The title image features Treo Premier pavers.
There’s a reason bluestone is such a popular stone for landscaping. Its dramatic color and distinctive characteristics give each patio or walkway a unique character. While natural bluestone may have a few drawbacks that could have you considering alternatives, it’s worth discussing the many benefits of adding the look of bluestone to a Wilmington, DE, outdoor space.
Get the Look …
Bluestone is a coveted landscaping material thanks to its steel-blue color, which is slightly different in each stone. The stone may feature a variety of other tones in the form of veining and flecks. And each stone has a distinctive and different texture. You may find that bluestone really shines when it’s combined with other types of stone—the result is a veritable symphony of shades, tones, accents, and textures that work together harmoniously.
However, bluestone isn’t the best choice for pool decks (its dark color can become uncomfortably hot), and it isn’t dense enough to make a good driveway surface. This sedimentary stone is fairly porous. Its many layers can be prone to water infiltration, which makes the stone vulnerable to cracking and spalling (flaking) due to the freeze-thaw cycle. To some extent this can be delayed with a good sealant, but don’t expect bluestone to last nearly as long as granite or another type of dense stone.
… Without the Hassle
Unilock offers a number of bluestone alternatives that let you enjoy the beauty of bluestone but relieve you of the hassle of maintenance concerns, and open up design flexibility by allowing you to use concrete pavers that are inspired by bluestone around your pool, on your driveway, patios, and walkways.
Around the pool, you could choose Beacon Hill Flagstone. This larger format paver can be ideal for modern and sophisticated yet relaxed patios, pool decks, and walkways. A large format paver contributes to a cleaner, more spacious look preferred in modern designs.
If you entertain a lot, consider Bristol Valley pavers for your outdoor kitchen and dining area. These pavers feature a textured finish but they are sealed with EasyClean stain resistance technology, which minimizes maintenance requirements and prevents staining from food and beverage spills.
If you love the look of bluestone but want a permeable surface for your driveway or pedestrian hardscapes, Thornbury pavers can be installed as a permeable surface. This keeps the surface drier as water filters into the ground below rather than pooling or running off, and helps make your hardscape surfaces more eco-friendly. The look is similar to Beacon Hill Flagstone, but is smaller and well suited for use on driveways.
If you prefer a smaller format paver that you can use anywhere in your landscape—including your driveway—consider Treo Premier. This paver is similar to Beacon Hill Flagstone, but comes in smaller dimensions. Using it on your pedestrian areas as well as your driveway will give your landscape a unified look.
For the ultimate in realistic textures, the top-of-the-line Richcliff pavers could be the way to go thanks to Reala technology, which uses casts taken from a variety of real flagstone. If you blend two or three of the available colors randomly on-site, you can achieve the most natural bluestone look. You can use Richcliff on your pool deck, driveway, walkway, and patio.
