Why is it called bluestone

Ever wonder how the air is much fresher and different in the countryside as compared to the city, or how the absence of trees in an area will result in a general increase in temperature experienced? It goes without saying that what people do to their surroundings will have an effect on the environment that they experience.

The same is true for your house but on a lesser scale. There are preventive measures that you can apply to help minimize the number of salts and moisture that can get into your bluestone, aside from making a change in the environment that it experiences. A specialized sealant for natural stones is usually applied. Aside from minimizing flaking, this also lengthens the longevity of the stone and its appearance. With any building material, always consider what that material will be undergoing.

Bluestone located indoors is much less likely to flake compared to bluestone in the outdoors. Another example would be bluestone in the bathroom compared to bluestone in the veranda. Knowing what the material experiences and adjusting accordingly is key when thinking about preventive measures.

This will save you a lot of time and energy for maintenance work in the long run. Bluestone is such a versatile material because of how the stone can be worked to fit all kinds of purposes.

Aside from appearances, there are also some utility uses for bluestone. Most outdoor areas usually have a bluestone floor finish because of the texture that comes with the bluestone. This provides non-slip properties while at the same time blending well with the outdoor environment. It is a natural material experiencing a natural process; nonetheless, flaking can destroy the look of some bluestone finishes, especially those with a lighter color.

If your bluestone has already flaked, the only thing you really can do is smooth out the flaked areas and to reapply a stone sealant to the bluestone. There may still be some leftover marks on your bluestone.

You cannot do much, aside from having the bluestone entirely replaced by a newer one. Like wood, the bluestone sealants may have some additional effects aside from just protecting the bluestone from weathering. These include:. A bluestone interior wall finish could look better with a glossy finish to reflect the indoor lighting, while a bluestone pavement leading up to your front door might be better if it was just left naturally.

This, of course, allows for multiple uses for bluestone, making it more popular now considering how environmentally-friendly it is as a material that can be recycled. Natural stone tends to cost more than brick pavers or poured concrete paving stones, mainly due to the cost of quarrying and availability of the product. Rare natural stones cost more, and bluestone is only available from certain parts of North America, making it highly desirable and often priced at a premium.

Massachusetts homeowners looking for a beautiful patio or walkway in natural colors should consider bluestone pavers. Strong and attractive, bluestone must be sealed for peak performance. Talk to your landscaper about this paving option and decide whether bluestone works for your landscape.

Tags: patios , walkways , landscape design , patio installation , stone , stone steps , bluestone. See Our Blog Posts Below:. Cons of Bluestone For Your Hardscaping Like other natural stone pavers, bluestone must be sealed for optimum durability.

What you use in your paving project is a matter of taste, although the irregular sizes lend themselves to more free-form designs such as walkways and stepping stones. Uniform pieces will be easier to work with, of course, since mapping out the area to cover will require less work.

Bluestone is durable and will last many years. Its natural earth-tone colors are gracious and attractive and complement almost any landscape. Its rough surface also means that it rarely gets slick or slippery. Further, it's readily available and it comes from United States' quarries, so there is no overseas shipping to add to its cost, which is already somewhat high.

Bluestone can tolerate all kinds of weather and temperature fluctuations—you can incorporate it into your landscape wherever you live, whether you endure snow and ice or desert heat. Over the next 37 years, he created a giant sculpture garden, now known as Opus 40 , from the stone. Today, locals and tourists alike enjoy visiting the park. An obvious disadvantage to bluestone is its cost — any natural material will be more expensive than a manmade material such as concrete pavers or bricks, and bluestone is especially prized for its beauty.

It can be harder to install bluestone than concrete or bricks because it is commonly irregularly shaped and also may not have a standard depth. The darker colors can get hot, so bluestone might not be a good choice pool-side where you and your family are walking barefoot.

Another consideration is that you will need to seal it to protect it from damage due to debris, salt or chemicals, such as chlorine. Before choosing your bluestone pavers, first, decide whether you want irregular pavers or uniform size pavers. Irregular will be harder to install but may fit better with your existing garden design.