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Guide to Choosing and Building a Fire Pit

Whiz-Q Stone: Build the Lifestyle of Your Dreams

While the idea of building and enjoying a fire pit date way back, the rage for the backyard feature has increased in the past few years. Here at Whiz-Q I noticed this craze a few years ago. For that reason, we began to show homeowners and contractors easy and affordable ways to build these simple projects.

Whether your choice is out of natural stone, brick or tile, or out of segmental units like Pavestone or Unilock products, you must account for the heat of the fire. Traditionally you will see the use of "split" or "unsplit" fire brick that are manufactured to retain and insulate the heat to prevent any unexpected "popping" or tiny explosions of the stone material or concrete materials. Another heat insulating factor that some people are turning to is the use of metal rings that insulate the fire pit material and the heat of the flames.

The newest innovation from one of Whiz-Q's partners is Pavestone's newest Rumbled Wall Fire Pit. This pit features a metal ring and removal grate, adhesive, Rumbled Wall stones, and lava rock to create an entire fire pit without making any cuts! The coolest thing about the grate is that it is removable. That way you can use your fire pit to cook! It is really a nice innovation and very easy to install.

When I began to write this blog on outdoor fire pits, I cam across this article below. It really explains in Layman's Terms the different types of fire pits and the pros to using natural gas or propane to ignite the flames. 

The Best Types of Outdoor Fire Pits

By Jeff Horn

The concept of having an outdoor fire pit is not really new. Traditionally, these decorative yet useful pieces were not so glamorous, in fact they consisted of a hole in the ground. Today, they have come a long way from their simple original version, offering potential customers a decorative and functional addition to their existing outdoor landscape. Types of outdoor fire pits can be numerous, but here are some of the most popular.

Tile & Stone

Many fire pit enthusiasts prefer a more refined and permanent type that blends in to the natural flow of the surrounding structures. The tile and stone types offer that convenience. Sizes vary from large landscape pieces to a smaller accessory, they can be tailored to the size limitations of urban or rural residences. Generally, the fire pits size should not exceed three feet.

These should also be a safe distance away from any structures, and before building one, be sure to check with the appropriate city office to determine if having one of these violates ordinances or fire codes.

The type of construction material used is crucial in determining long-term durability. For example, using granite, due to its non-porous qualities, will likely mitigate any cracking or major degradation to the fire pit. On the other hand, choosing a brick or other porous stone may put more risk to the overall integrity of the unit.

Metal or Steel

Steel fire pits take on a shape of their own. Many of these have a decorative and unique design that is ideal for allowing proper ventilation or admiring the fire dancing within the bowl itself.

There are basically two ways to go when it compares to metal or steel versions. A metal/steel bowl and a steel ring. Metal bowls are probably the most popular. They typically have 4 legs and are best suited for placement on the dirt or grass (since the metal can get really hot, it is not recommended to put on wood decks or other potentially flammable surfaces.

Propane or Gas

These are somewhat similar to their popular household BBQ counterparts. A gas or propane fire pit is simple and clean to own and maintain, and a typical kit comes with the special logs, hook ups, and rocks for decoration. Companies famous for their propane tanks (i.e. Blue Rhino) have entered the market to create good quality gas versions.

An immediate benefit to using gas pits is the obvious simplicity to use, quick cleanup and maintenance, and less restrictions when placing one in close spaces (since sparks and uncontrollable flames are not a huge issue). The downside of using this type is that it won't likely be as warm as the log fire versions, but then again, it also won't leave you smelling like smoke afterward.

Summary

All these choices offer a unique experience and you can't really go wrong with any of these. Choosing the right one for you is based on personal preference or outdoor limitations. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6323919

So what ever you choose to build your fire pit out of please be sure to take all of the safety precautions when planning, building, and enjoying your piece. It's also not a bad idea to have a fire extinguisher handy just in case. I know it may be unsightly, but it could prevent you from having ONLY a fire pit to enjoy.

