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Outdoor Kitchen Design Tips

With cooking, the majority of meals you would normally make inside can be cooked in an outdoor kitchen. There are times when the favorite foods can taste better when they are prepared using outdoor appliances. With tempting flavors and aromas, barbecues can add a new element to your normal meals.

Outdoor cooking is not limited to simple propane and charcoal grills that a lot of people are used to. Modern kitchens are designed for the patio featuring high-tech appliances and sophisticated components that creates a luxurious space that is easy to use. Even outdoor kitchen builders will tell you that this is one of the best features you will have.

Here are tips you can follow:

You can Extend the Living Space

Among the great benefits of an outdoor kitchen is it extends the living and entertaining space. Use up the additional space by planning the shade, warmth, and shelter.

During the summer months, a shaded kitchen would mean that entertaining and cooking are better. In order to provide shelter and shade, you can plant some trees nearby or incorporate a pergola or an awning when you have it built. For the seating area, go for a patio umbrella.

Functional Area

Like in an interior kitchen, a thoughtfully-designed outdoor kitchen makes sure that the layout is functional.

Do you have enough room between the barbecue and dining area in order to cook comfortably? Is there enough bench space to place food, utensils, and condiments while cooking? Do you plan to wash up outside? Do you require a beverage fridge? Can you install ventilation?

Choose Between Portable and Permanent Options

If you plan or rent to move in the next couple of years, you should equip the outdoor kitchen with appliances and features that you can easily move. For instance, you can pair a standalone grill with portable carts that you can use as DIY counters or barbecue islands.

In case you do not see yourself moving or you just love home improvement projects, then an outdoor kitchen might be the project for you. Determine a safe and convenient location, then you should start thinking about materials that coordinate with the exterior of your home that is available locally.

Equipment

Choosing the appliance is one step when it comes to designing an outdoor kitchen where people are excited about barbecue lovers. However, beyond choosing if you have built-in hot plates and grills, a wok burner or wood fire oven are a few things to consider.

You would want to make sure that the equipment is made using a material that is weatherproof and easy to clean. You would have to consider what services you can access like gas, electricity, and water.

It is also worth questioning how often you are going to utilize the equipment before splurging – a cocktail station can theoretically sound great, but is that how you normally entertain?

Consider Surroundings

An outdoor kitchen is an extension of the indoor living space. It also requires that you fit into the yard and the area that surrounds it. While you brainstorm the design, think about the home’s exterior. Choose textures and colors that complement or extend that style.

You Should Commit to Proper Maintenance

An outdoor kitchen is exposed to different elements. Even if you do not often use it, the surfaces and appliances would have to be maintained and covered to withstand the changing weather. In different regions, your appliances would have to be regularly cleaned to get rid of buildups of salt from the ocean air.

You can contact outdoor kitchen contractors Long Island anytime once you are ready.

 

 

Benefits of a Smart Pool

In recent years, automation has been included in so many things in people’s lives and revolutionized them. Smartphones, home appliances, smart lights, and automation takes convenience and comfort to a whole new level compared to before, and it is slowly and surely making their presence felt in the market of swimming pools.

Automated pools, or are also known as smart pools, feature different technological upgrades to a pool setup. With these upgrades, owners can rest when operating and maintaining their pools. In-ground pool builders are aware of the benefits of a smart pool, and how it will make your pool maintenance easier. Future pools are going to come with smart technology installed, and there is already a trend. Read more about their benefits now.

Pool Pump Automation

Conventional pool pumps can increase your energy consumption, mainly if they are kept running for long hours. However, cutting down on the usage of a pool pump is not the solution if the pool is used regularly.

Pool pumps circulate the water across the breadth, length, and depth of the swimming pool and play a key role in keeping water temperature consistent. It is also important to prevent algae and bacterial growth.

Upgrading to an automated pool pump will cut down your energy consumption because you can control the pool pump using your smartphone.

