In market two types of great stones are available i.e. Marble and Granite. Both are beautiful and spread elegance and beauty to any home. Many people want to know if marble or granite stone is more suitable for their kitchen counter tops and bathroom vanity tops. Plenty of choices are available in market to suit your preference.

There is also some difference between these two stones which you can select for your home. You should know all the points before selecting the stones between them. So keep in mind all the facts and points and than take right decision for your home.

Marble Pros and Cons

Marble is a metamorphic rock. It can be found at anywhere from baking soda to limestone and form lime to calcium carbonate to lime. Limestone is naturally found in the earth and with heat and pressure material is formed within the earth which we known as Marble.

To make this stone for medications, writing papers, plaster of Paris, and cement hardener. Marble is very durable and it is very porous material. Marble can be easily destroyed by any type of acid, heat or water. Even with a seal coating marble can easily be damaged by lemon juice or high heats from pans. You cannot use any type of chemicals to clean your countertops and vanity top.

Granites Pros and Cons

Granite is also known as a metamorphic rock. It is a composite of quartz, silicon, feldspar and mica. It is also formed under high heat and pressure. It I s not a porous material as marble and does not resists stains, acids and chemicals. Quartz makes the granite durable and long lasting unlike that of soft marble.

Due to its durability and hardness granite is stain resistant than marble. Granite is suitable only for your kitchen countertop, bathroom vanity top and flooring. Granite is long lasting material with a proper seal it can go for many years without scratching, staining, chipping or wearing away. Granite is not sealed every year if granite is properly cared.

At Last, your choice

Now last choice is yours – you can choose granite or marble. If you ask which one is better than it goes to granite which is suitable for kitchen countertop, bathroom vanity top and flooring. Under normal conditions when granite is properly cared, granite is easier to care and is resistant to staining, chemicals, heat, and fracturing. Granite is available in plenty of colors and designs and can be custom ordered for less than marble.

Faseeh Uddin
http://www.buystonesonline.com
http://www.celestialindia.net

One of the most classical ways of building home interiors is using marble products. Marble interiors are among the best and most magnificent. Endless versatility in terms of look and feel as well as presence of wide variety of products provides multiple opportunity of creating the most attractive home interiors. More and more homes are now being built using excellent marble and granite products.

Nowadays, interior designers are widely using different types of marble products to enhance the look of homes. Marble flooring is almost an essential for every modern home. Apart from that there are a variety of products which are awesome to use during home construction.

Interior Design Tips for Living Room
It is a mammoth task to provide elegant look to living rooms. There are so many options that can be applied during interior design of living rooms. To use the best marble interiors options effectively is tough. However, there are few things which can enhance the beauty of living room. Installing marble fireplaces with complementing fireplace mantles will be of dual benefit. Along with usability it will give magical touch living rooms. Marble tiles can also be used on fireplaces. It is a popular technique of adding formality to living rooms.

Kitchen and Bathroom Interiors
Kitchen and bathroom interiors are incomplete without granite and marble. One of the most important uses of granite is as countertops which are installed in kitchen and bathroom. It provides beauty as well as durability along with a magical beauty. Marble sinks, marble bathtubs and flooring are additional components adding beauty to bathroom interiors.

Additional Usage of Marble
Marble and granite usage are not restricted to flooring, tiling or as countertops in kitchen and bathroom. Nowadays, interior decorators are creating fusion effects by using marble beyond the set traditions. Marble furniture is among one of them. Nowadays, people can easily see the excellent usage of marble in center tables, corner tables and lamps.

Marble Interiors are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners. To serve the immense need of extraordinary interior designs, more and more interior experts are now including magnificent marble and granite products in their design strategies.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, bid on your projects, or schedule an appointment to learn more about us. Visit us at: http://www.pacificbedrock.com

Brick pointing is the process of repairing the mortar between the bricks. Bricks are used for many different construction applications. They are used to build homes, sidewalks, retaining walls, decorative walls and commercial buildings to name a few things.

They are held together using mortar, which is placed between them so that the bricks will hold together. Mortar hardens after it dries. In some cases when it is exposed to the elements over time mortar actually becomes brittle and starts to crumble, leaving large spaces between the bricks. This of course leaves them some what less than stable.

