A Guide to Stone Patios: Ideas, Benefits, and More
Stone patios are a great way to take your outdoor space to the next level. Whether you are ready to build or are in the beginning stages of creating your outdoor oasis, consider the following benefits, designs, and types of stone when building stone patios.
Benefits of Stone Patios
Opting to build a stone patio instead of a wooden or concrete patio comes with a host of benefits, which include:
Low Maintenance: Forget about staining, painting, or patching, which can be required for other types of patios. Any mildew or debris can simply be swept off with a broom.
Environmentally Friendly: Since stone already exists in nature, it doesn’t have to be manufactured like concrete does, which makes it a friendlier option for the environment. Additionally, stone is often permeable, meaning water is absorbed instead of running off, which allows for water to return to the soil and reduces strain on storm water management systems.
Strong Material: Whether you’re living in New England or Florida, stone patios are impervious to common weather conditions, like storms or strong winds. In addition, stone won’t erode over time, so you can know that your stone patio is built to last.
Easy to Design: Think a stone patio is grey and boring? Think again! Available in all sorts of types and colors, stone patios are highly customizable—the only limit is your imagination.
Design and Layout
There are a variety of design and layout options for stone patios to consider. It’s important to think about the size of your space, as well as the effect and ambiance you want to create in your yard. Designs for stone patios include:
Angular Patterns: Angular patterns include square, rectangular, and Ashlar patterns. Angular patterns provide structure and balance to the natural and raw look of stone. Whether your stone patio is smaller or sweeps a large portion of your yard, this modern and sleek design style can create a dramatic and sweeping effect. When this pattern is mortared, it creates a smooth surface which makes it easy to move patio furniture.
Ledge Pattern: A ledge pattern can be angular or asymmetric in design and can include both square, rectangular, and other parallelogram shapes. Ledge pattern can be the perfect fit for a someone that likes the artistry of the mosaic pattern, but also appreciates the clean and modern lines of an angular pattern.
Mosaic Pattern: Most true to its natural appearance, mosaic patterns emulate the actual stone’s organic and raw nature. The irregular pattern is perfect to create a more casual or romantic ambiance in your outdoor getaway. Any gaps in the layout can be filled with ground cover or small stones. Although this design can be mortared, it can be more difficult to move furniture around on a mosaic pattern due to the roughness of stones and series of small joints. Wide and sturdy wooden furniture is your best option if you choose this design.
Stone Types
Now that we’ve drilled down the benefits and different designs and layouts of stone patios, you’ll want to also consider the stone type. Ideally, you’ll want to decide the look of the patio you’re going for. For instance, some people choose stones with a very natural look or ones with earthy tones like brows, reds, grays, and blues. Whatever the case, you’ll want to explore your options and even talk with an expert to see what would be best for your backyard look and feel. Haynes has many stone types to choose from.
Stone patios are an excellent option to create the backyard you’ve always been dreaming of. Let Haynes help you every step of the way. Check out our stone collections or contact us to request a quote today.