Salt Chlorinators

Testing the pool chlorine levels is a labor-intensive but necessary part of pool maintenance. The chlorine levels have to be in pool water all the time because this kills the bacteria and it keeps your pool safe for swimming. It is important to get the levels right so the water can maintain the correct pH balance. This is important because the wrong balance can cause skin and eye irritation in people who are swimming.

Smart salt chlorinators can take the pressure off you when the chlorine levels are managed. It will test the levels in the water and it ensures that there is the right amount of chlorine added. This is going to keep the water hygienic and maintain a safe pH balance.

Pool Cleaning is Easier

Manual pool maintenance is a huge responsibility because pool care is about balancing chemicals, cleaning the pool, and fishing the trash out. Even if these are enjoyable tasks, they are important to protect the investment you made. Automated self-cleaning pools of the smart pools can keep the pool sparkling clean anytime you want to use it.

Saves You Time

If you have a big swimming pool, then you have the work cut out for you already if you want to be sure of optimum maintenance. Instead of spending hours on pool maintenance during weekends, you can allow smart pool devices to take over maintenance duties. This is going to leave you free to spend precious time with your family in the pool.

Smart Heating and Lighting

You never have to worry about forgetting to shut off the pool heating or also the lights, with the smart systems of today. Aside from that, you can make the pool more welcoming and comfortable with just the touch of a button. This way, you can make sure that no matter where you go, the pool temperature is right whenever you want to use it. You can turn on pool lights as well from your phone, or you set them to change color at several intervals, which creates an excellent pool party atmosphere anytime. This will take out the stress of having to get the right temperature when you have surprise visitors.

You can contact the pool design contractor Long Island anytime you want to build a smart pool.

 

Why Add LED Pool Lighting

LED lights are increasing in popularity these days, and you can easily see why. As an owner of the swimming pool, you can guess that one of the main priorities is to come up with a design on your own. Luckily, with a lot of different options when it comes to safety features, water structures, tropical settings, pool toys, and a lot more. There are many possible combinations for new pool construction and remodeling projects.

After contacting pool masonry contractors for the added lighting, you will realize that standard incandescent lights are a great accessory. It will minimize eye strain, while LED lights emit lower lighting intensity. It will also enable you to swim at night so you do not have to worry about any bugs.

Eco-Friendly

Among the biggest advantages of LED pool lights is that they are environmentally friendly compared to incandescent bulbs. While incandescent lights are running from 300 to 500 watts, LED bulbs only use 42 watts. This decrease in wattage is an indication that LED lights consume a lot less energy compared to incandescent lights. The way bulbs work influences how much energy is consumed. The incandescent bulb should heat to the light filament, which wastes about 90% of its energy. However, LED lights work as electrons move through a semiconductor material, which creates almost no heat at all.

Improves Overall Appearance

The most seen benefit of adding swimming pool lights is they make the pool look better. When you position it properly, they can enhance the pool, deck, and other areas as well. There are a lot of colors you can choose from and those lights can be switched out in case you want to make a change. They are also useful when it comes to enhancing colors that are already existing, like nearby foliage or the water blueness.

Adds a Safety Feature to Your Pool

Pool lights are higher in frequency, that has electromagnetic frequencies ranging from under 400 terahertz to more than 600 terahertz. Therefore, the light is perceived by the human eye as bluer and brighter compared to incandescent light. In terms of practicality, this means that it takes only a couple of LED lights so your pool area can be properly illuminated.

You Will Save Money

LED pool lighting can be beneficial to the environment, but it will be better for your wallet at the same time. When you use less electricity, your energy bills are going to be lower. It only costs a few pennies each day to operate a LED pool light while it costs about $1 per day to power up an incandescent bulb. You might have to pay a little more upfront when you install LED lights, but you will gain back what you spent because of great energy savings.