When the mortar starts to give out, brick pointing is the only solution, because it only gets worse with time, so if you do not attend to it and repair it the bricks themselves will start to fall apart.

Tools

Brick pointing requires several tools to be used to be carried out effectively. There are several tools of the trade that are used. Trowels, picks, pointers all are hand tools that are used in the process.

Steps

The first step is to scrape away any loose mortar that has began to crumble, as you scrape you will get to a point where you can not scrape away any more mortar. Once you have reached that point, move on to the next area that needs pointing. Continue the process until all the areas have had the loose mortar removed.

You may have to use a hammer and chisel. Tap the chisel gently to loosen the old mortar. A small paint brush will come in handy for brushing it away as well.

After clearing away the old bits, it is time to mix up the new mortar. The consistency should be kind of grainy. Using your pointing tool, fill in the joints where the old mortar was, take care that there is no moisture trapped between the bricks. You can use a hair dryer, to blow air in between them to be certain that the area is dry.

Clean up your tools and you are done.

Brick pointing can easily save a structure from ruin. The process is a quick simple fix that requires a little patience and some elbow grease. Virtually anyone with the right tools can learn this task. The tools are relatively inexpensive as is the mortar mix.

The process of brick pointing is easy enough for you to take into your own hands if you are taking on a small task. If you are trying to repair whole areas of a brick house, you may want to hire a professional.

Have you ever wanted to build a brick wall on your home or or your yard and don’t know where to begin? In today’s discussion I am going to go over all the supplies you need and how to build a brick wall and complete your project.

Once you have picked out your project you need to figure out how many brick your are going to need. There are two different standard brick types which are used for most jobs, there are many more but the most common are modular brick and over sized or jumbo brick. To figure how many you need measure your wall length and height. After you have determined your dimensions if you are using modular take your square foot times seven and this will give you how many brick you need. If you are using jumbo’s then take your square foot times five and one half. So if your wall is 100 sq ft you would need 700 modular brick and if using Jumbo’s you would need 550 brick. Also figure about a 5% scrap rate also on top of your count for cut bricks that you will need.

After you have your brick figured out you need to get all your tools gathered. You are going to need a masons trowel, tuck pointer, striking iron, masons brush, mason’s hammer, brick chisel, masons line, line blocks, line trigs, line bars, wheel barrow, mortar boards and cement mixer and possible a masons saw if you have a lot of cuts to make.

Next get your job area set up with your brick and mortar boards. Place the brick about three feet back from your wall and a mortar board about every four foot apart with the brick in between them. Next check your bond of your brick, this is a very important step in the brick wall set up. Place one row of brick down on your footer or brick ledge that are evenly spaced with a 3/8 or 1/2 of an inch gap between each brick unit. Try to adjust them so they are all equal and that you end up with a half or a whole brick at each end, this is not always possible but most generally you can adjust your gaping to make the work. Now that you have you bond figure out you need to mark where you bond points are with a pencil. You can either mark the wall you are covering or the footer, just put them somewhere where you can see them.

The next step in the process is to get your mortar mixed and start laying brick. You need to first build your leads, you do this by laying 5 brick out in a row and be sure that they are on bond, level and straight and with about 5/8 of an inch gap between the wall and the brick. Then proceed to the next course, this time start with a half brick at the beginning and lay he brick out till you are left with a half of a brick stepped out on the course below, continue this process till you can’t step up any more and then repeat the process at the opposite end of the wall over again.

Once your leads are up it is time to fill the brick in that go in between the leads. Put the line up from lead to lead on the same course, you can use the line blocks with the trigs or use brick line bars to accomplish this step. After the line is in place spread your mortar down the wall and start laying in your brick, be sure to stay on your bond marks or the brick will not fit right. Stay about an 1/8 of an inch off the line when laying in brick and be sure no brick are touching it. Your brick must also be level with the top of the line as well so there are a few things going on that you have to keep an eye on to ensure a good brick installation.

When you have a few courses in you need to strike or rake the wall, it all really depends on how fast your mortar is setting up. If you are striking you will need to keep a close eye on previously layed courses and strike frequently. If you are raking your joints you need to wait until the joints are a bit more set before finishing the joints. Be sure to brush down wall after you finish joints it will make a huge improvement on the cosmetics of it. And if you are striking be sure to strike it one more time after brushing the brick wall down.

