This is the time of year where residents of Connecticut look at the recently exposed ground around their homes (yes, that mud slick is your yard) and start thinking about big landscaping projects for the year. New stairs to the front porch. New patio. New porch. Fix that wall that took a beating under the snow. And on and on.
Of course this is also the start of the heavy rain season. So as you're planning the outdoor work, make sure to bake in some extra time for rain delays, and also make sure if you're doing stonework yourself you have a solid comfort with the stability of your foundation. The ground will be shifting quite a bit with the rains, especially if heavy stones are involved.
If you are looking to a professional to help with your project, now is the time to reach out. If you're hosting your daughter's backyard wedding in July and want that new patio in, don't wait until June to schedule the project. We'll need plenty of time for design, stone selection and rain delays.
Seems like the cold has everyone thinking about their fireplaces. I'll be starting a new front in a few days, and am also working with my brother on replacing his wood burning stove with a traditional fireplace. On that, the plan is to take Stony Creek granite all the way to the ceiling, replacing what can only be called an ugly front right now. I think the previous owner painted concrete some color of gray. Stony creek granite, unique to Stony Creek, CT, has a pink color and texture. One of my inspirations for becoming a stonemason was the book Flesh and Stone about Stony Creek granite.
This is a thin stone fireplace created in Branford, Ct. The customer had an existing brick fireplace painted a cream color. We ground off the old paint and faced it with a mix of thin stone. Notice the bigger pieces mixed in with the smaller to give the whole project a touch more character.
- 2 months ago
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We're usually protected from the big snows along the Connecticut shoreline, but this time we took the hit along with everyone else. 10+ inches up and down the coast. Unfortunately, that means all stonework comes to a screeching halt except for inside jobs like fireplaces. The other challenge is work in progress, like unset stone walls, runs the risk of settling prematurely with all the water from the melting snow.
Thin stone is a relatively new product that is great for covering old cement foundations or for an old brick fireplace. This wall was just completed in Branford, CT on a cement retaining wall to give it a fresh, clean and decorative look.
- 3 months ago
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