Rock In Concrete

Here I would like to share some photos of some work using rock set into concrete. The employee who does this for me is becoming a master of it, and our previous examples of this type of work, keep generating me more business.




The path above runs along the side of this particular property, and around to a back terrace, via a vegetable garden and garden shed.

This technique can be used in a variety of applications, and is very versatile in the shapes that can be achieved. It has the added benefit of using material found locally.

We also used the same technique to create these steps down from the terrace.

This gazebo had the same rock installed as the transition from the garden grass to the tiled floor of what will be an outside kitchen.

On another property, we begin a path thats right against the side of the house.

We used all local stone, picked by hand close by. The top of the stone obviously has to be quite flat. Finding the right stone for the job is what takes the time with this work.

The funny triangle in the above picture where it joins with the tiled terrace is ready for a rock wall to be built behind it. I will discuss these walls in another post.

Around this particular project we used the same technique in different areas. Above is a small set of steps to overcome a small height difference.

Below it is used to make up an area between a planting bed and the back of the house.

Below are some pictures of its actual production. As you can see, we form up the path first along its sides, and then place the rock in concrete. Slopes for water drainage are determined during the forming of the sides. This way we can keep the path flat as he adds the rock by checking it fits under a level placed across the form work.

The concrete for setting the stone finishes shy of the finished level. After it is done, we add a cement slurry mix as the 'grout'.

The stone are totally covered by the slurry.

The slurry is then cleared off the stone with a sponge.

It can be a long job, especially when hunting for the right rock, but when finished the client receives a strong, durable, long lasting walkway, that is attractive and unions the entire project with its surrounding landscape.