Just follow these steps and you will have your wall in place in no time. If you are unsure on how to accomplish any of the above steps you should hire a qualified mason contractor to handle the project for you.

Professional Mason Contractor
Matt Marksbury
Brick Wall Installation
How To Install a Brick Wall

Installing a flagstone patio is one of the most fulfilling do-it-yourself projects you can undertake. Not only will you be able to proudly declare that you toiled with your own hands to beautify your home, you can also regale your friends with tales of the money you saved by not hiring a professional (representative costs are in the range of $20 per square foot, resulting in a considerable outlay of $2000 for a small 10′ X 10′ plot). However, just knowing how to install flagstone is not enough to do a good job – you must learn to avoid some common mistakes. The following guidelines can be a good starting point:

1. Do not order flagstones over the phone or Internet. Visit the dealer in person to make the purchase. And before going, be sure to finalize the color, shape and texture you want. Ensure that you buy the right quantity; if required, make multiple trips.

2. Use proper tools. Do not depend on makeshift implements to do the work.

3. Ensure you have a solid base. If you do not, the stones may shift resulting in a crooked patio.

4. Ensure that any cracks and gaps between stones are properly filled to prevent tripping.

5. Ensure that the level of the stones is slightly higher than the surroundings to prevent accumulation of water.

The best resource to teach you how to install flagstone, and to avoid the aforementioned mistakes, is someone who has made this a lifelong vocation. Although it does not require the brains of a rocket scientist to learn how to install flagstone, it does take knowledge, skill and some hours of backbreaking effort. Amidst the numerous DIY guides available today, choose the one that promises to be thorough without promising miracles.

Most people have a basic idea of what this project is all about, but a step-by-step guide with detailed instruction and graphics is invaluable to the success of your project. Get more tips and techniques to help you with your project and review one of the best how to install flagstone guides I have found at FlagstonePatioInstallation.com.

Do yourself a favor and purchase this inexpensive, comprehensive guide before you begin your upcoming Flagstone Patio Installation project.

A brick wall is a awful accent to your garden or can be a simple means to create privacy in a yard. While being appealing they are also very simple to sustain when finished as they won’t acquire the cracks and cracks that cement block walls might. Bricks are supposed to be arranged against an already existing wall, so if you plan to build a brick wall it should not be too big. People often hire pricey contractors to construct even the lowest brick walks for their homes, but utilising the flowing guide will eradicate the need for doing that and provide a fun home design for do-it-yourselfers.

There are many various styles that a brick wall can be built in. The most common of which is the running bond or the way where each new row of bricks begins in the center of the row before. There are also the herring bone, diagonal herringbone, basket weave, and half basket weave. For the aims of this guide, the style being explained will be the Jack on Jack, where the blocks are placed directly on top of each other.

Required tools and Materials

The materials needed for building a brick wall include the following:

Cement
Bricks (the number of bricks required depends upon the length and the width of the wall)
Measuring tape
Shovel
Trowel
Leveling tool
Chalk

Instructions

Step one:
Measure out the proportions of the wall you want to build, length and height.

Step two:
Make the concrete base for the wall. This will ensure that the wall is flat once it is made. Mix the concrete as per the instructions on the bag and lay it out along the area that will be used as the base of the wall. It is okay if the width of the base is uneven as you will be able to cover it with earth once the wall is complete. Let the concrete to dry completely which will take at least one day.

Step three:
Once the concrete is dry, mark the length of the wall with chalk and a straight edge such as a piece of wood. This will be used as the guide to lay the first layer of bricks.

Step four:
Start building the wall from the left most side. Apply a liberal new layer of wet cement on top of the now dry wall base with the trowel. Spread the cement with an even back and forth motion.

Place down the first layer of bricks, moving from left to right without allowing any space between them. Subsequent layers will have a joint or space between each brick that is filled with cement.

Step five:
With the leveling tool see that the first layer is as level as possible. The cement will provide some amount of movement for misplaced bricks. Uneven bricks can be shifted to give evenness across the length of the wall. Remove the extra cement that is pressed through the sides using the trowel and use it for the next brick to be placed.

Step six:
Repeat steps four and five until the height of the wall you are making is achieved.