Better Durability

LED lights are among the most durable and energy-efficient lighting options that are available today. Unlike traditional light bulbs, LED bulbs have a longer lifespan that lasts up to 15 years when you use them for 8 hours a day. They provide a clear, clean light and can last up to 10 times longer compared to incandescent lights.

Sets the Mood

You can use the lighting magic to create a backyard paradise, which extends beyond your pool. The lighting in and around the pool adds drama, beauty, and mystery to the pool environment.

You can enjoy all pool lighting options from white lights to beautiful automated and timed color effects that can lighten the mood.

You can contact pool builders Long Island anytime to install pool lighting for you.  

Advantages of Having a Concrete Swimming Pool

People agree that they love waking up to a beautiful swimming pool outside their windows. However, is it cost-effective? Even if a lot of houses today have nice swimming pools, some of them could be hard to maintain. You might end up spending a huge amount of money if you are unaware of the cost-effective pool building and maintenance methods.

If you want to ask the masonry contractor about having a pool, you will find a good answer. A pool will give your family a lot of fun, thrill, and excitement. In addition, it provides you with good exercise.

In case you want to know what the advantages are when you have a concrete pool, read on.

Maintenance is Easy

When you compare concrete pools to fiberglass or vinyl liner pools, you will know how hard they are to maintain. You would have to be careful with the products and accessories that you use to avoid damaging the surface.

However, you should know that concrete pools are very easy to maintain, and you can use almost any kind of salt and chemical. Since the pool walls are quite sturdy, they can be used regularly without having to worry about damage.

Flexible Design

Concrete pools are constructed on-site, and the concrete pools will be able to achieve any shape, size, or depth. Using shotcrete maximizes customization and it allows tight radiuses, different depths, and built-in steps and seats. The lighting can also be installed in the pool shell for enhanced ambiance and safety. These concrete pools are compatible with tile and various pool deck materials.

Durable for Any Weather

Even under harsh weather, concrete pools are reliable and durable. The concrete can withstand extreme cold and scorching sun without any issues. That means there is no need to spend time or energy attempting to protect your pool from the weather.

There are No Size Restrictions

Among the most important issues that people face while you build a swimming pool is the size. There are certain size restrictions that should be considered in the case of other materials, and you can only choose standard sizes.

None of this is a factor with pools made of concrete, and you will be able to make the pool in the size and shape you want. The good thing about concrete pool installation is that you can measure the area in your backyard, and builders are going to start pool construction right away.

Aside from that, you want a swimming pool or dive pool so people can enjoy it. These pools should have enough depth so that people will not hit their heads.

Adds to the Value of Your Home

Concrete pools are excellent investments. When you have a concrete pool in your home, the long-term value of a home increases. That is because concrete pools can last long, and their value does not depreciate. Instead, they are going to increase the value of your home. This is very beneficial when you want to sell your home. A concrete pool also attracts more potential buyers to check out your home who are looking for a pool.

You Can Go Deep

A concrete pool can be built to any shape and depth you want. An odd-shaped pool can be made to fit your area. That is not an issue because a concrete pool can be designed to fit any available space. You are going to have more freedom to design the pool you want.

You can contact stone patio contractor Long Island once you are ready to have a pool built and you will not be disappointed.

Types of Pool Coping

Many pool operators overlook the pool coping element. However, it is an important part of building a pool. There are different types of pool coping you should know about, the materials you can use, and the features they have. It is essential for building a stylish and durable pool.

The pool contractors are going to tell you what pool coping is, but it is good that you know it yourself. If you are renovating an old pool because the original luster is no longer there, you should know about pool technologies. The new kinds of pool coping today are a lot different from the past ones.

You can find out more about pool coping when you read this article until the end.

What is Pool Coping?

“Pool coping” is applicable to the material and area that can be used for edging or capping around your swimming pool basin. It is an important component of the aesthetics and finishes of a pool facility and can be confused as an important part of it as well.

Coping can separate the swimming pool shell from its surrounding surface area and helps in protecting the pool structure. It is meant to stop water from going behind the pool shell.