Until next time happy building and please check out our website for different fire pit and fireplace options to add to your outdoor room! www.Whiz-Q.com

Derek Whisenand

Hardscape Specialist

Paving Stone Carpets

Whiz-Q Stone: Build the Lifestyle of Your Dreams

When we signed on to partner with Unilock a few years ago, we had already had a wonderful look on the design aspects and technology that the company brought to the paver industry. It is because of these extra efforts, that they are able to show various uses of product that only the imagination can tame. Unilock calls them "accents."

Whether the accents come in forms of a color band in a wall of paver walkway, or if it is a completely different product sunken into a field of pavers, accents are what help to bring elegance and uniqueness to the project.

In our displays we have implemented many of the different "accents" that Unilock and Pavestone products have to offer. Differences in texture, shape, size, and color play an important part when coming up with that one off design plan. The easiest and most popular way to implement accents in pavements and hardscapes is to install what is called a "Paving Stone Carpet." What is that you might ask? A "Carpet" is when different styles, shapes, or colors of pavers are used in a living area to create what would mimic a decorative area rug indoors.

With the use of different styles of pavers, carpets are installed and professionally cut into the existing field area of pavers and stone to create and designate a certain area. The following was found on Unilock's blog site that explains the use of carpets and what they add to a hardscape plan.

In the last eight years, what used to be simply a flat paver patio, has evolved into the creation of decorative and functional outdoor living spaces. Various elements of interior design are increasingly being incorporated into outdoor design. Just like in a home where the flooring will change to re-create a feeling or define a function, so can the pavers used within your outdoor room.

Let’s stop and think. What basic questions do you ask yourself when designing an interior room? The first thing you should look at is your space and what you are trying to accomplish. Is the room used as a gathering space or a quiet corner for relaxing? Base your decisions on your personal preferences about colors, textures, fabrics, furnishings and décor. One of the most important aspects of any room is the flooring. Consider the flooring you have in your kitchen, your living room or your entrance way. You may have some distinct flooring designs that help define those particular spaces and their function within the home. Why did you select carpet, wood or rugs for the various rooms? These flooring decisions define the room.

A term I hear a lot concerning this new design trend is "paver rugs". What is a "paver rug"? A paving stone rug is a designed inset within an existing paver area. It is generally done with complementary colors and products. It's a lot of fun to personalize your outdoor room. Within the rug area, use different products with unique textures, stone like appearances, and bold colors. They can be laid in different patterns to help define the area and add visual interest.

Many times outdoor rooms also have areas defined by vertical features as well, like seat walls, pillars, outdoor kitchens,water features, fire pits, and fireplaces. These features are great for helping you choose complementary products and colors for these distinct accents.

Aside from aesthetics, paver stone carpets can also be designed for function. For example, in a grilling or dining area,stain-resistant pavers are a logical choice and make for easy cleaning. You could complement that popular sunken fire pit or fireplace area with natural stone-like pavers that enhance that intimate outdoor feeling.

So when designing an outdoor space, take it to the next level and add a personal touch with paving stone carpets.

The use of Copthorne adds elegance to what would be a rather "bland" space inside of the beautiful Umbriano field.

So when you look at planning your hardscape area, remember the use of "carpets" and "accents" to create a uniqueness to your project.

To see "accents" and "carpets" in use, be sure to check our Whiz-Q's Lifestyle Gardens Display at Whiz-Q Stone in Fort Worth, Texas. For directions or a virtual tour, check out www.Whiz-Q.com.


Until next time,

Derek Whisenand

Planning is Everything: Establish a Hardscape Plan from the Starts

Whiz-Q Stone: Build the Lifestyle of Your Dreams
Too many times do I see homeowners distressed over their hardscaping needs. They come into Whiz-Q with multiple questions and concerns. Where to put the patio, what shape to make the flowerbeds, how tall to build a retaining wall. These are just a few of the questions that come into the minds of do-it-yourselfers as well as contractors that I speak to on a daily basis.
No matter what the project is, I always recommend establishing a hardscape plan before any shovel hits the dirt. By establishing a hardscape plan, you will be able to map out your entire project giving you a master plan to work off of. Even if the project is broken into several phases and completed over a period of time, it is still a good practice to work toward a common plan. By working on a master design, you will ensure that as your project progresses and will not reconfigure or re-do any previous phases.
A contractor friend of mine wrote an article explaining what hardscape design is and why it is necessary:

Hardscape design professionals generally do almost everything that a traditional landscaper does -- getting dirt under their fingernails on a daily basis -- but they add another element on top of the usual topiary, garden, and lawn details.

