Natural Thin Stone Veneer II

Continuing on our series on Kirby Stone Company's natural thin stone veneer, this post will incorporate some distinctions and comparisons of our natural thin stone veneer and a man made or concrete thin product.  

First let's view just a portion of the distinctions of Kirby Stone Company's natural thin stone veneer:

• Durable
• Easy to clean
• Low maintenance
• Consistent colors-natural stone will not deface colors
• Easily installed
• All colors are unique, no predetermined pattern
• Entirely natural
• Proven material used over many centuries
• Natural thin stone veneer allows for unique, creative patterning
• Abundantly available
• Looks just like a full thickness stone material

Now we can notate some of the disadvantages of a cultured, man made, or concrete thin product:

• Unnatural appearance
• Possibility of fading, cracking, staining
• Dyed concrete aggregates allow for possible chipping and fading to reveal interior aggregates
• Not easily manipulate for installation purposes
• Predictable colors 
• Composed of cement, aggregates, and chemicals
• Warranties are necessary to promote product
• Defined, predictable patterns produced from a set of molds
• Prone to fading

**Note:  There is a reason the concrete products are commonly referred to as "fake stone".  There is only one way to go if you truly want REAL STONE.**

While these are some distinct differences, there are some overwhelming similarities, which again make Kirby Stone Company's natural thin stone veneer even more appealing.

• Both products weigh less than traditional, full depth stone
• Both are installed using similar application strategies
• Both allow for precut corner pieces, creating the appearance of full depth material
• Price is very competitive
• Neither require a footing or brick ledge for installation

**Note:  For those who just thought natural thin stone veneer was not a cost effective measure, think again.  A natural stone is an absolutely efficient, effective and logical material to use on your next project.**

To summarize this post, Kirby Stone Company's natural thin stone veneer is an advantageous product.  This is an all natural material, with a tremendous wide range of possible color selections.  Our natural thin stone veneer allows for a unique possibility of blends and patterns to call your own.  Again, the most appealing reality is that Kirby Stone Company's natural thin stone veneer is natural, not made with cement products.

When analyzing and assessing the best scenario for your next project, the question shouldn't be whether to use a natural or manufactured product, the question should be whether to use Kirby Stone Company's natural thin stone veneer or Kirby Stone Company's full depth natural stone.  We can help establish the best option for your project and assure you are making the best decision by relying on the expertise from Kirby Stone Company, LLC.

Until next time, be sure to contact our Sales Team with any questions and we will be glad to do what it takes to help you along the way.

WWW.KIRBYSTONE.COM

NATURAL STONE FUNDAMENTALS: Benefits of Natural Stone

When beginning a new project, whether the project entails new construction of a residential or commercial development or the renovation of a pre-existing project, perhaps a patio or fireplace, the use of natural stone grants the user the benefit of several characteristics and qualities that will distinguish the project and provide you with the satisfaction of a high-quality finished product. The benefits of using natural stone in your next project include all of the following:

Unique

Limestone with Fossils - Approx. 20 million years old

Natural stone is manufactured by the earth itself, and the aesthetics of the stone are often affected by the weather and other environmental conditions, making most stone unique to the region in which it is quarried. Every slab of natural stone has characteristics distinctive to that particular stone. The benefit of such a characteristic ensures an appearance within a landscaping or construction project that is truly one of a kind.

Enduring

The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas

The earth produces natural stone over a period of millions of years, and stone is featured in some of the largest architectural feats in history. Many of these historic landmarks utilizing the benefits of natural limestone or sandstone include the Alamo, the pyramids of Egypt (limestone), the City of Pompeii and many other projects from the beginning of civilization to modern times. When using natural stone, you can be assured your project will endure several lifetimes!

Timeless

Empire State Building - New York, New York

Utilizing natural limestone and sandstone promotes a distinct sustained resource that provides depth and contrast to the design aspects of a project. The durability and strength of natural stone and the variations of colors and textures contribute to a wealth of design ideas that will outlast any construction fad and withstand the test of time.

Beautiful

Prince Edward Islands - Sandstone Arch

When thinking about natural stone’s qualities, no one characteristic is more vital than the stone’s beauty. This trait is the sum total of natural stone’s unique, enduring and timeless qualities. The variation in texture and color from one stone to the next, the stone’s innate ability to endure and the intrinsic value of a design that promotes aesthetics from era to era all prove natural stone to be an asset to any project.

