Consider the benefits of permeable pavers and permeable hardscape in residential design and incorporate where ever possible.  What could be more  positive than the results attained from a well planned exterior space; garden, hardscape, or driveway design that is both beautiful and kind to the environment?

Permeable or porous surface – is an area designed to allow water to slow down and penetrate or settle into the ground, aid in the reduction of pollutants and reduce erosion. Although manufactured pavers can be permeable, we are passionate about natural stone and suggest using wherever possible.  The two projects shown above are examples of genuine reclaimed cobblestone set on sand with sand joints which assist in overall water run-off management. Stone is natural and in sync with an eco-friendly environment, and easily attainable with forethought and planning.  Reclaimed stone, such as Historic European Cobblestone, is even more in tune with sustainability.

Cassy Aoyagi, a landscape professional featured on the web site HOUZZ writes, “Permeable hardscapes help reduce a property’s carbon footprint in numerous ways. They replenish the groundwater table with filtered water, reduce runoff and its impact on city infrastructure, mitigate heat island effect … and they are just so lovely!”  We certainly agree!

Monarch Stone International offers a wide variety of natural stone and cobblestone options – including reclaimed antique cobblestone pavers.  Let us help you select the right material for your eco-friendly garden!

Excited to share project photos from a beautiful Bay Harbor Michigan estate which features our reclaimed granite cobblestone on the driveway and motor court landing.  The Landscape Architect, Mike Bush of BushBeagle Designs in Noblesville Indiana, specified authentic reclaimed 5”x 5” antique granite from our Historic European Cobblestone® collection.

The choice of antique cobblestone for the driveway was carefully planned to compliment the exterior stone on the home and other hardscape elements on the property.

“The beauty and character of the antique cobblestone was the perfect (and only) solution for what we wanted to achieve in the driveway.  The cobblestone colors compliment the granite stone walls beautifully. The intimate scale of each cobblestone, welcoming both bare feet and touring cars to northern Michigan summers, is without comparison. 

Thank you for providing such a beautiful, quality material for family generations to enjoy.  I sincerely did not have a second choice material to recommend for this driveway.”

Mike Bush Landscape Architect, BUSH BEAGLE DESIGN LLC

The natural color range in our antique granite and antique sandstone cobblestone is one of the most appealing features of this authentic reclaimed material. With more than six different sizes to choose from and ease of nationwide delivery, the Historic European Cobblestone® collection is genuinely the “only choice”.  For more information please visit us at www.MonarchStone.Net.

When selecting natural stone for interior or exterior flooring, there are many things to consider. Color options are endless, and sizes as well. Where will it be used? Is it suitable for the kitchen, bath, living, bedroom.  How the stone will look, feel and perform under-foot,  is integral to the stone’s finish.

Finishes refer to the worked surface area of the stone tile, based on your requirement and stone suitability. Below are the industry standards common today.

Acid-Washed: This finish takes the shine off polished stone and leaves small etching marks (pits in the surface). It gives the stone a rustic or antique appearance and shows fewer scratches. Most stones can be acid-washed, most commonly used with marble and limestone

Brushed Finish: is a worn-down look achieved by applying heavy-duty plastic or metal brushes to the stone. Creates a shine from the natural reflection of the stone crystals. Best suited for; granite, marble, limestone, and requires maintenance to keep the finish.

Flamed finish: achieved by heating the surface to extreme temperatures, followed by rapid cooling.  The surface pops and chips,leaving a rough unrefined texture. Usually done with granite. Ideal for slip resistance concerns like shower areas.

Honed Finish: produces a flat, matte, or satin finish by stopping short of the last stage of polishing. A more informal look, shows few scratches, require less maintenance. Preferred stones are marble, limestone, travertine and slate.

Polished Surface: A beautiful mirror-like finish achieved from polishing until the stone’s crystals shine brilliantly.It is the result of using progressively finer polishing heads during the polishing process. Granite, marble, limestone are typically used and requires maintenance to preserve the shine

Saw-cut, refined: a matte finish,where the stone is processed to remove heavy saw marks, but not enough to be honed. Granite, marble, limestone.

