StoneMakers Blog

I, Stonemakers Dealer Ryan Miller recently finished my first job at Frank Blanchard's home in Pensacola Florida. Frank was medically discharged after he was blown up by a RPG in a special ops mission. He and his service dog Violet love the work from Stone Works USA and Stone Maker Products.

As part of their commitment to the men and women who serve in the US Armed Forces, StoneMakers has launched a program to give back to those that served.  Along the lines of “Extreme Home Makeover”, Stonemakers will be donating a backyard makeover monthly to a deserving disabled veteran.

A retaining wall is known as a section of wall that's put into place to landscape the side of a sloping lawn. Sometimes they are added to simply maintain the area from eroding or washing away due to weather. These retaining walls may well be made from concrete, large rocks, decorative slabs or even railroad ties.

Swimming pool waterfalls will add an affect of drama to an otherwise mundane inground swimming pool. In addition to the form and style of a typical pool itself, the location of your pool and the surrounding landscape can play a factor in deciding which type of waterfall best matches the swimming pool. Waterfalls can connect two separate pools, add a touch of nature while masking something very unnatural or make the horizon indistinguishable from the pool itself.

Nearly anything that you cook on your BBQ grill is definitely just as good and maybe better on your fire pit. There is definitely a spark of magic which seems to come from cooking in this very natural, unadulterated way that makes you feel at one with nature. Our ancestors have been cooking on open flames for centuries.

Backyard water features have now become the most trendy home decor accessory. Decorating your outdoor areas with beautiful water features can bring out the beauty of your backyard as well as your outdoor space. Water is renowned for its healing and relaxing powers making backyard water features the best ways to put together refreshing, warm and soothing environment in the backyard.

Saturday, August 13, 2011,  Stonemakers competes on the popular D.I.Y. Network program ‘Turf Wars’.

Creating a backyard retreat is like adding additional  rooms to a home.   Outdoor kitchens, patios and for a peaceful setting, water features. Large or small, water features add serenity to a backyard. The tranquil sound of trickling water is  a great way to unwind after a long day.  Here are 7 reasons to consider adding a waterfall or pondless waterfall to  backyard projects.

After four days of  hard work, learning and a whole lot of fun, Stonemakers wrapped up the first new dealer training of the year on January 21, 2011, in Orlando, FL.  Lead by David Montoya, founder and president, 11 new dealers were trained and licensed to install retaining walls and hardscape features using the Stonemakers system for stacking and carving concrete.  Here are the new dealers that were in attendance:

o    Mike Gates, Preferred Landscape Inc., Cedar Springs, MI  
o    Brad Matthews, Lasting Impressions Decorative Concrete, Conway,AR    
o    Chris Wolfe, Nostalgic Stone, Denver, CO   
o    John Giusto, Giusto Landscaping LLC, Byfield, MA   
o    Chuck Bryson, A & C Concrete LLC, Mechanicsville, MD  
o    Charlie    Allen, New Life Nurseries, Inc., Melbourne, FL    
o    Micheal Jones, MJMJ Enterprises DBA Artscapes, Gurley, AL  
o    Steve Thoms, Thoms Bros. Landscaping, Rochester, MI  
o    Jim Ayers, Ayers Drywall, Insulation & Supply, Inc., Lincoln, AR   
o    Matt Otero, Designs By Stonescapes, Commerce City, CO    www.designsbystonescapes.com
o    Brent Montry, Tri state Basement Repair, Richland Center, WI   

Here's a look at the project: