Monday, October 28, 2013

Modern Patio Design



http://www.landscapingnetwork.com Get ideas for modern patio design. See how concrete, pea gravel, and decomposed granite are used on this modern patio design to create a look that ties into the rest of the yard

Friday, October 25, 2013

Relaxing Backyard Makeover


Ahmed gives this backyard a brand-new look with floating decks and more. This video is part of Yard Crashers show hosted by Ahmed Hassan . SHOW DESCRIPTION :You never know what you'll be bringing home from the home improvement store. You go in for grass seed but come home with new patio chairs and a bag of cement. If you're lucky enough, you could also bring home a professional landscape contractor. On DIY Network's Yard Crashers, expert Ahmed Hassan waits at stores looking for the perfect weekend warriors who could definitely use his help. Once he finds his target, Ahmed and his team follow the surprised shoppers home and completely transform their yards.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Outdoor Family Rooms



These homeowners' backyards are transformed into cool outdoor family rooms.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Mulch Is Great For New Plants



At Dixon Landscape Materials we have always sold a lot of Black Mulch and had trouble keeping enough of it in stock, so now we stock 100 yards of it at a time!

Sunday, October 13, 2013

We've Got Stone, Block, Pavers, Retaining Wall Materials In Stock






Come check out the brick, block, paver, wall stone and much more in stock ready to go. What we may not have, we can get very quickly. Sometimes you can even get a special deal on some leftover items. Stop by and check it out.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

At Dixon Landscape Materials, We Have U Haul Concrete!




At Dixon Landscape Materials, we have U Haul Concrete! We installed this system last winter and it is a great benefit for small jobs in and around the area.

It's very expensive to get a full load of concrete and now you can get just enough for some of those smaller jobs and have concrete with the right mix in a hurry. The special trailers keep the concrete mixing so that it doesn't dry out before you get to the job site.

Give us a call at 707-678-8200.

Monday, October 7, 2013

3 Steps to a Beautiful Stone Walkway in Your Yard


How often have you dreamed of having a lovely stone walkway through your yard or garden? Perhaps you've imagined how it will look, but have never had the financial resources to carry out your plans. Stone walkways can not only beautify your yard but also add solidity to walking paths with long-lasting practical use. If you're on a limited budget but still want to create amazingly unique stone paths, consider using concrete stone molds. Outlined below are three simple steps to realizing your dream.
1. Purchase Stone Molds
Instead of buying pre-made manufactured stones, consider buying plaster molds so you can make your own. With concrete molds, you'll buy the materials needed to make stones and then pick and choose from various coloring and mold designs to get the desired look. This enables you to achieve a truly matchless yard decor without spending a fortune on manufactured stones. You can buy one or two molds or a larger batch depending on the number of stones you'll need. Measure how many stones you'll likely need for your path before getting started. Also, determine if you want cobblestone, castle stone molds or another design.
2. Buy Materials
The second step is to buy the materials needed to use your concrete stone molds. Landscape stones can be created using a bag of premix concrete, water and a shovel. Then you'll also buy special coloring, additive and a sealer to create your "footprint design" for each stone. Or, make your stones plain gray if so desired. You'll need vegetable oil to lubricate the stone molds so you can remove the stones easily after hardening.
When you purchase cement molds, make sure the molds come with easy-to-follow instructions. You can order concrete stone molds online and even read the instructions on the Web to see how simple the process is before buying. Some sites offer stone mold kits with everything you need plus 25 or more molds. This makes it a cinch to get started...and you don't have to attend brick masonry class to do it! Also, be sure the molds are of good quality and won't break or crack under pressure when it's time to remove your stones. Some are made of more durable materials to withstand the hardening and pressure.
3. Lay Your Stones
You can create stone paths in your yard as wide or narrow as needed. Then plant bushes or flowers alongside the stone paths to enhance your yard even more. Place a lovely stone path to your front porch or rear patio. Line your garden with stone paths to break it up in sections. This makes it easier to stroll through your yard after heavy rains, without getting your shoes wet.
Once you create a stone path, be sure to enhance your yard with other accessories such as garden fountains, statues, bird houses/baths, bird feeders, hammocks, etc. Your yard will never look the same, and you'll feel a sense of achievement after creating your own charming paths with concrete stone molds.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5078590

