Retaining Walls Made Right

Retaining walls generally perform a utilitarian function. These are often intended to create a solid partition between two levels of landscape, eliminating slopes and contours that can be difficult to manage and limit flat, usable space.

When the right materials and design are employed, a retaining wall can be an attractive element of any landscape.

Considerations for Designing the Best Retaining Wall

Whether replacing an existing or failing structure or creating a new one, a proper retaining wall begins with a solid design.

Usually, a retaining wall is holding back a vertical face of soil that can slide or cave in if not properly retained. The first and most crucial issue is strength and durability. Walls that are not strong enough to resist the lateral earth pressure behind the wall may eventually collapse or slide.

In many states, the design of a new stone or masonry retaining wall exceeding four feet should be reviewed by a licensed professional design engineer to assess the wall's long-term integrity. 

Other factors to be considered when constructing a retaining wall are:

• Required height of the wall
• Groundwater conditions and drainage
• Site accessibility
• Building codes
• Aesthetics

With the proper design and the best materials, a beautiful retaining wall not only optimizes the useable area but can be a long-lasting and beautiful accent to the landscape.

Belgard® Retaining Walls from ProCoat Systems

To add interest and beauty to your backyard landscape or to enhance the curb appeal of your property, an attractive, well designed retaining wall can make the difference. Belgarde, a world-class producer of pavers, retaining wall products, and other hardscape materials, produces the highest quality of freestanding and retaining wall blocks for home and business landscapes. Belgarde materials are stable, long lasting, and beautiful, available in a broad range of styles to complement surrounding structures and landscape features.

Belgarde offers a product selection of eleven different retaining wall block designs to match just about any setting. These sturdy options range from coarse to smooth surfaces in several different colors, shapes, and sizes.

To finish the job, Belgarde and ProCoat also provide the matching edges and caps.

Contact ProCoat Systems of Colorado and Utah

ProCoat Systems is a premier supplier of world-class coatings, hardscape materials, waterproofing, and air barrier systems. The company has been a supplier to the construction and remodeling industries in the Rocky Mountain region for nearly thirty-five years.

For more information regarding materials and construction of the highest quality retaining walls, contact ProCoat. The professionals at ProCoat will be pleased to help.

Phone ProCoat Systems at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/retaining-walls-made-right/

Upgrade with a Stone Veneer Style for Any Application

High quality manufactured stone veneers can change the characteristic ambiance of any room from boring to elegant, stylish or comforting depending on the style chosen. Whether creating a dramatic focal point with a new fireplace surround or spawning a spa-like effect with stone cladding on your bathroom wall, the change can be profound.

Stone veneers are available in a broad range of styles with choices of textures, shapes and colors that can enhance any interior or exterior surface.

ProCoat of Denver Stone Veneer Producers

By partnering with the world’s leading manufacturers of manufactured stone veneer products, ProCoat Systems is able to offer an extensive list of stone veneer styles to match any home or business owner’s dream. Partner companies like Boral Stone®, Coronado, RealStone Systems™, and McNear Brick & Block have been perfecting their products for decades to duplicate the natural colors and textures of real stone products. Manufactured stone veneers are as durable, less expensive, and far easier to install than natural stone.

Manufactured stone production is also more sustainable and less earth-damaging than natural stone quarrying.

Extensive Range of Stone Veneer Styles

Boral’s ProStone® line is made up of several shapes and colors to match any consumer preference. With each style grouping, shades range from lighter to create a sense of greater space and airiness to darker to impart a cozy, lodge-like aura. The styles of Boral’s ProStone are:

●      Ledgestone: very horizontal design with rectangular pieces with ½” mortar joints in six shades from oak to wine colored

●      Savannah Ledge: similar pattern as normal ledgestone although tightly fitted without mortar joints and colors from tan to gray

●      Fieldstone: random, natural irregularity with variable mortar joint widths in three shades of natural stone colors

●      Tuscan Cobble: Old World pattern of rectangle and square brick-like pieces randomly arranged with ½” mortar joints in three shades from light to dark

●      Aged Ledgetone: horizontal, rectangular pattern with a tumbled, eroded texture to replicate age and wear

●      Rover Rock: randomly spaced, rounded river rock pattern in three different shades.

Coronado provides ProCoat Systems with additional high-quality manufactured stone veneer styles. These include:

●      Cut Stone

●      Villa Stone

●      Ledgestone

●      Classic

●      Designer

●      Irregular-shaped

●      Freedom Building Stone

●      Thin Brick

●      And even a Wood Stone Series that replicates natural aged wood cladding

Contact ProCoat Systems

ProCoat Systems is a world-class supplier of interior and exterior claddings and hardscapes. By partnering with the leading manufacturers, the experts at ProCoat Systems in Denver are able to help imagine, design, and create an enviable addition to your home or business. Stop by the ProCoat showroom in Denver to view the many stone veneer styles and to discuss the advantages of products from ProCoat.

To begin, phone the professionals at ProCoat Systems to discuss your ideas. Phone (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/upgrade-stone-veneer-style-application/

Patio Paver Designs That Complement Your Outdoor Living Area

Upgrading your outdoor space with beautiful and durable patio pavers adds richness and value to your home. The material, color, and texture you choose for your exterior improvement can make a notable difference in the impression you wish to convey. Whether you decide between brick or stone hardscapes, tumbled or smooth, slate or flagstone, your choices should always compliment the style of your home or building.

Of equal significance in your patio paver choices is the design pattern. Paver design should also complement home features without “clashing” with other elements of the exterior. Paver patterns can notably impact the overall beauty and interest of your outdoor oasis.

As with any other home improvement project, the key is to plan ahead and visualize the area as an artist would imagine a work of art. Envision the area to be paved in different looks and patterns and try to imagine how you would like the final result. Consult with experts like ProCoat Systems in Denver and check out other projects to determine what might work best.

Practice different patterns in advance to help visualize the result.

After all, your patio will become an integral part of your property, much as the siding and roofing, and can help or even hurt the value of your home.

Patio Paver Designs to Think About

Depending on the area to be paved, homeowners may choose to be conservative in their hardscape design. Alternatively, they may wish to integrate artistic patterns that may be more eye-catching but require considerably more time, effort, and expense to execute.

Conventional, yet frequently used  patterns for patio pavers are:

• Runner-type Pattern: rectangular and square pavers placed in a linear, offset pattern in parallel rows.
• Herringbone Pattern: brick paver rows run at a 45-degree orientation with each alternating brick at 90 degrees to the previous in a fishbone or herringbone pattern
• Random Pattern: while not truly random, square and rectangular pavers are interlocked in a right-angled, repeating pattern from beginning to end.

Curving and bordering are additional considerations for paving projects. Creating a curved pattern for your patio or installing a meandering paver pathway to the patio or deck requires some exceptional skill in cutting and shaping individual pavers. Finishing with a clean, smooth line is essential.

Bordering the entire patio with a different color paver can give the patio or walkway a more elegant and finished appearance.

Contact ProCoat Systems in Denver

ProCoat Systems offers a complete range of world-class paver products. Depending on the type or style of your home and projected patio, ProCoat will have the best option. Check out the stone and masonry products and paver ideas on the ProCoat website to help in your selection.

For more information, call the experts at ProCoat Systems at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/patio-paver-designs-complement-outdoor-living-area/