Brick Coping

Brick coping is a good choice in case your pool deck is made of tile or concrete, and you want a pool coping with a contrasting style. This kind of brick pool coping is durable and inexpensive.

The majority of brick coping is going to have a bull nose or rounded edges that make it comfortable for you to get in and out of the pool.

Concrete Coping

Concrete pool coping is normally known as cantilevered concrete since it cantilevers to the edge of the pool, and it can be poured or precast. Both types of concrete are less expensive compared to natural stone, pavers, and brick. These are the top choices for homeowners who are budgeted.

Poured concrete provides a seamless finish that can easily be matched with any pool deck or landscape. This is a part of the coping concrete deck that goes to the pool’s edge. There is no break in the design. It is ideal for smaller pools since it can make the whole area bigger because it is a cohesive concrete slab.

Porcelain or Ceramic

Porcelain or ceramic stoneware can enhance the pool design and embellishes the finish. It is an important self-protection solution for competition and sports club pools because of its hygienic properties and because it is essential in removing bacteria. It has anti-slip features, making it a perfect option for outdoors and indoors. It is a top-quality material that minimizes smells, but it is customized a lot less than the available options. This material can also be used for the changing rooms and the entire pool deck.

Travertine

This is one of the most luxurious and expensive kinds of pool coping. Travertine coping perfectly blends in with a travertine pool deck and it is a nice way to add value to any home.

Travertine comes in different colors and textures. It is a natural stone, so you know that your swimming pool area is 100% unique.

Paver Coping

Even if inground pool pavers are more expensive than concrete, they offer great durability and are easier to replace.

Paver pool coping has different styles, from square to rounded edges. The most common is a bull-nose coping, which has a rounded edge. Paver coping can easily be matched so it can beautifully tie with the style of any home.

You can contact in ground pool builders Long Island anytime.

Benefits of Hardscaping Your Home

Hardscaping will inanimate hard surfaces or wood, concrete, or stone. Natural elements and living plants are what people think about when they hear about “landscaping.” However, landscaping includes soft and natural living elements, and landscaping as well. The majority of yards consist of hardscaping and traditional landscaping.

You should also tell the masonry contractor about your hardscaping plan because they can work around it or help you achieve what you want.

Regardless if it is big or small, landscaping will change your outdoor living additions positively, and the benefits that you get from hardscaping are more than just aesthetics. The project will boost the feel, look, and value of your property. They are decorative, diverse, classic, and customizable. Read on to know more.

It Will Improve Curb Appeal

The most evident reason why people hardscape is to improve curb appeal. Hardscaping will provide homeowners with a lot of options when it comes to creating a landscape that can truly reflect their style and personality. This also allows creativity, like using pavers in weird patterns and shapes to create excellent designs throughout your yard. Landscapers can also add lighting, that draws attention at night in order to highlight the features even more. This improves your home’s aesthetic value during the night and day.

Adds Dimension

You can now bid farewell to the flat, and wide-open backyard you had yesterday. When you do even just a little hardscaping, you can easily add multiple dimensions to your yard. It can have different levels, weaving walkways, and defined edges so your space becomes visually appealing. Aside from that, pergolas, courtyard walls, stone boundary lines, and fences all add privacy from neighbors nearby.

No Soil Erosion to Protect Your Property

Since weather conditions can become harsh over time, you will need a wall-installed hardscape that could last long. If there is erosion, hardscape areas like stone or paver surfaces can keep the soil and ground intact. Experts will suggest that a proper hardscape around your house can play crucial when it comes to water logging prevention. There is a very minimal chance of soil erosion.

Hardscaping features a retaining wall, which prevents erosion and gives a lot more advantages.