Split faced: a rough texture, not as abrasive as flamed. Achieved by hand cutting and chiseling at the quarry which exposes the natural cleft of the stone. Primarily done on slate.

Tumbled: smooth or slightly pitted surface, broken rounded edges and corners. Achieved by putting stones together in a machine and tumbling. Best suited to marble and limestone.

Stone flooring finishes also include the outer edge of each tile.There are two basic choices; straight edge or bull-nosed.  The curved degree of the bull-nose can vary depending on your needs. There is also a chiseled edge which is a process that creates a weathered or antique look along the outer edges.

There is plenty to consider before a final stone floor decision can be made. But since quality stone tiles will last the lifetime of any house, its an investment that is well worth it. Contact your nearest designer, flooring store or Monarch Stone International for help in finding the stone that is right for your project.

Monarch Stone International has recently joined HOUZZ.com,  highlighting our Historic European Cobblestone collection!

If you are unfamiliar with HOUZZ, you will quickly learn what an incredible wealth of information it has to offer, a “leading destination site for home design enthusiasts– professionals and homeowners.  With over 250,000 high quality interior and exterior photos, thousands of highly-engaging articles written by design experts, product recommendations and social tools to manage the remodeling and decorating process.”

Design professionals and companies, such as  Monarch Stone International can showcase their portfolios and share their work with a community dedicated to home and landscape design. Houzz claims to be the internet’s largest database of design and decorating ideas.

Homeowners can collect their favorite photos, find design professionals in their areas, upload photos of their homes and gardens, and swap tips and questions with other members.

Look for us in future updates on HOUZZ !

April is National Landscape Architecture Month!  According to ASLA,  landscape architects across the country will host a variety of activities to celebrate the profession and explain how their work contributes to the public’s well-being. This year’s theme provides many events that will demonstrate how green design can encourage healthy living.

Monarch Stone International is passionate about sustainable, enduring, natural stone which is frequently incorporated into designs created by landscape architects for garden, vehicular, and pedestrian areas. We have covered everything from reclaimed/recycled antique cobblestone, to green homes, and the importance of permeable hardscape surfaces.  Check out all our posts under the category, Green-Sustainable.

A new ASLA brochure, “Designing for Your Health and Well-Being,” describes ways to promote healthy living through landscape architecture. Also, to mark the month, the entire April issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine is available online for free.

Some of the events throughout National Landscape Architecture Month include:

• Building a series of rain gardens for Joplin, Missouri, which is still recovering from a devastating tornado, by the Prairie Gateway chapter
• Garden design workshops in three Alaskan cities
• Three walking tours in San Diego County
• A “sketch walk” at Columbus Circle and Lincoln Center in New York City
• A program in the schools and a wetlands walk in Southern California
• A self-guided walking tour of downtown Indianapolis’s significant landscapes, public parks, and urban design scheme
• A program in Idaho working with students and the local high school environmental education program
• Showing a documentary film, Biophilic Design: The Architecture of Life, in Boston that explores the need and importance of reconnecting people with nature
• Community-based garden design In Utah, carried out by the Wasatch Community Gardens and the Utah Chapter of ASLA

We encourage you to learn more about landscape architecture and the impact the profession has on your living or working environment!

Stone flooring has become increasingly popular and accessible over the years. Extremely common-place in commercial/retail settings, and highly regarded for its beauty and durability in the residential market.  The long term value and appeal of natural stone is irresistible. But as amazing as natural stone flooring is to look at, the steps involved in its fabrication are even more impressive.

It’s important to remember that stone is 100% natural.  The only ingredient is molten earth that has been cooled and hardened for 300 million years. The process really begins when large deposits of the right kind of rock are discovered – in the USA, or around the world, once excavation has begun, its called a quarry.

