HARDSCAPE MATERIALS GUIDE FOR MA & VT
HARDSCAPE MATERIALS IN WESTERN, MA
Welcome to our new Hardscape Materials Guide. We're here to help! Comparing the vast range of materials available in Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont can be overwhelming. It can be overwhelming to us at times, and we do this everyday! There are so many new and interesting products coming out all of the time, and technologies are always improving.
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It's our job to stay up to date on the latest technologies, installation practices, and design trends. We attend many trade shows, conferences, and training seminars each year. The industry has grown significantly since we started over twenty years ago!
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This hardscape materials guide will help you narrow down dome of the differences in the most commonly used materials we use.
HOW TO DECIDE ON HARDSCAPE MATERIALS
You have a lot of choices! To help you get started, we’ve listed below some of the most common materials customers in our area prefer. This is by no means all of your options, but this is what we have found to be the most common and popular choices for our Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont regions.
Explore the Hardscape Materials Guide below!
TRADITIONAL PAVERS
Patios & Walkways, Driveways
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Classic shapes and colors. Durable. Low maintenance.
Cons: Surface will gradually weather over time.
Best Use: Walkways, Patios, Driveways, Courtyards
Hardscape Material: Concrete
RUSTIC PAVERS
Patios & Walkways, Driveways
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Pre-weathered. Durable. Low maintenance.
Cons: Not as durable as natural stone.
Best Use: Walkways, Patios, Driveways, Courtyards
Hardscape Material: Concrete
SMALL SLAB PAVERS
Patios & Walkways, Driveways
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Better wear resistance than traditional pavers.
Cons: Not as durable as granite or some flagstone.
Best Use: Walkways, Patios, Driveways, Courtyards
Hardscape Material: Concrete
LARGE SLAB PAVERS
Patios & Walkways
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Wide range of choices. More durable than traditional pavers.
Cons: Many large slabs aren't suitable for driveways.
Best Use: Walkways, Patios, Courtyards
Hardscape Material: Concrete
CLAY BRICK PAVERS
Patios & Walkways
Common Brands: Pine Hall Brick, Glen-Gery, Stiles & Hart
Pros: Durable. Timeless appearance. Wide variety
Cons: Prone to moss or mildew in shady areas.
Best Use: Patios, Walkways
Hardscape Material: Clay
MODERN PAVERS
Patios & Walkways
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Wide range of modern design choices.
Cons: Not as durable as natural stone.
Best Use: Walkways, Patios, Driveways, Courtyards
Hardscape Materials: Concrete
PERMEABLE PAVERS
Patios & Walkways, Driveways
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Great alternative to asphalt or concrete.
Cons: Install may be more involved with subsurface drain system.
Best Use: Driveways, Commercial Sites, Water Management
Hardscape Materials: Concrete
COBBLESTONE PAVERS
Patios & Walkways, Driveways
Common Brands: Swenson Granite
Pros: Very durable and afordable.
Cons: Limited variety of shapes and colors, uneven surface.
Best Use: Driveways, Walkways, Accents
Hardscape Materials: Granite
DIMENSIONAL BLUESTONE
Patios & Walkways
Common Types: Natural-Cleft, Thermal-Top, Full-Color
Pros: Locally sourced. Timeless appearance. Installs faster than flagstone.
Cons: Not as durable as other natural materials.
Best Use: Patios, Walkways
Hardscape Materials: Bluestone
GRANITE FLAGSTONE
Patios & Walkways
Common Names: Skyline Quarry, Fitzwilliam Granite
Pros: Locally sourced. Extremely durable. Timeless appearance. Low maintenance.
Cons: Natural surfaces can be inconsistent or wavy.
Best Use: Patios, Walkways
Hardscape Materials: Granite
SCHIST FLAGSTONE
Patios & Walkways
Common Names: Goshen Stone, Ashfield Stone, Judd Stone, Sugarledge Stone.
Pros: Locally sourced. Very durable. Timeless appearance. Low maintenance.
Cons: Natural surfaces can be inconsistent or wavy.
Best Use: Patios, Walkways
Hardscape Materials: Goshen Schist
STONE VENEER WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Delgado Stone, Champlain Stone, Sugarledge Stone, Ashfield Stone, Stoneyard
Pros: Durable. Timeless appearance. Wide range of choices. Low maintenance.
Cons: Variety of choices may be overwhelming.
Best Use: Retaining Walls, Benches, Fire Pits, Pillars
Hardscape Materials: Granite, Schist
GRANITE WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Skyline Quarry, Fitzwilliam Granite, Champlain Stone
Pros: Wide variety. New England sourced. Extremely durable. Timeless appearance. Low maintenance.
Cons: Should be professionally installed to last.
Best Use: Retaining Walls, Garden Walls, Benches, Fire Pits, Pillars
Hardscape Materials: Granite
SCHIST (GOSHEN) WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Ashfield Stone, Goshen Stone, Judd Stone, Sugarledge Stone
Pros: Locally sourced. Very durable. Timeless appearance. Low maintenance.
Cons: Should be professionally installed to last.
Best Use: Retaining Walls, Garden Walls, Fire Pits, Pillars
Hardscape Materials: Schist
EXTRA LARGE SCHIST WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Sugarledge Stone, Ashfield Stone, Goshen Stone
Pros: Durable. Timeless appearance. Low maintenance. Quicker installation time over smaller stone.
Cons: Large sizes limit application. Need heavy equipment to move
Best Use: Retaining Walls
Hardscape Materials: Schist
TRADITIONAL BLOCK WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard, Versa-Lok
Pros: Wide range of choices. Installs fast. Low maintenance.
Cons: May fail if not installed correctly.
Best Use: Retaining Walls, Benches, Fire Pits, Pillars
Hardscape Materials: Concrete
MODERN BLOCK WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Wide range of modern choices. Installs fast. Low maintenance.
Cons: May fail if not installed correctly. Not for tall walls.
Best Use: Retaining Walls, Benches, Fire Pits, Pillars
Hardscape Materials: Concrete
FIELDSTONE WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Usually sourced on site, or local supplier.
Pros: Very Durable. Timeless Appearance. Low maintenance.
Cons: Availability may be limited, unless buying in bulk.
Best Use: Boundary Walls, Retaining Walls
Hardscape Materials: Various natural stone
RUSTIC BLOCK WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Ideal, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Belgard
Pros: Wide range of choices. Installs fast. Low maintenance.
Cons: May fail if not installed correctly. Not for tall walls.
Best Use: Retaining Walls, Benches, Fire Pits, Pillars
Hardscape Materials: Concrete
BOULDER WALLS
Walls
Common Brands: Usually sourced on site, or local quarries.
Pros: Very Durable. Low maintenance. Install quickly.
Cons: Sources may be limited, depending on location.
Best Use: Retaining Walls
Hardscape Materials: Mixed natural stone