Friday, October 4, 2013

Different Types of Paving Stones for Landscaping a Property

Ideally, when laying paving stones the design, size and color choices chosen should be able to integrate effortlessly into the existing landscape. And provided you do not let aesthetics interfere with the safety aspects, the design and type of paving used is only limited by your budget and imagination. Irrespective of the type of paving stone used, from a simple to complex job, it pays to take into consideration the rest of a properties landscaping to ensure the overall design fits in perfectly.
Landscaping with a choice of paving stones offers a perfect opportunity to increase the value of a property and increase curb side appeal without spending a great deal of money. Design ideas are almost endless, with a choice to enhance the everyday driveways or walkways to creating attractive features around garden beds, swimming pools, or patio areas.
Paving stones come in a wide variety of choices, with some of the most common consisting of -
Brick - a brick paving stone is known for its high versatility, strength, and durability. A typical brick paver is manufacture with sand, cement, water, and fine aggregates, which is combined together and heated in a kiln to an extremely high temperature to create the finished article.
Concrete - a concrete paving stone offers a multitude of landscaping opportunities and comes with a great choice in relation to design, style, and color options. Easy to install, the concrete slabs are durable, strong, versatile, low-maintenance, and perfect for all climate conditions.
Stone - a naturally sourced stone paving stone is either collected from a rock outcrop or mined from a quarry. As stone pavers do not go through a manufacturing process, as would be seen with the brick and concrete stones, a number of unique qualities feature. Also, because of the steps taken to source this material, the slabs can be quite a bit more expensive than there man-made alternatives. However, due to the quality appearance of the stone pavers these are still extremely popular for a lot of external applications.
Interlocking - the interlocking paving stone is designed to join each connecting stone together to stop the other stones from shifting or moving. Most often the interlocking stones are manufactured in both concrete and cement to give a very hard-wearing and versatile construction. And due to not requiring mortar to lay these stones, they are considered to be the easiest to install. It is often a simple case of laying a sand base and joining each of the slabs together. These interlocking stones are perfect for the main driveways, walkways, or decking areas.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7233332

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Checklist For Patio Building

You have decided to build a patio. There are many things to consider when building a patio or pergola so it is a good idea to have check list on hand to ensure you are tackling the right things at the right time.
1) First on the check list is to make sure you have secured all of the approvals and permissions to build your pergola or patio. Each council has different rules and regulations, and heritage listed houses will be even further limited as to scope. So be sure to get the paperwork in order before you do anything else.
2) Next on the list of things to do is the choice of whether to self build or hire a contractor. There are a number of factors that will influence this decision.
  • Do you have the skills to build your own structure? Or perhaps do you have mates that can you ask to help?
  • Do you have the right tools to build or if not, can they be hired easily and cost effectively?
  • Can you afford to hire a contractor, as this is another option to consider?
3) After you know that you are allowed to build a patio, and who is going to build it, the next step is to establish a budget. What can you afford? Can you afford to hire a company to come and do all the work for you or do you have build it yourself?
A tighter budget might mean buying a kit or going on readily available plans from a library or hardware store, where as a larger budget will mean selective the best option from a catalogue. Your budget will not only influence design, it will also influence material selection. Make sure you keep your budget in mind when making these important decisions.
4) Design, style and layout are the next on the list. How the patio functions and looks is your step when building a patio.
  • Will it be attached to house or free standing?
  • Will it be covered and how? A shade cloth, PVC or a retractable roof cover?
  • Does the style complement your house in the context of your property?
  • Will the patio be appropriate to your lifestyle? Large, small, wrapping around the house?
  • Do you need any special considerations such as ramps, railings or built in cooking equipment?
  • Will you require windows, sliding doors, planter boxes or lattice work?
5) The final stage on your road to patio completion is to decide on the materials you would like to use.
The materials you select will depend greatly on your budget and also the style of your patio. A modern, custom designed affair would most likely suit the more modern materials such as powder coated metals and new plastics and composites. Where as a more traditional structure aside an older house will most likely suit timber and more natural materials. Your budget will also have to be considered when choosing materials for the structure and the roof cover. However, do keep in mind that investing in good quality, durable materials will save you time and money in repairs and maintenance in the long run.
With this basic patio check list, you can be sure that you have covered all the major concerns before you begin building your patio or pergola.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4922448