The word “quarry” comes from the Latin word for “squared.” In the beginning, quarrymen hand cut building blocks from the quarry. In some places the methods for cutting the stones have not changed since the early days. According to the World Floor Covering Association, there are still artisans who cut stone by hand with very simple tools.  But quarrymen must compete with modern technology of high-speed tools and controlled explosives which can extract marble, travertine, granite and sandstone, with speed and efficiency. That’s what makes a stone floor affordable.  Giant blocks of rock are cut with diamond studded, high-speed wire saws which have revolutionized the process of removing stone by hand. Other techniques use highly controlled explosives to cut large slices from the earth.

I have personally traveled to quarries around the country and in Europe, to understand firsthand, the quarry process and to select out the best blocks of stone material for our clients specifications. The color selection in a quarry varies in layers known as benches.  As a stone specialist, its critical to understand that a custom order must be managed with the quarry to control the selection process and variations that will effect color range.

French Limestone Quarry

Blocks of stone are moved from the quarry to a processing plant where they are cut into slabs. Again, modern technology makes this process much easier. High-speed gang saws fitted with several blades, typically about 12 to 15 feet long, make simultaneous parallel cuts. It takes about two days to completely cut a 20-ton block of stone.

In order to present consumers with the widest variety of stone flooring, slabs must be finished. The type of finish will vary depending on the look you desire. The polishing machine uses spindles that rotate polishing pads at high speeds over the top of the stone. During this point, the slab is also calibrated. Calibration is a process of machine honing the back of the piece to either a smooth or ribbed finish, ensuring the same thickness for the whole slab.

Fabricators take the large slabs and customize them for specific installations. Edges are shaped and polished with a series of small diamond-studded and water-cooled saws or router bits. If the slab is destined to become tiles, it is cut down into smaller squares in a range of sizes: 12” x 12”, 16” x 16”, 18” x 18”, or to your custom specificiation. Then each tile is sent through a final finish: whether polished or honed, acid washed, brushed, flamed, etc.  Finally, the tiles are packaged and shipped.

Natural stone flooring is a great choice and an investment that can last a lifetime. Allow Monarch Stone International to assist you in the process of selecting natural stone for your project.

With today’s technology, the stone industry can provide thinner paving sawn @ 2” for a dry/sand base or wet/concrete based installation.  Whether stone or concrete, new pavers are symmetrically cut and allows for a very tight joint (hence the term interlocking paver) in order to function properly. These pavers have flat, vertical sides that allow for tight joints in a predictable setting bed.

Historic, antique reclaimed cobblestone vary in size (+/- ½”) because they were hand split, not machine-cut, hundreds of years ago.  In addition, the surface areas have worn unevenly, the most uneven with  granite and more flat with sandstone.  The most foot friendly reclaimed antique cobble is a type we call “Historic Sidewalk Cobble”.   The uniqueness of each cobble is part of the genuine charm and is the reason that natural, old antique cobblestone is so appealing!  With the added feature of saw-cutting or slicing the antique cobble into a thin paver, the options and uses are greatly expanded!   Thin antique pavers can be used for interior flooring and wall veneer in addition to traditional use outdoors on walkways, driveways and courtyards!

For installation,  it is critical to understand that installing a sawn or sliced  antique cobblestone paver on a sand base is not recommended due to its irregularity and inability to attain tight joints.  There are no flat sides on an antique cobblestone. However, an antique cobble in a thin paver for wet setting on a concrete/mortar base, is a wonderful combination of look and function!

Historic European Cobblestone® is a grand collection of reclaimed antique cobble and curb we exclusively import from Europe.  Six different sizes are consistently reclaimed in both granite or sandstone. Sizes range from small cubes 3″-4″,  to large 5″x5″x5″, 6″x6″x6,  7″x7″x7″ squares  and two rectangles: 4″x6″x6″, and 5″x8″x6″ all available in their original full height – or – the larger sizes ‘sawn’ or ‘sliced’ thin @ 5cm for a paver installation!