For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

Be sure to follow us on:

KIRBY STONE PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Cascada at Canyon Lake

Cascada at Canyon Lake – Exterior Signage

The Team

Design Firm: A-Design by Gustavo Arredondo, San Antonio, Texas
Landscape Design: TBG Partners, San Antonio, Texas
Developer: Stadler & Leatham Development, Bulverde, Texas
Masonry Contractor: JM Castillo Masonry, San Antonio, Texas

The Project

With the entrance completed in 2009, Cascada at Canyon Lake is one the Spring Branch, Texas’ newest master planned communities. Situated north of San Antonio, the project is located near Canyon Lake and the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country. Amidst these natural attractions, Cascada at Canyon Lake is a luxurious hill country playground with large lots for new custom homes. Home builders within the community currently include Stadler Custom Homes and VERITAS Custom Home Builders.

For more information regarding Cascada at Canyon Lake, including local amenities, available lots and more, please visit them online HERE.

Cascada at Canyon Lake – Guard House & Gated Entrance

The Stone

The stone selection for the Cascada at Canyon Lake project is Kirby Premium Cave natural limestone, originating from Kirby Stone Company’s limestone quarry located in Salado, Texas. Our first Kirby Premium Cave project, we were oringinally skeptical of the stone’s ability to stand on its own, due to the dark colors and hard textures associated with this natural limestone product. However, as Kirby Stone Company, LLC has always done, we accommodated Bron Leatham’s vision for the development, and Kirby Stone Company, LCC was excited to be part of such a unique, beautiful project.

As one reviews these photos of the project in the blog, you will notice the predominance of an extremely rough texture and rustic color throughout the project’s community walls and entrance design. The color and texture of the natural limestone is complimented well by the rust-colored wrought iron, and the total package blends well with the natural landscape of the Texas Hill Country.

Laid in an ashlar pattern, the Kirby Premium Cave natural limestone has been prepared into a sawn, chopped form. Ranging from four inches to ten inches in face height, the Kirby Premium Cave limestone is sawn on the top and bottom with rough, split faces on the remaining sides.

Cascada at Canyon Lake – Community Walls

For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

Be sure to follow us on:

STONE SHOWCASE: Hill Country Blend

Product Description

Kirby Stone Company, LLC’s Hill Country Blend consists of a unique blend of natural limestone colors. Predominantly Kirby Cream, additional limestone colors include Salado Gold and Kirby White. Upon request, the ratio of cream, gold and white natural limestone may be altered to accommodate your project.


Hill Country Blend natural limestone is most often paired with a white mortar, which helps each individual stone unit stand out effectively.

Kirby Stone Company’s Hill Country Blend limestone is quarried in Salado, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s natural limestone products, please visit our website.

Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Kirby Cream natural limestone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.

• Sawn Chopped Stone
  

• Thin Veneer Chopped Stone
  

• Sawn Patio Stone
  

• Sawn Hearths and Lintels

For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

Be sure to follow us on:

KIRBY STONE PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: Baytown Fire Station No. 6

The Team

Architectural Firm: BRW Architects, College Station, Texas

General Contractor: R. Hassell Builders, Houston, Texas
Masonry Contractor: Acme Constructors Inc., Houston, Texas

The Project

Completed within the first quarter of 2011, Baytown Fire Station No. 6 is the first new fire station in Baytown, Texas in approximately thirty-five years. The new fire station consists of approximately 10,000 square feet and is now functional and occupied by the Baytown Fire Department.

The Stone

The natural stone selection for this project originates from Kirby Stone Company’s limestone quarry located in Salado, Texas. One will notice the predominance of rustic color within a majority of the project’s walls. This natural limestone, consisting of approximately 95% of the project masonry façade, is most commonly referred to as “Nicotine” limestone among the natural stone community. The remaining 5% of masonry uses a bold, rust-colored stone most commonly named “Cave Stone”.

Laid in an ashlar pattern, the predominant natural limestone observed is Nicotine in a sawn, chopped form. Ranging from four inches to eight inches in face height, the Nicotine limestone is sawn on the top and bottom with rough, split faces on the remaining sides. In addition to the primary natural stone, the Cave limestone is utilized as an accent throughout the facility as well as other natural stone components of the property, including the refuse and fence columns. The Cave limestone provides a subtle, yet noticeable, complement to the Nicotine. Similar to the Nicotine limestone, the Cave limestone is also sawn on the top and bottom while the remaining sides maintain a rough, split-faced finish.

Complemented by the thick, dark cedar-esque siding, the Kirby Stone Company Nicotine and Cave natural limestone products offer a rustic, natural aesthetic consistent with a majority of BRW-College Station’s previous projects, many of which have gone on to win design awards. Headquartered in Baytown, Texas, Kirby Stone Company is proud to be a part of such a tremendous project adding to and upgrading our very own local heroes, the Baytown Fire Department.

