Sep 25, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, lanscape company, masonry, mortar, motar
Have you ever asked yourself what exactly is stone masonry and if it is something you would want to add to your outdoor living space? Stone masonry is described as the shaping of rough pieces of rock into accurate geometrical shapes and then arranging the results together using mortar to form structures. This technique dates back thousands of years and uses basic tools such as a metal straight edge, mallet, and chisels.
There are a variety of different techniques that are used in stone masonry. These techniques have advanced along with changes in the way people live and the modernization in construction.
Traditional Dry-Stack
With the dry-stack technique, walls are layered up with stone without mortar joints. Gravity is what holds everything together. Dry-stacking involves little expense except for the labor. The standing stone wall is usually made large at the bottom and becomes thinner as it gets higher.
Advantages
– Attractive, strong, and can last hundreds of years
– Shows traditional character
– Environment-friendly
– Can be re-used multiple times
– Unlike a brick wall, the life of the stone structure is long-lasting
Disadvantages
– The cost of labor is high and the construction is slow and costly
– An improper structure can lead to the collapse of the property
– Not a good fit for high walls or buildings
Traditional Mortared Stone Technique
In this technique, the foundation of the wall must be solid so the joints do not crack easily. To make sure the joints do not crack easily, a paste made of lime and water is used which helps bond the materials together.
Advantages
– Concrete block is more resistant to weather, pest, molds, and fire
– Materials for concrete blocks is locally available
– Concrete blocks are good insulation against heat, sound, and moisture
Disadvantages
– Due to their weight, concrete blocks are hard to handle and involve more workforce
– A large quantity of steel is needed to reinforce cement concrete structures
– The issues of plumbing in concrete masonry structures are difficult to solve
Modern Veneered Stone Technique
Most stonework these days consists of a non-structural veneer stone against a structural wall of the concrete block. Concrete mortar includes Portland cement mixed with sand, gravel, and water. When using the veneered stone technique, the large particles of gravel are interlocked like little finger to make the concrete long-lasting.
Advantages
– Less expensive
– Longer life when installed correctly
– Provides natural beauty on the exterior of your home
– Perfect for walls that do not need extra support
– Lightweight
– Come in larger panels which allows for easier installation in a shorter amount of time
– Low maintenance
– Can be used on different surfaces such as stone, metal, and wood
Disadvantages
– Allows moisture to come through the joints which can cause mold issues
– Incorrect installation could lead to breaking and chipping
– Abrasive cleaning material can damage the surface
Slipform Stone Technique
This technique is known as a cross between the traditional mortar stone wall and a veneer stone wall. Natural stones are used and placed inside the forms with the presentable side faces against the formwork. The concrete is then poured behind the rocks.
Advantages
– Decreases the use of building cranes
– There is less use of accessories such as scaffolding, support bars, and platforms
Disadvantages
– Involves high costs in the beginning stages
– Highly skilled experts and hi-tech equipment are needed
Framed-One Side Stone Technique
Framed-one sided stonemasonry is more obvious on building with stone on the outside and the framed wall on the inside. Half the formwork is done when the interior frame is built first. This type of stonework is a traditional way of masonry and creates strong, beautiful walls that are built with the strength of the stone, reinforcement of concrete and steel.
Advantages
– Less time taken in the construction than with other techniques
– Comparatively lesser costs involved in workforce and materials
– Strong and good-looking walls that are built with masonry stones
Disadvantages
– Causes lateral deflections
– The span length is much less
Tilt-Up Stone Technique
This technique is done by pouring stone walls flat on the ground and then setting them in place using a crane. Stone, sand, gravel, and rock materials are used for the tilt-up stone technique.
Advantages
– More economic than cast-in walls mason stones
– Hazards are much less
– Faster and safer installation
Disadvantages
– Can’t be used for complex building wall
– Lack of versatility
There are all types of techniques that can be used in stone masonry. Choosing the right technique for your needs may be overwhelming and confusing. Contact us at Fritz Stonework and Retaining Walls today so we can help you create a masterpiece that you will enjoy for years to come.