Tips and Warnings
Check with your local constructing agency before making a brick wall. Many laws will allow small ones (under 3 feet high) without it being necessary to file for permits.

Keep the bricks you will be working with in a wheel barrow to your right. This way they are within arms reach and can be easily moved as you move down the length of the wall.

Please visit these links for more information on: How to Build a Brick Wall and Build a Brick Wall.

Building stones are obtained from rocks occurring in nature. It is estimated that the three-fourth of the land area of the globe is underlain by sedimentary rocks and the remaining one-fourth by igneous and metamorphic rocks.

The various types of rocks derived from these types of rocks are as follows,

1. Principal stones from igneous rocks. i.e., Granite, Basalt, Trap.

2. Principal stones from sedimentary rocks. i.e., Sand stone, Shale, Lime stone and Laterite.

3. Principal stones from metamorphic rocks. i.e., Quartzite, Schist, Slate, Marble and Gneiss.

Requirements of a good building stone:

A good building stone should possess several characteristics such as high strength (i.e., crushing strength > 1000 kg/cm2), high durability, sufficient hardness (i.e., coefficient of hardness > 14), high resistance to wear, good fire resistance, specific gravity more than 2.7, crystalline structure, high impact value (i.e., toughness index > 13), low water absorption (i.e., Percentage absorption after 24 hours less than 0.6), facility for carving and dressing, weather resistance and better appearance. Generally stones from igneous and metamorphic rocks are heavier and more durable than stones from sedimentary rocks.

Uses of Building Stones

1. It is very hard and durable suitable for works of importance such as bridge abutments, piers, etc.,
2. It is also used in foundation structures also,
3. It is used in random rubble masonry,
4. It is suitable for ornamental and superior type of building work.
5. It is also suitable for flooring and veneer work.

For more info about Construction news, Visit our Civil Construction portal.

2.1 Setting Grades

Before you start your base installation you need to confirm the elevations/grades on your project. As noted in section 1, it is best to have the elevations marked on the grade stakes that are already established. Most contractors in the industry will use a transit or a laser level to establish their elevations/grades. However, some contractors may rely on a string line and a line level for setting their elevations/grades. The elevations that you mark should indicate your finished gravel base elevation as well as your bedding sand elevation, and finished paver elevation. Remember to incorporate the slope/positive pitch for drainage as well. Most slopes/positive pitch should fall in the minimum range of 1% – 1.5%. ( Example: your vertical drop in a 10 foot run would be between 1″ – 1.5″ ). In addition, make sure that your slope/pitch is flowing away from any structures. It can be to your benefit to attach a string line from one grade stake to another to help maintain your elevations.

2.2 Base Materials And Modified Base Materials

Aggregate base materials typically used by municipalities, cities, states or provinces for flexible asphalt pavements are acceptable for interlocking concrete pavers. Base aggregates should contain various particle sizes to allow for proper drainage and compaction. Most aggregate suppliers should be able to provide you with the proper sieve sizes on the granular base materials being used on your project.

Modified base materials should be anticipated when environmental conditions, traffic loads and severe sub grade conditions exist. Your granular base materials can be fortified with other materials such as cement or asphalt to ensure an overall stronger pavement base. Cement or asphalt mixed in small quantities with your granular base will stiffen after installation. In general, modified base materials are used for commercial and industrial applications.

Section 2: Base Design And Installation Factors

2.3 Factors For Base Thickness

Proper installation of the granular base is generally the most neglected step in the pavement installation. The granular base is the foundation for the whole paving installation. Without a properly installed and compacted gravel base the project will most likely fail over time.

In general, the base thickness is determined by traffic loads, drainage, moisture, soil type, sub grade soil strength and climate.

Pavement usage is typically grouped into 4 categories.

1.) Pedestrian (sidewalks and patios)

2.) Residential (driveways)

3.) Commercial (municipal parking lots and streets)

4.) Industrial (loading docks, ports, container terminals, bus terminals, airport stand applications)

The base aggregate requirements for each of the above pavement applications are listed below. It is important to note that you should never install frozen base material, nor should base material be installed over a frozen soil sub grade. If you do, it can result in pavement failure in the future.

Pedestrian – sidewalks, patios and pedestrian areas should have a minimum base thickness of 4 in over well drained soils. In northern climates with numerous freeze/thaw cycles the minimum base thickness for pedestrian applications should be 6 in.