For more information regarding Kirby Stone Company, LLC or our quarry-direct
natural stone products, please feel to visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

Be sure to follow us on:

STONE SHOWCASE: Desert Sunset

Product Description

Kirby Stone Company, LLC’s Desert Sunset natural sandstone product will truly make any project type unique. The stone blend includes an array of radiant colors within the spectrum of yellow, from a soft yellow to a bold gold. Complementing Desert Sunset natural sandstone products with darker trim accents will ensure your project stands out from ordinary!

Kirby Stone Company’s Desert Sunset is most effectively used with a tan mortar color. As with many of Kirby Stone Company’s natural sandstone products, it assists in providing a natural aesthetic.

Desert Sunset natural sandstone is quarried in Lometa, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s Desert Sunset natural sandstone products, please visit the Desert Sunset portion of our website. You may get there immediately by clicking HERE.

Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Desert Sunset natural sandstone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.

• Quarry Chopped Stone
  
• Sawn Chopped Stone
  
• Thin Veneer Chopped Stone
  
• 3” to 5” Flagstone
  
• 4” to 6” Flagstone
  
• Thin Veneer Flagstone
  
• 1” to 3” Split Patio Stone
  
• Sawn Patio Stone
  
• Sawn Hearths and Lintels
  
• Sawn Blocks

For more information regarding all of our stone products,
please visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC online at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com.

Be sure to "Follow Us":

STONE SHOWCASE: Kirby Cream

Product Description

Kirby Cream natural limestone, quarried in Salado, Texas, offers a rustic aesthetic with a variation of light colors and tints. Kirby Cream limestone includes a spectrum of cream and beige hues, creating more depth and texture within the appearance of a project.

Kirby Cream natural limestone is most often paired with a white mortar, which assists in providing the uniform color scheme our clients often desire when utilizing this natural stone product.

Kirby Cream limestone is quarried in Salado, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s natural limestone products, please visit the Kirby Cream portion of our website. You may get there immediately by clicking HERE.

Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Kirby Cream natural limestone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.

• Sawn Chopped Stone
• Thin Veneer Chopped Stone
• Sawn Patio Stone
• Sawn Hearths and Lintels
• Sawn Blocks
• Mill Blocks

For more information, please visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC online at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

STONE SHOWCASE: Chocolate Blend

Product Description

Aptly named for the colors of this unique sandstone blend, Kirby Stone Company’s Chocolate Blend Natural Sandstone products offer a warm, chocolate colors ranging from a light mocha (almost tan) to a very dark chocolate. The natural sandstone blend is easily recognized by the color scheme and the stone’s unique striations, or stripes through some of the stone. In addition, many chocolate blend pieces have differing colors on each side of the stone, so you can make your project as light or dark as you see fit. Chocolate Blend natural sandstone is well-suited with a tan, or buckskin, mortar.

Aesthetically, the tan mortar color assists in maintaining the chocolate colors of the stone. Chocolate Blend sandstone is quarried in Lometa, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s Chocolate Blend natural sandstone products, please visit the Autumn Blend portion of our website. You may get there immediately by clicking HERE.

Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Chocolate Blend natural sandstone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.

• Quarry Chopped Stone
  
• Sawn Chopped Stone
• Thin Veneer Chopped Stone
  
• 3” to 5” Flagstone
  
• 4” to 6” Flagstone
  
• Thin Veneer Flagstone
  
• Sawn Patio Stone
  
• Sawn Hearths and Lintels
  
• Sawn Blocks

For more information, please visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC online at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

The Great Big Texas Home Show...REVISITED!!!

It is Kirby Stone Company, LLC’s hope some of our fans (and future clients!) took advantage of the opportunity to participate in this year’s Great Big Texas Home Show at Cowboy Stadium. The event took place on the weekend of March 11 - 13, 2011, and due to its enormous success, the dates for the 2012 Great Big Texas Home Show have already been set for March 9 - 11, 2012. Be sure and mark your calendars to ensure you do not miss another opportunity to build new ideas and dreams with the variety of products, services in builders in attendance!


This year, Kirby Stone Company, LLC had a fantastic opportunity to participate in the show as a preferred supplier of the Idea Home built by Sandlin Custom Homes. Through our grand partnership with Acme Brick Company, Kirby Stone Company, LLC was given this chance to supply and showcase our Chocolate Blend Flagstone/Builders on the Idea Home. A blog post from Wednesday, March 9, 2011 details the specifics about color, shape and size of this natural sandstone product.


As you may notice, this post includes several photos of the completed Idea Home, showcasing a stunning combination of brick and stone. Both of these building products were distributed by Acme Brick Company. In addition to the product utilized by Acme Brick for this project, Kirby Stone Company, LLC has an tremendous array of natural stone selections, both natural sandstone and limestone, to suit your needs. Go to www.kirbystone.com and take five minutes to request a Product Guide to learn more about our variety of products and how they may suitable to your needs!