Sep 14, 2020 | fall outdoors, fall patio, fire pit, firepit, fireplace, hardscape, home appeal, hot tub, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, natural landscape, outdoor fireplacde, outdoor fireplace, outdoors, patio, patio pavers, sauna
Once you have a beautiful patio built to your specifications, you want to be able to enjoy it all year round. Or if you are thinking of having a patio or outdoor living space built, then you might want to think about some items to include for the winter time to help you stay warm. Here are a few ideas that could help you enjoy your time outside all year round.
Invest in a Fire Pit
Fire pits are a very common way of staying warm and toasty as the temperatures drop. They create a practical, warm atmosphere that you can enjoy with friends and family. Fire pits now offer a smoke-free gas flame and different structures, shapes and designs to match any patio. Masonry and stonework projects can also provide a nice decorative addition to your fire pit.
Put Out Blankets
Adding blankets to an outdoor space is not only simple, but also inexpensive. They can create a warm, comfortable outdoor retreat that will make you want to sit on your patio with a warm drink in your hand. Invest in warm blankets that will have you enjoying some quiet time or time with friends and family.
Create a Cover
Creating a cover for your patio can offer some much-needed refuge from the cold weather. Covers for your patio make cold temperatures more tolerable and help keep out the rain, snow, and wind. Covers can enhance your outdoor living experience and increase the amount of time you spend outside.
Soak It All Up
What’s more relaxing than a nice warm soak outside while you star gaze? Adding a hot tub to your patio can make spending time in the cooler temperature more enjoyable. If you’re not a fan of the water, try adding a sauna. Saunas also provide shelter and make an attractive addition to your outdoor space.
Patio Heaters and Fireplaces
If you are unsure about a fire pit, an alternative option would be a patio heater or built-in fireplace. Even though a fireplace is a bigger investment than a fire pit, they do produce a large amount of heat. A fireplace is the most expensive option; however, they are very attractive and available in gas or wood-burning. Patio heaters can be mounted or stand-alone and are offered in electrical or propane. Electrical patio heaters are expensive to run but easy to use.
It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing, or the sun is out, you want to be able to use your patio and outdoor living space as much as possible. The winter months make it difficult to do so; however, by adding things to make it a more warm, comfortable, and welcoming environment, you will want to spend time all of your spare time outside. Here at Fritz Stonework and Retaining Walls we take pride in what we do and have provided quality service for over 31 years. Contact us today at (636) 861-1530 so our expert staff can help you design a beautiful outdoor living space that meets your needs.
Jul 20, 2020 | hardscape, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, retaining wall
You are looking at your home in all its homeliness and just think to yourself, “This house is the best house in the world, and nothing can possibly destroy it.”
Well, not so fast. There is a secret menace that lurks in the wind and water that is plotting to destroy your home.
This villain’s name? Soil erosion, and it can wipe your home off the face of the earth in a matter of minutes.
But how does soil erosion work its horrible magic? When torrential rain comes falling, it lands on the ground, right? Well, when there is a slope in your yard, that water goes down that slope, taking soil along with it, which can cause your abode to be flooded with water, causing thousands in damage to your home.
But do not fear, as there are many things you can do to keep your house safe. One of the most effective of these is the use of a retaining wall to keep that soil from being swept away.
But what is a retaining wall? Think of a retaining wall as a sort of dam for soil that keeps it where you want it to be. Most of the time, they are used to prevent water from sweeping soil and nutrients down a slope and careening towards your house, causing severe damage to your home. Essentially, they are a simple way to prevent flash flooding that can wreak havoc on your house.
They can be made of just about anything that is strong enough to keep soil at bay, so anything from simple bricks to large rocks is fair game to make a retaining wall with.