Right now, we are offering a special price on thin paver in two sizes  (6″x6″ and 5″x8″)  in antique sandstone that has been pre-sawn @2-4cm and is ready to go!  See images of these beautiful thin antique pavers below! We’re eager to move this inventory to make room for more reclaimed cobble due to arrive for the busy summer season.

6″x6″x 2-4cm and  5″x8″x 2-4cm antique reclaimed sandstone cobble, available  starting as low as $11.75 per square foot, shipped to the East Coast.  Prices vary based on stone size and final destination. Minimum quantities apply – call today for more details!

As specialists in natural stone products, and one of the largest importers and distributors of reclaimed cobblestone, our company believes that natural stone and reclaimed stone are products that support a healthier, sustainable environment.

The American Society of Landscape Architects web site published this article, Sustainable Residential Design: Using Low-Impact Materials,  which discusses how “integrated site design” can improve water, entergy efficiency and reduce waste. It explains that new and non-recyclable materials used in homes and landscapes consumes enormous amounts of resources to produce and distribute, and then create additional waste when they are demolished. In addition, homeowners can significantly increase the quality of the environment through the use of innovative low-impact materials. These materials include permeable, recycled, recyclable ,non-toxic materials. Using these materials can minimize consumption of newer materials, enable a continual reuse of limited natural resources, and decrease waste and environmental pollution.

Reclaimed cobblestone that has been kept from landfills, such as Historic European Cobblestone®, is a product that benefits both the homeowner and environment. The way this material is installed plays an important role as well. Use a natural sub-base when possible which assists in permeability (storm water run-off) and in the ability to be 100% recyclable again in the future.  Give us a call to discuss your specifications and discover how reclaimed cobblestone, and other natural stone materials are a better choice for your project.

During a recent visit with an old  friend from Iowa, a conversation about stone (no surprise) peeked my interest about the types of stone and active quarries located there.  It’s important to know local resources for anyone pursuing LEED points.  One of the rules for achieving the coveted certification is using natural stone materials located within 500 miles of your building site.

Another interesting reason for pursuing what stone lies beneath the soil in Iowa, or any of our great 50 States, is just pure curiosity! Iowa – our country’s heartland,  it’s a perfect place to begin!

I discovered that Iowa is abundantly blessed with limestone and in fact had many quarries operating back in the 1800′s.  There were so many stone quarries, they founded a town – actually an unincorporated community and named it, “Stone City” .  Located in Jones County, it was built for the many folks working in the quarries back in the day.  Although the increase in popularity using cement almost caused the town and the industry to crumble, new investors came forward in the 1950′s to form a group called “Stone City Quarries”.  This image on the right,  is the “Old Stone Mill” in Decorah.

Today there are quarries operating and producing a beautiful dimension limestone also known as Anamosa Stone.  The colors range in light hues of cream, gold, yellow.  People associated with the building or landscape industry in Iowa must look upon their natural stone resource with pride. And another bit of trivia – limestone from Iowa made its way out here to California, used in the building of Walt Disney’s Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

I look forward to visiting friends and quarries including,  “Stone City” in Iowa!  Check back for future discoveries about native stones from our 50 states!

For more detailed geological  information, refer to our earlier post on Stone Buildings.  See also: Iowa Dept of Natural Resources

I recently read about a creative ‘art’ form in Mother Nature Network, known as stone stacking, or stone balancing, and a exhibit which was held on the beach in nearby Ventura,  California last summer.
Using smooth beach cobblestones, visitors created interesting shapes, stacking one on the other.

Stone Stacking

Stacking stones, or rock balancing, is the patient art of stacking rocks in meticulous formations.  Balancing stones has been a part of human expression for ages. The activity might have had religious or territorial meaning at one time. Today,there is a growing group who approach this craft as a creative activity like music, painting or sculpture. Its done for various reasons from meditative to artistic and the movement can be found all over the world.

It looks challenging, and even unbelievable, that rocks can balance upon each other and stay that way.  Think I might need to give it a try next time I’m out on our stone yard!