Residential – driveways should have a minimum base thickness of 6 in over well drained soils. In northern climates with numerous freeze/thaw cycles the minimum base thickness for residential driveways should be 9 in.

Commercial- municipal parking lots and streets should have a minimum base thickness of 6 in over well drained soils. In northern climates with numerous freeze/thaw cycles the minimum base thickness can range from 9 in – 12 in. A civil engineer can determine the appropriate base thickness needed on your project as well.

Industrial – in industrial and heavy duty applications it is best to consult or hire a qualified civil engineer that is familiar with the local soils and traffic conditions so they can determine the appropriate base thickness.

Section 2: Base Design And Installation Factors

2.4 Drainage And Frost Action

It is very important to drain all moisture away from the granular base course. It is best to install any channel drains, catch basins or any type of drainage appurtenances prior to installing your granular base. Always make sure that you have properly graded the site before installing the granular base.

In most areas in north America, you will encounter frost penetration into the pavement application. The frost action must be taken into consideration when designing your paver project.

Frost action is generally characterized by the following:

Pavers are heaving due to the expansion of water in the granular base material during freezing.

Material strength is reduced due to the thawing of the frozen granular base material.

It is also best to have a basic understanding of frost susceptible soils. Soils that have slight frost severity are generally soils that contain gravel, sands and clays. Soils that have a greater frost severity are soils that contain a fair amount of silt, sandy silts, fine silts and also lean clays. So depending on your region, you need to take into consideration the soils with which you will be working and the frost action that may occur with your soils.

If the depth of frost penetration does not go below the anticipated granular base thickness then there is no need to alter the base design. But when the frost penetration does go below the anticipated granular base thickness, the base design should be altered.

Section 2: Base Design And Installation Factors

2.5 Base Installation And Compaction

When installing your aggregate base material, the material should always be spread and compacted in 3 in lifts. Example: if your project requires 6 in of compacted granular base, then you would have two equal lifts at 3 in. If you project requires 9 in of compacted granular base, then you would have 3 equal lifts at 3 in. Each lift of aggregate should be compacted completely. The overall compaction of the aggregate base should be compacted to a minimum of 95% proctor density as determined by astm 1557, while the highest of compaction (100%) is preferred.

As noted in section 2.3, frozen aggregate or completely saturated material should never be installed. If the aggregate material is completely dry, then adding a sprinkle of water will promote effective compaction.

Just like compaction on the soil sub grade, adequate compaction of the aggregate base material is critical to minimizing any settling to the brick paver application. Aggregate base compaction should always be done with either a vibratory roller or a large plate compactor. Small plate compactors are not recommended because they will not achieve true base material densities. The base course should be compacted with a compactor that can deliver a minimum of 5000 lbs. Density measurements of the compacted base can be made with a nuclear density gauge or other methods that are approved by local and state transportation departments. Nuclear density tests are usually done on commercial and industrial projects. The final compacted base course thickness should be uniform and not vary more than +3/4 in ( 19 mm ) or – ½ in ( 13 mm ). Variations in elevations should not exceed 3/8 in ( 10 mm ) over a 10 ft run. The finished surface of the compacted aggregate base course should be uniform and smooth. Any variations that you have in the elevations can be adjusted with a choke course. A choke course is a fine material (such as screens ) that can be spread out and compacted into the surface of the base course which will help adjust your final base elevations. The compacted base course should not allow bedding sand to migrate into it. If you anticipate this happening in certain areas, a choke course can be applied and compacted. Note: bedding sand should never be used to fill in any larger variations in the base course.

Section 2: Base Design And Installation Factors

2.6 Final Base Inspection

With your aggregate base course installed and compacted, it is best to do a final inspection of the base course itself before you start to install your bedding sand. The base course should be inspected in all areas that might allow the migration of bedding sand. Such locations can be curbs, catch basins and utility structures. These areas should be covered with a geo textile fabric to prevent the migration of bedding sand.

It is critical that all the grades/elevations have been checked and the base material thoroughly compacted. Any significant variations in the base course should be repaired prior to the installation of the bedding sand. Failure to fix any variations will show in the future as pavement surfaces will ultimately tend to show the characteristics of the base course below.