But retaining walls do not just keep soil from moving. A good retaining wall needs to satisfy the following requirements:
It can hold soil in place
It can drain away water and channel it properly
If your retaining wall satisfies both, your defenses are nice and strong, and you can rest assured that your house is safe. They can also serve a decorative purpose as they can be used to create multiple terraces on which you can grow a garden to give yourself another layer of protection. If you are still anxious after using these techniques, you can use other methods like natural barriers to keep water away from your home.
So, retaining walls do sound like a good idea, but should you build your own retaining walls? It can be done given the right amount of time and lots of research, but you should seriously consider what is at stake: your own home. An improperly built retaining wall can make the problem worse than it already is and lead to severe damage, particularly to your basement and foundation.
It is a much better idea to enlist the services of a respectable contractor like Fritz Stoneworks. Contact them at 636-861-1530 to enlist their services to help you keep your home safe from soil erosion and its horrific effects.
Jul 9, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, retaining wall
Happy to be home right now? What if your home just disappeared suddenly?
Unfortunately, this happens quite often due to an unlikely foe: soil erosion. On average, 75,000 Americans are driven from their homes due to flash flooding from soil erosion every year.
This is an appalling statistic that should not exist. Luckily, there are things we can do to keep things like this from happening. One thing we can do is install a retaining wall that holds soil in place and channels water away from your house, keeping you and your family safe from flash flooding.
But what is so special about retaining walls? Here are five reasons why you should invest in a retaining wall installation as soon as possible.
They are a great decorative feature.
Retaining walls do not have to be boring and bland. In fact, it is encouraged to make retaining walls look good in whatever way possible. Whether it be a terrace garden, LED lighting, or interesting materials, anything that does not sacrifice the ability to hold soil in place or channel water away from your home is fair game.
They prevent sinkholes.
Let’s face it, sinkholes are terrifying. At the drop of a hat, one could open under you and you could never be seen again. One man was swallowed up by a sinkhole while he was sleeping, never to be seen again.
Thankfully, retaining walls are particularly good at preventing things like this from happening. They do this by keeping soil where it should be and by keeping pools of water from forming, which makes sure the conditions needed for a sinkhole do not happen in your backyard.
It can make your property more manageable.
Getting a retaining wall for your property is one of the best ways to prevent soil erosion from wreaking untold havoc on your property. It does this by not only keeping wet soil in one place, but also channels water in a way that directs away from your house, keeping any erosion that takes place away from your home and out of mind, giving you confidence that your home will be safe from a flash flood.
It raises your home’s resale value.
Since retaining walls can be dolled up to look as good as possible, they can help your home attract far more prospective buyers when it comes time to sell. It shows them the property was well cared for and that it is a safe place to live, driving up its value as a result.
It can create more space.
If your yard is very hilly, a retaining wall can free up space for you to use. You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, wouldn’t that reduce the space you have?” Well, there are many outdoor activities that require a flat piece of land, like gardening. A retaining wall can open up flat land your gardening partner or relative can use to train their green thumbs.
So as you can see, retaining walls have plenty of benefits that you will definitely appreciate in your life. If you want to learn more about other benefits like these, contact Fritz Stoneworks at 636-861-1530 to learn how a retaining wall may be just the thing you need.
May 15, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, pavers, stone, stone pathway
The value of your property is based on location, amount of property, and improvements on that property. When the majority of people consider the improvements on a property they consider the home or structures like storage sheds and buildings. They also think about amenities like pools and hot tubs because those items make a property more appealing to buyers, and thus the property becomes more valuable.
One of the things you can do to increase the value of your property is to create stone pathways from the major points of interest. When you leave out of the front door to walk to the driveway or to the street in front of the property you do not want to walk through the grass or across an unlevel ground.
If you create a pathway from the front door to the street by laying brick or stone pavers you will create a level walkway that allows you to not get your feet wet or dirty when you are traveling the path. Even if it has just rained outside you can travel the stone path and not get dirty doing so.
The benefits of a stone pathway
- The stone path is level and will allow you to walk safely and take fewer chances of falling, tripping, or turning an ankle.
