.

Polymeric sand accomplishes this task better than traditional torpedo sand because of its composition:

Fine quartz and silica sand
Proprietary polymer—a water-activated binder to hold the sand in place
Other ingredients—some manufacturers add portland cement and colourants

Put down dry, polymeric sand bonds when wet, drying hard and helping to lock your hardscape in place.

At Grand River, we carry Permapro polymeric sand, sold in convenient 30 kg bags. This superior product can speed your weekend project and produce professional-looking results.

Benefits of Polymeric Sand

When putting in a single patio or garden walkway, most homeowners cannot instantly develop the skills of practiced stone masons. Getting the sand between interlocking pavers is a challenge. Getting enough sand between the cracks is harder still, and keeping the sand in place through all weather often requires new sand and frequent maintenance.

Polymeric sand is a favourite among weekend masons because it goes in dry and hardens when wet. It does not shift, does not flow out through the bottom of the pavers, and prevents weeds from sprouting between your pavers.

Using polymeric sand helps lock pavers together, maintaining joint spacing for years with minimal upkeep. Insect pests are discouraged by the dense polymeric sand, too, so your favourite backyard dining spot is not ruined by foraging ants.

How to Use Polymeric Sand

Because polymeric sand will stick like glue to whatever wet surface it contacts, only apply the product when rain is not in the forecast. The steps are straightforward:

After laying your pavers, bricks or flagstones, sweep polymeric sand into all joints
Compact or tamp the pavers and sand
Sweep in another round of polymeric sand
Compact again
Sweep in, but do not tamp, a third round of polymeric sand to get it as close to the tops of pavers as possible
Ensure no sand is sitting on the pavers themselves, even if you have to sweep individual pieces; polymeric sand is hard to remove once wet
Spray water mist over the entire paved or hardscaped area, from high point to low point
Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rewet with a light mist
Allow 24 hours for full curing

Maintaining Hardscaping with Polymeric Sand

Even a few small grains will adhere strongly to paver surfaces if they are moistened, because of the polymer binder mixed with them. Care must be taken to remove stray pieces if they do attach to the decorative flagstone surface—you could scratch the stone surface using metal tools, but nylon scrub brushes may fail to remove the polymeric sand.

After a full day of curing, give everything a final brushing. You can seal the pavers to preserves the stones’ beautiful colour and to match the polymeric sand’s durability. Because you have colour choices with your polymeric sand, you can either match your paver colour or choose a complementary colour to emphasize the joint lines.

After a harsh Canadian winter, seasonal maintenance on interlocked pavers is easier using polymeric sand, because less material will have shifted from the bricks and flagstones, weeds are less likely to sprout, and the surface stays even.

We’re Your Source for Polymeric Sand

To learn more about the many benefits of polymeric sand, or for more help solving your landscaping and hardscaping problems, contact us at Grand River Natural Stone, Ltd.

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Introducing the Unilock Endura-Color Product Lineup

Grand River Natural Stone — Tue, 19 May 2015 13:59:08 +0000

The Interlock Revolution rolls forward. With summer literally just around the corner, it’s the ideal time to select the interlock pavers you want for your landscaping project.

A prominent manufacturer of interlocking pavers is Unilock. For the past 40 years, Unilock has been leading the landscaping industry when it comes to style and durability. It’s no secret, then, that Unilock has been the stone of choice for many homeowners and contractors in Southwestern Ontario.

Their latest addition to an already impressive product lineup is Unilock Endura-Color, which are available in two separate product lines:

Unilock Endura-Color
Unilock Endura-Color Plus

Grand River Natural Stone is proud to carry both Unilock Endura-Color product lines. If you’re interested in bringing Unilock to your home, simply contact us and tell us about your project.

Want to know more about the Unilock Endura-Color lines? Then keep reading.

Unilock Endura-Color

Unilock Endura-Color is an exceptionally strong interlocking paver with long-lasting colour that won’t fade over time, nor with exposure to the elements.