Kurt Glave has over 28 years of professional experience in the Landscape / Hardscape Industry. He also started the original Hardscape Expo & Conference Tradeshow and is now a Regional Sales Manager for RCP / http://www.silvercreekstoneworks.com

In decorating terms Onyx is a semi precious material, a form of marble that can take a high polish, featuring unique swirls of pattern and color which dance across its smooth face. One property that gives onyx a truly unique personality is that it has a translucent property, allowing light to actually pass through the stone and come out on the other side.

Onyx Stone is primarily quarried in two places, the Himalayan Mountains, and certain regions of Mexico. The Mexican material tends to be a deep amber color, often featuring unique striation patterns that run perpendicularly down the face of the stone. The Asian version tends to be less patterned, with the soft amber color flowing with an unbroken perfection over the face of the stone.

One of the interesting things about onyx is its personality. The material is formed by nature, slowly evolving from a chaotic mix of chemical factors and enormous pressure. The end result is that each and every piece is a one of a kind, with different features flowing across the face of each and every stone.

In general onyx tends to run a range of colors, going from a deep amber glow, to a soft, white, milky appearance. In many pieces you will find a variety of other hues popping up in the face of the piece, including hazy reds, soft orange, and even the occasional stripe of green. The nature of the colors is determined by the chemical mix that was present when the stone formed.

One important thing to note is that decorative onyx is a form of marble, and so should never be cleaned using any sort of acidic agent. This is because marble is a base in an acid base relationship. When it comes into contact with acidic substances, a reaction occurs, which can take the form of an unpleasant discoloration in the face of the material.

Onyx is a beautiful material that can be carved and polished into an enormous variety of interesting products. Clocks, chess sets, lamps, jewelry boxes, vases, you name a decorative item and chances are there is an all onyx version of it out there. While it can add beauty and elegance to your home, it’s also important to note that it does require some extra care when cleaning it off, and so paying attention to these rules will help you to maintain the beauty of the pieces, and your environment for years to come.

The translucent property of Onyx has allowed us to develop a line of unique onyx lamps, which actually glow from the inside, causing the stone to come alive with illumination, even as they gently light up your home. The author of this article is stone expert and artist Jim Slate.

Slow cutting speed is one of the most unfavorable features of a diamond blade. The causes usually occur when a blade is used to cut a material that is too hard for the segment. The hard material wears the exposed diamonds, but no the metal portion of the segment. The segment wears too slowly and no new diamonds are exposed, and therefore, slow cutting speed develops. Solutions include cutting the blade into a soft abrasive material like asphalt, block sandstone or dried mortar to expose the diamonds. If the this problem is allowed to continue, heat builds up and the blade begins to bounce leading to segment loss, core cracks and a very unsafe condition. At this point, a different diamond blade needs to be considered.

Other unfavorable conditions for diamond blades include short blade life. This problem usually occurs when a blade is used to cut a material that is too soft and abrasive for the segment. The abrasive material wears the metal of the segment too fast, and shorter blade life occurs. To rectify the problem, choose a more aggregate appropriate blade with a more wear resistant bond. Also check water flow and make sure the blade is rated for the equipment being used. Make sure the saw is in good condition. If these problems are not addressed, the full life and efficiency of the blade will not develop.

Customers must decide which is more important either cutting speed or blade life. Fast cutting speed will get the job done quicker and allow the contractor to move on the next project. Blade life will allow the contractor to get more out of his investment in the blade but may slow the project down. U.S. based diamond companies can make adjustments to the segments for the customer and get the project up and running quickly. By varying the size and quality of the diamonds and types of powders, the adjustments can make significant changes.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Dixie Diamond manufacturing is pleased to introduce the new Hardscaper diamond blade. The diamond blades versatile makeup allows for it cut concrete, brick, paver, block and stone. The segment height of the blade contains .350 inch depth of industrial diamonds. the blade is used primarily on diamond blade cut off saws ad masonry sws and can be used for wet or dry cutting.

The diamond blade is offered in 12 and 14 inch diameters and is popular with landscapes feturing various types of hard materials in patio, pool, and wall building. With just one blade, the contractor ca solve most cutting challenges rather than carrying several types of blades. The blade is made in the USA and has been featured in severl trade publications.