Natural stone and block, is there anything more classic? How long have we been stacking stones and or laying them out flat beneath our feet? Millenia, longer still? Since thumbs decided rocks weren’t just for throwing I suppose, and thank goodness the structures we build tend to last longer than the intervals of ‘rock throwing’ that interrupt the building of a future worth living in.
When it comes to construction with natural stone one of the great things about it is having such a long history. We can look at stone structures of the past that are still standing today after 1000 or more years and apply the same construction techniques to the retaining walls and patios we build today for our outdoor enjoyment. A good clean gravel footing of multiple densities and proper drainage like the Aztec city Machu Pichu, the angle at which the stone is stacked and back setting the layers as you build height like the walls of Chiang Mai in Thailand, the amount of overburden a wall can handle not exceeding a certain angle and volume of material like the stone walls of Edo Castle in Japan; these are some of the main lessons gleaned from long standing structures. Considering the freeze thaw cycle in your area and the substrate you will be building on is also of great concern. So many variables come into play when constructing a long lasting structure that the artistry could easily take a backseat and you could still be considered an accomplished hardscaper if your structures were solid and dependable. Luckily here at 4T we have a good eye for both the artistry and technicality, and many pairs of talented eyes to see your vision come to fruition. Whether it’s making your patio and retaining wall look like its naturally occurring out of ageless materials, or using a manmade material for clean curves and or sharp precise corners we have you covered with the knowledge and experience from today and years long gone past.