Exceptionally versatile, Unilock Endura-Color landscaping supplies can be used in all sorts of projects:

Driveways
Walkways
Patios
Pool decks

Unilock Endura-Color pavers are:

Artline: Featuring long, clean lines, Artline pavers can help you create a minimalist design which will never go out of style

Beacon Hill Flagstone: Natural in appearance, Beacon Hill Flagstone features soft colours and subtle surface design

Bristol Valley: With a gentle surface texture and muted colours, Bristol Valley creates a modern look that’s timeless

Il Campo: Each Il Campo paver is made with unique surface lines, so no two are alike, giving you almost unlimited design pattern options

Northshore: As sturdy as its name, Northshore’s combination of natural beauty and rugged performance ensures that it’s built to last

Promenade Paver: With long and narrow lines, Promenade Paver is ideal for linear designs which result in a sleek, precise pattern

Thornbury: Ideal for standard and permeable installations, Thornbury features a moderately textured surface and a variety of sizes to create a random look

Unilock Endura-Color Plus

Unilock Endura-Color Plus sets a new standard for everlasting beauty.

A mix of modern construction and old-school charm, Unilock Endura-Color Plus will endure for generations.

Just as robust as Unilock Endura-Color, the catalogue of this product line can be used anywhere, for any project, and will look just as good many years from the day it was first installed.

Belpasso: Non-slip, stain-resistant and durable, Belpasso is perfect for high-traffic areas like patios or driveways

Copthorne: Old-world elegance meets new-age technology with Copthorne, a lovely interlocking paver that’s virtually indestructible

Courtstone: Made for driveways, Courtstone is designed to look like European cobblestones with incredible strength

Richcliff: As classy as its name, Richcliff instantly adds a touch of refined grace to your project and will not split, crack or fade

Series 3000: Very versatile, Series 3000 can be used for driveways, walkways and more with a unique look caused by surface granite particles pressed into the stone itself

Town Hall: Able to handle traditional and permeable installation methods, Town Hall features a historical, weathered appearance

Umbriano: With the natural look and feel of granite, Umbriano features clean, sharp lines and is extremely resistant to chlorine, salt pool water or winter salt de-icers

Grand River Natural Stone is your source for Unilock Endura-Color

Whatever your landscaping project is, there’s a Unilock Endura-Color option that will give it that extra design touch.

Grand River Natural Stone is Southwestern Ontario’s premier source for Unilock Endura-Color. Our pros can help you with every aspect of your project, from conception to paving stone selection to installation.

Get us to work for you and get Unilock Endura-Color for your outdoor design project.

The post Introducing the Unilock Endura-Color Product Lineup appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.

Choosing the Best Pool Coping Stones

Grand River Natural Stone — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 03:42:36 +0000

If you are looking to finish your pool with coping stones there are things that you should think about besides just how aesthetically pleasing they are.

With the market being flooded with options it can be hard to choose.

Keep it simple and look at these two key considerations and you’ll have a pool that looks great and is safe to use.

The first concern should be safety. If you have children and friends over there will be nothing that ruins a fun summer evening quicker than an injury. You should choose a pool coping material that is slip resistant for the inevitably wet hands and feet using them to get a grip on.

A material that is absorbent or pre-cast is ideal. Nearly every style, colour, design, and material can be found in a non slip finish. Be sure to look carefully and read the manufacturers claims for each. Ask your local distributor for their opinion on what has worked for other customers in the past.

Affordability will also be high on the list. If you can’t afford it you can’t buy it! Higher priced options include limestone, granite, and flagstone. More affordable, but just as appealing and safe, are materials such as bull nose pavers, concrete and pool liners. Bull nose pavers come in a wide variety of colours such as bronze, carob and ebony, and many patterns that lead to a professional looking finish.

Travertine is a type of limestone that can also look great and be affordable. For the true look of pool coping stones you should go with one of the stone options presented. They go especially well with an interlocking paver walkway or surround built around them.

Photo credit to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arnoldmasonryandconcrete/

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