Low Maintenance

As someone who owns a home, you are probably aware of the continuous care that will go into making sure that your landscaping will always look as good as new. Between lawn mowing, and making sure that your newly installed trees are cared for properly, and trimmed from time to time. You can also care for your new garden. Summertime provides you with a lot of different tasks that you must juggle. Hardscaping projects do not require you to put in that amount of time, and you can do other things. When you decide to take out that area of grass and then replace it with a brand-new stone paver, it will provide you with a nice-looking, low-maintenance space that your family can enjoy during summer.

Increases the Resale Value of Your Property

If you lay down concrete/stone structures on your house’s exterior, you can create an outdoor extension. Therefore, more buyers can look at it as an opportunity to have a more relaxing and entertaining space. While buying a property, most people want to check your house’s exteriors together with the interiors. The exterior space contributes to determining the resale value of your property. Investing in hardscaping is a double purpose for you because aside from improving aesthetics, you can sell your home for a higher price as well.

You can contact stone patio contractor Long Island if you want to improve your landscape.

 

What to Consider When Choosing a Pool for Kids

Since your kids will frequently use the pool, your main concern is to design one that is safe for them. It needs to be a priority when you design one to make sure it meets all the safety requirements you want. It is the water playground that will give children a lot of fun, and adults should not have to worry about it.

The pool has to meet certain requirements. Otherwise, it can cause a problem in the future. Look for the most reputable company to provide the best pool builders that will get the job done and give the best advice if you have kids. If you want to know the considerations to make if you want a kid-friendly pool, you should read on now:

Choose the Paving Materials Wisely

Kids quickly become excited whenever they see that there is a swimming pool, and start running around the pool deck.

Their excitement can cause them to slip and fall which can cause injury.

This can be avoided when you choose a paving material for the pool deck and poolside that does not become slippery when it is wet. Natural stones, like bluestone and coral stone, are excellent options for a slip-free surface.

It would be best to choose a material that is not slippery to prevent any falls and slips inside the pool that can cause serious injury to children.

Make it Single Depth

Even if this is a water feature, this will certainly matter to your kids. When you have a single-depth pool, you can create a pool environment that is play-friendly. Deep ends will take up plenty of space, and it can make water games harder. When you want good recreational activities inside the pool, you should be able to keep your feet on the pool floor. Therefore, even if the best designs have slopes, it might be better to choose a single depth for the purpose of recreation and family fun, which should be one of your priorities.

Avoid Sharp Edges

A lot of swimming pool designs can come with sharp edges and corners. Even if these sleek lines are looking great, they are not safe or kid-friendly.

You can incorporate rounded edges and softer corners that are in your swimming pool because they are safer in an environment where there are children who are not too careful about playing in and around the pool.

Make sure that the coping is slip-resistant. You can try choosing the one that will not absorb heat from the sun right away.

Place Mats and a Fence Around the Pool

You should place mats outside the deep end so you can help prevent children from getting themselves cut on injury-causing objects inside the pool.

Make sure to install a fence around the deep end of the rectangular pool so that children will not fall into it. Also, make sure that you will not leave them unattended.

Your Budget

Long-term financial planning is normally an important part when you consider the pool project size. Pools will cost money to install, maintain, and operate, so there is really no exact number when determining the cost of pool maintenance in the long run. You should gauge your expenses, maintenance, and location, so you can schedule it with the pool builder. Other expenses to consider are cover, general pool maintenance, chemicals, fencing, cleaning, and many more. Your pool size impacts every aspect of the pool requirements. This is the reason why you must understand what design or pool size will be the most convenient for your budget.

You can contact pool masonry contractors Long Island if you want to build a kid-friendly pool.

How to Prepare Your Patio for Summer

 

In the winter, it can be easy to lose track of the outdoor space and neglect its maintenance. However, when you move towards the warmer months, it would likely mean that those areas normally get used more consistently.

That means you might have to look at the backyard, outdoor area, front porch, and other areas you might want to use for entertaining guests.