Hardscape design is exactly what it sounds like: making and executing a plan to use 'hard' materials such as concrete, brick, timber, metal (usually iron or copper) and the like to beautify an environment. Some hardscape design professionals also readily incorporate water features into their designs, as most fountains and such are 'hard' materials in the first place.

Landscaping makes most Americans think of cut grass, immaculate flowerbeds, and trimmed bushes arranged under trees whose leaves are meticulously raked up and disposed of once a week all autumn long. But as hardscaping becomes more popular countrywide (not only because it's new and different, but because it's easier to maintain as well) the idea of what it means to have your house 'scaped' is changing rapidly.

Hardscaping doesn't stop there, however -- many hardscape design professionals will also readily draw up plans for a patio, a barbeque pit, a deck, walkways, decorative retaining walls, exotic fences and gains, and even artistic sculptures as well! The applications of hardscape design are as varied and beautiful as any live garden -- just more permanent. But don't think that hard means large -- hardscapers will just as readily put together small details in an otherwise 'soft' environment. For example, having a Japanese-style concrete lantern or a copper Foo dog set up to grace your backyard is right up a hardscaper's alley.

Of course, any real project is going to have both hardscaping and 'softscaping' elements. Many hardscape design professionals started as traditional landscapers, so they can address both elements easily, but if you're working with a dedicated hardscaper, you may need to call in a more traditional landscape designer and have the two collaborate.

The first big question they need to answer is 'what comes first'? If you begin with the landscaping, the hardscaping itself -- which can be fairly intensive- labor and equipment wise -- can damage the plants and soft terrain. For this reason, starting with the hardscaping is usually wiser.

Once that decision is reached, it's time to design. Most people find that it's aesthetically pleasing to use the hardscape design elements to contrast either the building itself or the softscaped areas. As most modern houses are rigid, straight lines with somewhat visually harsh elements, hardscaping design professionals often suggest gentle, curved lines and rounded corners to contrast the house itself. In a natural, highly landscaped environment, however -- especially one that conceals the house from view -- it may be more effective to utilize straight lines and right angles to separate the hardscaping from the natural world around it.

So no matter what your project entails or what you are trying to create, by planning your outdoor area on paper first and establishing a hardscape design plan, your project will not only look amazing, but you will spend less effort and have less headaches in the completion process.

Remember as always, if you are looking for design help, inspiration for your outdoor room, or you just need some assistance planning, choosing product or installation methods, please do not hesitate to give Whiz-Q Stone in Fort Worth, Texas a call or visit our website at www.Whiz-Q.com.

Until next time,

Derek Whisenand
Hardscape Specialist

Saltwater Pools & Stone - A Love Affair That Can Go Crusty!

By: Sandy S Yeates

Wars and broken romances have one thing in common - collateral damage! The love affair between saltwater pool owners and natural stone may suffer the same fate if a bit of common sense isn't applied.

Salt can do nasty stuff to stone! The gnarled and heavily etched rock surfaces on the headlands of any Sydney surfing beach is testament to the power of salt, wind and wave action. Look very closely and you will discover an unassailable truth - some sandstone is amazingly resilient to nature's wildest forces while other types succumb horribly.

Stone survival on any coastline is very Darwinian - the strong survive and the weak disappear. The performance of stone paving material varies in the same way. Poor quality material doesn't last. This is especially so around saltwater pools. Traditionally chlorinated pools pose little risk to natural stone.

Salt can cause devastating damage to just about any building material whether it is metal, concrete or stone. Some stone is quite resistant to salt attack - a property that can be determined quite easily by laboratory testing. Some stone suppliers invest heavily in testing their stone to ensure that the product used is fit for the intended purpose. Businesses that provide this information deserve praise and are worthy of support, because too much poor quality stone is being sold by too many shoddy operators.

