Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Friday, October 21, 2011
Do You Have The Decorating Itch?
Dutch Quality Stone is the perfect choice. The Trillium Collection has twelve different colours/profiles to choose from. For more information about Dutch Quality stone give us a call at 519-752-1512 or visit their website at www.schuts.com. Better still view for yourself at Schut's Brick & Stone located at 423 Mount Pleasant Rd Brantford Ontario.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Landscaping 101
LANDSCAPING 101
Schut’s are here to help, but before you begin please take some time to consider the following!
GETTING STARTED
Always start with a good plan it helps you determine the materials required, the amount of work involved, the order in which to accomplish your tasks and the sequence of product placement and installation.
LAYING THE GROUND WORK
· Consider doing your project in phases (ie back to front)
· Call before you dig to locate all underground utilities. “IT’S FREE”
Call five working days prior to starting your project.
Call five working days prior to starting your project.
· Property survey
· Building permits
· Municipal by-laws and building codes
· Soil type assessment
· Talk to your neighbours
· Plan your material delivery and storage to minimize site disruption
SKETCH YOUR PLAN
Putting your ideas on paper will ensure that your new outdoor living space is functional.
· Identify the location of the house
· Add in existing trees and buses, lawn, walkways and driveway
· Then add the compass direction and the direction of summer sunrise and sunset
· Next add wind direction, windbreaks and screens
WHERE DO I START
1. Install irrigation and drainage systems
2. Patios, walls, fences, walkways and other permanent fixtures
3. Trees, shrubs and plants
4. Lawn
DO SOME LEG WORK
Well planned landscaping adds great value to your home. Bad landscaping doesn’t. Read magazines and books. Attend home and garden shows, watch television shows. Walk around the neighbourhood and look at other people’s properties. Drop in at our showroom located at 423 Mt Pleasant Rd, Brantford…and chat with one of our friendly helpful sales staff. Give us a call at 519-752-1512 or visit our website http://www.schuts.com/.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Patio Season Is Here!
With home improvement season in high gear, homeowners are faced with the monumental task of deciding which products and designs will best suit their needs.
If improving an existing or planning a new outdoor living space concrete paving and wall products can meet the demands of your job large or small. For patios, walkways, drives and more, pavers will give your project either a classic, crisp look or the warmth and character of time-aged cobble.
Today, the use of interlocking pavers have demonstrated exponential growth because they are a superior surfacing system for our climate which are very affordable and easy to maintain demonstrating superior lifelong value to today’s homeowner looking to expand their outdoor living space to spend time with family and friends.
Tumbled products can provide endless design possibilities. Their naturally hewed appearance of being gently weathered is at home in a landscape that is natural and rustic to one that evokes feelings of classic old-world charm. Bold colour choices and varying sizes provide endless design possibilities.
The weathered stone look of tumbled wall incorporating natural stone accents or coping provides a “vintage” appearance at home in many settings. It is slightly smaller than previous versions making it easier to use and more affordable. It is the perfect compliment to a tumbled paver and a unique solution for garden walls, pillars, seat walls and garden edging.
The fact that pavers are strong and flexible making them resistant to cracking and come many popular profiles and colours help many designers, contractors and homeowners alike to create beautiful landscape designs for patios, driveways or walkways. Many homeowners have extended their indoor living space to the outdoors by adding backyard kitchens, fireplaces and gathering areas to compliment existing patios and pools. Your backyard oasis eliminates the two hour drive to the cottage or the additional maintenance responsibilities that a recreational property may require. All the while adding value to your property with limited maintenance and complimenting the architectural style of your home to enjoy every day!
Our experts can help advise you when starting your project to ensure the correct surfacing or wall solution for your surroundings as well as providing referrals to preferred landscape contractors in your area. For more information about any of the products discussed above check out http://www.oakspavers.com/ or to view for yourself locally visit over 1800 square feet of indoor and outdoor displays at Schut’s Brick & Stone located at 423 Mount Pleasant Road, Brantford, Ontario. To reach them by phone call 519-752-1512 or visit their website at http://www.schuts.com/.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Paving Stones: A Rock Solid Choice for Thousands of Years!
For over 5,000 years the interlocking paving stone has been the choice of previous generations for consistent and reliable performance on the streets of both Europe and North America . Around 3,000 B.C. the very first roads were made from segmental paving units by the Romans and over two thousand years ago, tightly placed cut stones covering a compacted aggregate base were used to create revolutionary roadway solutions. Today, those same roads are still in use with the original paving stones!
This simple yet economical, durable, and almost maintenance-free system became standard as one of the most versatile old-world paving solutions and has now been reintroduced and reinvented over the last 35 years with much technological advancement. One of the biggest advantages of choosing concrete pavers is that if a repair ever does become necessary, a stained or damaged paver can be easily replaced by removing and reinstalling new pavers unlike other surfacing solutions.
Today, the use of interlocking pavers have demonstrated exponential growth because they are a superior surfacing system for our climate which are very affordable and easy to maintain demonstrating superior lifelong value to today’s homeowner looking to expand their outdoor living space to spend time with family and friends.
Current pavers are manufactured using concrete to exact standards, provide long-term durability and many are backed by lifetime warranties. Concrete pavers have become the industry standard, originating in Europe after World War II as a replacement for clay brick streets. Billions of square feet have now been installed annually throughout the world and it’s very interesting that an old world solution can become one of the preferred solutions for modern living.
Paving stones for our environment are typically made from concrete. Although other materials exist this method is best suited to our climate and many breakthroughs have occurred that provide environmental or “green” surfacing solutions with the use of pavers.
Manufacturers recommend to set stones in approximately one inch of sand with a compacted granular base of at least 6 to 12 inches (more base may be required depending the soil make- up of your residence). The layer of sand helps to keep water away from the pavers and to effortlessly provide more efficient drainage which will help to prevent wear tracks, erosion or damage from freeze/thaw cycles. To fill in the gaps polymeric jointing sand is also recommended which prevents weed growth or ant populations which are now problems of the past thanks to this new technology. As well, edge restraints such as SnapEdge are now the norm to prevent any lateral movement with your project. You can also repair older interlocking driveways, walkways or patios very easily and economically with the introduction of these new advancements.
The fact that pavers are strong and flexible making them resistant to cracking and come many popular profiles and colours help many designers, contractors and homeowners alike to create beautiful landscape designs for patios, driveways or walkways. Many homeowners have extended their indoor living space to the outdoors by adding backyard kitchens, fireplaces and gathering areas to compliment existing patios and pools. Your backyard oasis eliminates the two hour drive to the cottage or the additional maintenance responsibilities that a recreational property may require. All the while adding value to your property with limited maintenance and complimenting the architectural style of your home so you can enjoy every day!
The advantages of paving stones are many and it helps to familiarize you with all surfacing or wall building options. Our local experts can help to evaluate your current plans and goals to ensure recommendations and solutions that you’ll enjoy for years to come. As well, they can provide referrals to preferred, experienced and reliable contractors within your specific area who use trusted industry and manufacturer recommended installation techniques.
For more information about any of the products discussed above check out http://www.oakspavers.com/ or to view for yourself locally visit over 1800 square feet of indoor and outdoor displays at Schut’s Brick & Stone located at 423 Mount Pleasant Road, Brantford, Ontario. To reach them by phone call 519-752-1512 or visit their website at http://www.schuts.com/.
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