When planning a landscape renovation, one of the biggest decisions to make is the materials you’ll be using underfoot on your patio, walkway, and even pool deck, and on retaining walls and other vertical structures. With so many choices, where do you even start? Here is our guide to bluestone, limestone, and other stone options to consider in Ulster County and Sullivan County, NY.
Bluestone
This classic stone is known for its dramatic steel-blue color that is often mixed with golden and rust colors. This type of flagstone is quarried almost exclusively in Pennsylvania and New York and to a lesser extent in Ontario. It blends in beautifully with the dark stones found across New York State, and is a highly sought after paving material because of its dramatic character.
Limestone
Limestone is a great alternative if you want an outdoor living space that’s chic and elegant, and you want the stone to act as a backdrop without the showy characteristics of bluestone. Its subtle patterning and neutral colors (ranging from light grey to almost black) make it easy to fit this stone into any design.
Sandstone
Like bluestone, sandstone is filled with personality. Each stone is unique and because the patterns are more pronounced than in many other stones, you’ll really see the differences. On a patio, the effect is stunning. Sandstone comes in “sand” colors with a variety of veining and patterning depending on where it’s quarried - and also light, soft greys.
Flagstone
Flagstone is simply a generic flat stone, most commonly reddish sandstone but also different shades including palomino (light tan) or chocolate. While it typically doesn’t have a lot of variation in color or patterns, each stone will have a unique texture. Flagstone is often left uncut, and laid in a random puzzle-like fashion ideal for rustic outdoor living spaces. Flagstone can be used as a floor surface, and on walls (stacked).
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained stone popular as a flooring and roofing material. This stone comes in a variety of colors including dark and light greys, rust, pinks, and blues. Like bluestone, the result will be eye-catching and dramatic. Stacked slate can also be used to make rustic stacked-stone walls.
Granite
Granite is a favorite stone for kitchen countertops, but this exceptionally hard-wearing stone is also ideal as outdoor flooring: the difference being that granite used for countertops is polished, while granite intended for underfoot use is not. Either way, you’ll enjoy the fine grain of this stone, which is the most commonly found building stone throughout the world.
River Rock and Pebbles
If you want a more relaxed and rustic appearance in your outdoor spaces, you could add river rock and rounded pebbles to the mix. River rock looks great as a mulch alternative and it can also be used to create vertical structures such as a retaining wall or outdoor kitchen island. Smaller pebbles fit beautifully between slabs of flagstone; or on their own as a rustic garden pathway. Smaller stones can also be used as flooring around a fire pit area that’s located in a corner of your landscape. Pebble patios drain very well!
Stone Blocks
If you want a more substantial looking vertical feature including outdoor fireplaces or grill islands, consider stone blocks which can be used structurally as well as decoratively.
Stone Veneers
Veneers are applied over a concrete block base as a way to beautify a vertical structure without the cost involved in building stone block structures.