Enjoy the photos and be sure to contact Kirby Stone Company when you are ready to order your natural stone products. We are ready to be your expert in all stone topics from the beginning of the design stage to the installed finished product.


We want to send a big “Thank You!” to all of the people involved with the Great Big Texas Home Show, especially to Sandlin Custom Homes and Acme Brick Company. We would also like to send a special thanks to Knight Lawn and Landscape Management for providing the photos from the show. If you are in the McKinney or surrounding areas be sure to check out Knight Lawn and Landscape Management for any of your landscaping needs. They are a high quality, family-owned business ready to help beautify your outdoors.

Please note, according to Sandlin Custom Homes' website, nearly all of the materials, including the natural sandstone, from the 2011 Idea Home will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Thank you to our followers as well! Check back very soon for another teaching installment on our natural stone products.

For more information about Kirby Stone Company, LLC, please visit our website at:

www.KIRBYSTONE.com

STONE SHOWCASE: Kirby White

Product Description

Chalky in nature, Kirby White natural limestone, quarried in Salado, Texas, is a bright white limestone with a relatively uniform color scheme. Occasionally, due to the inherent variances in natural stone, a handful of Kirby White natural limestone also has additional color (typically cream). Nevertheless, with Kirby White natural limestone, you can be certain you will receive the very best in natural stone quality, coverage and customer service.

Kirby White natural limestone is typically used with a white mortar, which assists in providing the uniform color scheme our clients often desire when utilizing this natural stone product.

Kirby White limestone is quarried in Salado, Texas. For more information or photographs pertaining to Kirby Stone Company’s Kirby White natural limestone products, please visit the Autumn Blend portion of our website. You may get there immediately by clicking HERE.

Product Availability

Kirby Stone Company’s Kirby White natural limestone products are available in a variety of different styles and product types. A full list of available products is listed below. Should you have any questions regarding terminology, you may access Kirby Stone Company’s Stone 101 Lessons by clicking HERE.

• Sawn Chopped Stone

• Thin Veneer Chopped Stone

• 3” to 5” Flagstone

• Thin Veneer Flagstone

• 1" to 3" Split Patio Stone

• Sawn Patio Stone

• Sawn Hearths and Lintels

• Sawn Blocks

• Mill Blocks
  

For more information regarding all of our stone products, please visit Kirby Stone Company, LLC online at www.KIRBYSTONE.com.

TUNE IN NEXT MONDAY

“NATURAL STONE FUNDAMENTALS SERIES: Quarrying Natural Stone”

PROJECT PROFILE: Fidelity Investments Southwest Region Headquarters - Phase II (Westlake, Texas)

General Contractor: The Beck Group
Architectural Firm: HKS Architects
Masonry Contractor: Texas Stone and Tile

Situated upon approximately 315 acres of the Circle T Ranch in Westlake, Texas, the second phase of Fidelity Investments’ Southwest Region Headquarters is nearing completion. With HKS Architects, Inc. (http://www.hksinc.com/) as the design firm associated with Phase I, they along with The Beck Group (http://www.beckgroup.com/) have lead the design and construction management portions of the Phase II Building as well. Phase II of the project will share many similar features as Phase I, including the building’s location within a wooded campus overlooking a large lake. In addition to its surroundings, Phase II will also have a similar aesthetic appeal and layout, with a primarily natural stone exterior and a three-winged floor plan.

Also similar to Phase I, The Beck Group contracted Texas Stone and Tile (http://www.texasstone.com/) to be responsible for the masonry portion of Phase II’s development. Further, Texas Stone and Tile selected Kirby Stone Company, LLC to provide them with the natural stone for the project and deliver it directly from our sandstone quarry in Lometa, Texas. According to William Kelley, Kirby Stone Company’s sandstone quarry manager, Phase II of the Fidelity Southwest Regional Headquarters has used natural stone on approximately 135,000 square feet of the Phase II’s exterior and interior surfaces, including common areas such as stairwells and the cafeteria. An area of that magnitude calculates to approximately 3,000 tons of Kirby Stone Company’s Cimarron and Autumn Blend stone supplying Texas Stone and Tile from our 1,700 acre sandstone quarry.

The sandstone product used in the Phase II Building include a ratio of approximate 85% of 3” to 5” veneer flagstone to about 15% regular chopped stone. In addition, as mentioned previously, the blend used for this project is primarily Cimarron Blend with some Autumn Blend features as well.

Completion of Phase II of the Fidelity Corporate Headquarters is currently scheduled for June 2009.

For more information about Kirby Stone Company, LLC, our portfolio and our prodcuts, please visit us at our newly redesigned website.

www.KIRBYSTONE.com