People look forward to how they can prepare their patio for summer. During summer, people love to be outdoors to enjoy the sun’s warmth. Summer is a great time to contact a stone patio contractor to improve the outdoor area. Here are tips you can follow to achieve a nice outdoor living space:

Check Your Patio’s Condition

Gold weather wreaks havoc on your outdoor surfaces. You should check your patio or deck for wearing or damage it sustained in the winter months. On the wood decks, you should look for anything that is twisting, splitting, or rotting. Sand splintered areas using a hammer and pole sander in any popped-ups.

You should search concrete, stone, tile, and brick patios for signs of cracks or crumbling areas. With concrete, you should use a trowel or putty knife to apply vinyl patching compound to cracks with multiple layers directed by manufacturers. Make sure to press it firmly so you can force the first layer into nooks and crannies, allowing drying time between layers. If you have a tile or brick patio, you should replace cracked or damaged tiles or bricks mixed with new ones.

Clean the Patios and Decking

Among the things you can do is create an area where people can entertain and enjoy the peaceful outdoors.

You have to use a good quality broom that is mainly for the outdoors, so you can clear fallen leaves and other debris into one part of the patio or decking.

You can use a pressure washer to get rid of dry and large dirt, making it easier to clean.

Now is the time to use a pressure washer if you have it. You need to give your patio and decking areas a good clean while using high-pressure water daily.

Add a Patio Awning

If your patio is at the side of the house, patio awnings are something worth checking out. An awning is the attached shade structure outdoors and it extends to the patio.

Patio awnings can be fixed or retractable, which depends on what you like. A retractable awning can be more expensive, but it provides versatility as well.

These shade options are great, which makes it hard to choose what can be installed on your patio so you can prepare for the summer. You can stick to the theme or listen to your instincts. You need to consider the style and location of your home when you choose a shade structure.

Maintain Your Deck

When you clean your patio and decking, you should look at the decking.

Cracked wood, chipped paint, and other weather damage signs should be repaired right away.

You must also look for any signs of pests and infestations.

Remember to carry out decking repairs before summer starts so you can stain and seal them all in time.

Make it Themed

Regardless if you have thought of a theme or not, you might want to think of a theme that you want to follow if you want to design your patio in the summer. You can improve the design by recreating it based on your chosen theme.

You can contact masonry contractor Long Island if you need to have your patio designed for summer.

 

 

 

Benefits of Cavity Walls

Cavity walls are made with two different walls for one purpose and with some space or cavity in between. The two separate walls are known as leaves of cavity walls. The inner wall is an internal leaf and the outer wall is an external leaf. A hollow wall is another name for a cavity wall.

The thickness of a cavity wall of the inner and outer wall might be the same or the inner wall can be thicker than the outer wall. The cavity wall hollow will never exceed 100mm and it has a uniform height.

The purpose of a cavity wall is to prevent rain penetration to the wall’s internal surface. It is important that the cavity walls are not bridged. Your masonry contractor can help you with this.

Prevents Moisture

The top advantage of a cavity wall is the prevention of moisture. If there is no solid wall to wick up the moisture from external walls and draw it in, the interior leaf will stay dry. With a damp-proof course, cavity walls offer all the moisture protection you need.

Prevents Dampness

A cavity wall will check the prevention of dampness from the outside to the inside of your building in the best way compared to a solid brick wall with the same thickness.

Sound Insulation

Lacking interior structure between the leaves will prevent sound transfer. This is very helpful when it comes to creating soundproof rooms or preventing noises from the neighborhood that making their way into your home or office.

Reduces Carbon Footprint

If most of your home is heated by electricity or gas, generating energy will involve burning fossil fuels, which is bad for the environment. If the heat leaks through the walls, then that energy is wasted. Therefore, you would have to use more to maintain the temperature. That means higher demand for energy, and more generation is required. If all homes were more efficient, the carbon footprint would drop.

Insulates Heat

The cavity wall’s ability to insulate better compared to a solid wall with the same overall thickness is a huge advantage. The trapped air and decreased thermal bridging reduce heat loss during winter and it helps prevent conditioned air from leaving the space during hotter months.

Saves Energy

It can be very effective and brings great energy savings, so it has a higher payback compared to other measures. Unlike other kinds of insulation, cavity wall insulation cannot be installed without a professional, but it is not expensive to do so as well. Insulation costs are going to vary based on which country you are in.

Saves You Money

When heat/loss is reduced through the walls of the house, cooling bills are going to fall. You can save about 35% when cavity wall insulation is added to your home with ceiling insulation. You can have bigger savings if you choose to lower the thermostat.

 

Where to Install a Cavity Wall

If your home has a veneer or double brick walls, there is a cavity between the internal and external brickwork/timber frame which you can use to install insulation. However, wood cavity walls, concrete walls, weatherboard and most forms of walling have negligible cavities or cavities that are dangerous to access. Therefore, it is not good to retrofit the insulation of a cavity wall, but insulative cladding can be added to the wall exteriors. A weatherboard wall can be insulated by pricing off boards for more access to the gaps between replacing them and studs or drilling holes through the internal walls.

You can talk to pool masonry contractors Long Island if you want to have a cavity wall built because of all the advantages it can provide.

 

What to Consider When Choosing an Outdoor Fireplace Stone

If you are choosing the selection of the right finish or fire pit color, there are a lot of versatile choices that will convert a fire pit into a rustic centerpiece. In case you want to add flair to your fire pit projects, you can choose the right finishes.

When you remodel or build your home, among the more daunting pieces of your project is the fireplace. There is rustic, ultra-modern, and a never-ending list when you pick out the finish material but among the common material that lasted since the first fireplaces were built is choosing the right stone style. You can contact the outdoor fireplace builders anytime after you have chosen the right tiles.

Choose Fire-Safe Materials

Safety should be a first. You need to choose a stone that is able to withstand the fireplace heat. This is not a huge concern if you want to install natural gas or propane-fueled fireplace, but it is extremely important with wood-burning fireplaces. The firebox and flue should be made of fireproof cast brick, concrete blocks, or natural stone. After the firebox is set in place, stone cladding can become more decorative.

Natural or Manufactured

Stone went through a lot of change because of the stone age where you were able to pull the heaviest and biggest rock you can find to cook. Since fire pit is no longer used for cooking, people now enjoy the warmth and comfort given by fireplaces. All this happens while guests admire the new look of a freshly adorned fireplace. The initial step when it comes to choosing a new stone is between Natural and Manufactured. The manufactured stone advantages are both in purchasing and weight manufactured stone installation. Another positive thing about this is variety and a typically manufactured stone that can come in different designs and colors. The good thing about Natural stone is its beauty because there is no match to colors and variations that comes from a stone quarry. Natural stone installation is pricier, but it makes all the difference when you show off your new classic look.

Consider Your Surroundings

The color and finish of the fire put should match, complement, or contrast the existing landscape elements. You need to consider how differently an earthy color, warm, dark shade, or a deep, or cool, subtly tone affects the appearance of an outdoor area. You do not want to go overboard, but you do not want to create a dull or boring area in the fire pit. The fire pit texture and color can make it pop, which allows it to rightfully become the main feature of the hardscape. You can finish off a fire pit even further using accents and bandings of different colors that tie it in with the other spaces.

Color and Cut

You should pick the “cut” of stone where you hear fancy words such as Castle-rock, ledge cut, random height, Ashar/dimensional, or multiple blends. Each cut is very different from the huge bed stones of Castle-rock to the thin stacked modern look. The style normally comes with preference while fieldstones, random heights, and Castle-rocks are normally more rustic. The biggest tip when choosing the actual color and cut of the stone is to bring carpet and paint choice samples so that it matches the stones because this is a lot easier than checking out a stone sample. If you cannot decide while being in the design gallery, you can always ask for samples that you can take home.

You can masonry contractor Long Island if you want to have the best outdoor fireplace.