- The inside of the home will stay cleaner because you are not walking through dirt or grass before you walk into the home. You track in less dirt because your shoes pick up less dirt.
- The lawn looks better with a stone path than it would with a beaten-down trail that you make by traveling over the same area repeatedly.
- You can add interesting lighting and borders to stone paths to dress them up even more
- Your home instantly has increased curb appeal when you create the stone pathways
Stone pathways are alluring to prospective buyers because they can see all of the benefits of having these paths that are level, safer to navigate, and cleaner to travel.
Where to place stone pathways on your property
The obvious places for stone pathways are from your front door to the most frequently traveled places like the driveway or the street in front of the house. It there are flower beds, gazebos, or areas of particular interest in the front section of the lawn you can also create a stone path leading to those areas.
When you exit the back door of the home you will want a path that leads to any storage buildings you may have in the back section of the property. You also want a path leading to any outdoor attractions like pools, tennis courts, patios, outdoor kitchens, game areas, or particular places of interest that you might frequently travel.
To learn more about stone pathways and all of the options you have in making them contact the experts at Fritz Stoneworks at 636-861-1530. The friendly staff will be able to answer all of your questions and help you make the best choices according to your location, budget, and ideas.
Apr 22, 2020 | aroma therapy, hardscape, home appeal, landscape, lanscape company, lighting, natural landscape, retaining wall, waterfall
In this hectic world that we live in stress has become a number one problem. To reduce stress you need to have a place where you can relax and take time to rejuvenate yourself. You need this relaxing space to be close to home so you can visit it often. Just imagine having your own Puerta Vallarta or Turks and Caicos and it be just mere steps away. You need an at-home oasis that you can kick your shoes off, grab a beer, take a deep breath, and let out the deepest sigh imaginable.
To establish a relaxing space that is close enough to visit often you only need to look as far as your backyard. On your own property you can create a unique and inviting spot to relax and enjoy. The majority of the time when we think about creating outdoor spaces on our property we think about creating spaces where the children can play or where we can entertain. It is time to forget the kid’s desires and forget entertaining guests; you need to concentrate on an outdoor spot that is designed for you.
Waterfalls are Relaxing
Have you ever listened to a waterfall cascading over rocks? The sound is calming and makes you feel at peace with nature and with yourself. While listening to the water gently flowing over the rocks you can push the stresses of work, family and life aside and allow yourself to relax.
Waterfalls are great features to add to the landscape of your property. The size of the waterfall will depend on your personal preferences, and the size of the space you are creating. The waterfall can be used as a water feature that brings water to plants and shrubs, or it can be made to deliver water to your pool.
Aroma Therapy
Certain aromas can put the most stress-induced person into a calmer state. For instance, the smell of lavender can easily relax you and your partner after a long day at work. To help create a space where you can relax and leave the cares of the world behind you can plant lavender, and other aromatic plants close to your space.
Aloe Vera plants improve the quality of the air you breathe. Gerbera daisies also help improve the air by removing some of the toxins. Rosemary is an herb that helps reduce stress and improve your memory.
When you picture your relaxing spot in your back yard picture the sounds of a waterfall and the aromas of stress reducing plants.
A Living Space
You need a comfortable place to sit and enjoy these sounds and aromas. Creating a small patio space with pavers will allow you to have a spot to place a comfortable furniture set, or just a couple of chairs. You need some tables beside those chairs so you can set your iced tea glass down, and a fire-pit or outdoor fireplace will allow you to enjoy your space even when autumn starts to bring a chill to the air.
Establishing an area that has pavers as a foundation will keep you from having to move the furniture so you can mow. It keeps the furniture cleaner, and allows everything to sit level.
If you want to know more about how to establish an outdoor space that is perfectly relaxing call the experts at Fritz Stonework and Retaining Walls, (636-861-1530). You can also visit their website to get inspiration for your personal oasis. https://fritzstonework.com/
