The title image features Bristol Valley and Copthorne pavers.
The amazing unique characteristics of bluestone make it a popular natural stone for patios, walkways, and pool decks. It works well with nearly any architectural style. However, it has a few drawbacks that make it a less-than-ideal choice in wet areas. You can opt for these pavers instead of bluestone for your Armonk, NY, pool deck and get the looks without the troubles.
Related Read: Design Ideas for Pool Decks
Where Does Bluestone Come From?
Bluestone is a type of flagstone that is quarried in the northeastern United States. Since it is a natural material, no two stones are ever alike, even from the same quarry. This can be a challenge if you ever want to add on to your pool deck only to find that the shade you previously purchased is no longer available.
Bluestone’s Challenges
Aside from availability, the biggest challenge with bluestone tends to be that it becomes slippery when wet. This presents a significant hazard in wet areas like pool decks or hot tub surrounds.
Another challenge is that since bluestone is a relatively porous stone, it absorbs water. During the freeze-thaw cycle of winter, this water infiltration can cause flaking (called spalling), which can degrade the stone and cause tripping hazards.
Bluestone Alternatives from Unilock
Bristol Valley pavers are popular poolside pavers for modern, sophisticated spaces. The pavers feature EasyClean, which makes cleanup a breeze and prevents staining from pool chemicals or spilled food and drinks. This subtly textured paver is available in Bavarian, New York Blend, and Steel Mountain. The Steel Mountain color option is the closest to the naturally blended and random look of bluestone. You can also combine Steel Mountain on site with one of the other two colors, for a unique blended appearance very much like natural stone.
A similar paver to Bristol Valley in that it is inspired by flagstone, Beacon Hill Flagstone pavers from Unilock have a more pronounced texture, which is great for creating a relaxed and casual vibe poolside. Beacon Hill is available in six blended colors: Almond Grove, Fossil, New York Blend, Sierra, Steel Mountain, and Tuscany. The most authentic bluestone look comes from Steel Mountain, New York Blend, Almond Grove, and Fossil: these can be used individually or blended on site for a more random, natural look. While Beacon Hill pavers are textured, the texture is barefoot-friendly, swimsuit-friendly, and non-slip for safety.
For smaller pool decks, Treo Premier offers the gorgeous and authentic natural texture in a smaller format. Available in a three-stone random bundle and the blended bluestone-like colors of New York Blend or Steel Mountain, as well as six additional complementary and contrasting colors: Almond Grove, Brown, Charcoal, Fossil, Sierra, and Tuscany. This paver is also popular as a border or accent, and is durable enough for all residential applications including driveways for a unified look throughout your landscape.
When browsing Unilock pavers for those that most closely resemble bluestone, you’re also broadening your choices. Real bluestone has availability issues whereas you won’t run into availability roadblocks with popular paver choices from Unilock. For more inspiration and to see Unilock bluestone alternatives in person, visit a Unilock Idea Center or connect with your local Unilock Authorized Contractor.