Salt water pools and sea spray in coastal areas can threaten some stone surfaces. Damage ranges from pitting and flaking through to delamination. Sealing will reduce the movement of salt laden moisture into the stone sub surface where most of the damage occurs. Regularly hosing down wet areas around a pool is the best prevention of all. Increasingly though, concerns about saving water or forgetfulness expose the stone to risk.

Sometimes salt damage occurs because of poor sub-surface drainage around the pool. Many soils are quite saline especially in the subsoil. After rain, soluble salts may rise to the surface permeating the stone from the under-surface. As the stone dries the salt forms crystals that expand in the tiny pores of the stone causing physical damage to the structure of the stone. In these cases salt damage to the stone is usually incorrectly attributed to the pool.

It is vital that stone is laid on properly drained surfaces (substrates) preferably with a waterproof membrane. This will eliminate the threat from below.

Sometimes damage to the stone has been caused by applying an inappropriate sealant. This comes as the biggest shock of all to homeowners because they think they have done the right thing by sealing. It is arguably better not to seal stone exposed to salt than to apply a surface sealer.

Surface sealers can trap soluble salts under the bonded surface layer. Once dry, the crystallised salt can exert such force to the upper layer of stone that it delaminates and flakes off.

If stone tiles are used around salt water pools, only penetrating sealers should be considered as they allow moisture if any exists, to escape from below the sealant film in the form of vapour. This doesn't happen with surface sealants.

Stone that is laid around the edges of the pool and for two or three layers back from the pool edge should be sealed on all six sides to prevent salt penetration. Adhesives should be used uniformly with no air pockets and grout joints should achieve a 100% coverage so that moisture carrying soluble salt has no chance of penetrating the stone.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandy_S_Yeates

Is a Base Really Necessary?

When installing any hardscape project whether it may be a retaining wall, patio or walkway, you expect the time and effort spent to result in many years of enjoyment.

So many times do I see do-it-yourselfers and some contractors for that matter skimp on the foundation of any great hardscape project. Just remember as you begin to build the lifestyle of your dreams in your backyard, the beauty is only going to last as long as the foundation it sits on.

Especially in Texas, we have a lot of clay soils. While these clay like soils are tough to dig and represent a hard, stable ground, they are all but not. Not to get too scientific, clay like soils act in a "heaving" and "contracting" matter. This means that as the soils absorb water they grow and swell. Being consisted mainly of clay, these soils tend to hold the water for long lengths of time, which in turn makes the soils moveable and very unstable.

In every installation whether it be a patio or retaining wall, a compacted base is neccessary. The material you use for a base may vary from project to project. For instance if you are looking to do a large flagstone patio where you plan to entertain and dine, you may want to pour a "scratch" cement base using Portland cement. However, if you are looking to do a concrete paver instead, then the base of choice would result in using a compacted aggregate and a bedding layer of sand.

While the material used for a base will result in the project and product being used, it is safe to say that any and all hardscape projects need to first be planned accordingly as well as taking all of the neccessary steps to ensure that the project will stand the test of time and offer many years of enjoyment. With the proper base preparation to any project, you will be loving your landscape worry free year after year.

For additional assistance in figuring the proper base material for your project or if you are seeking help to determine estimating or choosing product, please give us a call at 800-648-4551 or visit our website http://www.whiz-q.com/. We will be glad to help you Build the Lifestyle of Your Dreams.

-Derek Whisenand

TimberCreek Zero Energy House

Whiz-Q partnered with Pavestone to sponsor this energy efficient home. The TimberCreek Zero House was the official Show House of the 2009 Sunbelt Builders Show™. The TimberCreek Zero Energy House is a 2500 square foot demonstration project for the Department of Energy’s “Building America” program to encourage homeowners and builders to take the next step in living and building in a more fiscally and environmentally sensible manner.
Steve Akin, CDC Sales for Pavestone, submitted the two Pavestone videos at the link below. Steve says that perm paving is the wave of the future, both in harvesting rainwater and controling flow into city sewage systems.

Pavestone Surfaces and Pervious Driveway

Backyard Pavestone

All Zero Energy Videos: The TimberCreek Zero Energy House Videos