With the 2022 Ontario garden season in full swing, be sure to include these three common landscape supplies to help you get the most out of your landscape design. There are some great landscape design trends, and using Armour Stone, Non-Woven Geotextile, and Stone Screening will help your project be beautiful and functional long term.
Continue reading below to learn more about each product, creative ways to use it, and installation recommendations so you can execute your design like a professional.
Armour Stone
What is it? Armour stone is a natural quarry stone, used for it’s durability and resistance to wear and erosion. Most armour stone walls are between three and four feet tall. Some great trends this year are to use armour stone as a garden wall, separate areas within your property, create points of interest, or even as natural stairways.
How to use it.
- Determine the length, width, and height of the armour stone wall being built. This will be necessary to accurately calculate the number of stones required for your project.
- Create a level trench that allows for geosynthetics and screening to be placed underneath your armour stone.
- Lay your chosen geosynthetic. Our recommendation is non-woven geotextile. This will help keep weeds from growing under your armour stone and keep your trench level over time.
- Stamp down at least 2” – 4” of screening on top of your geosynthetic.
- Stack the armour stone, offsetting them.
If you have additional questions, we’re here to help on-site at 5377 Elcho Road, Wellandport. Or both phone and email at 905-386-1744 or sales@ontarioagra.ca.
Non-Woven Geotextile
What is it? Non-woven geotextile is a needle-punched fabric. Made of 100% polypropylene fibres which are formed into a random network for dimensional stability. Non-woven geotextiles are most frequently used for subsurface drainage, soil separation, filtration, and erosion & sediment control. Geotextiles restrict soil particles while allowing liquids and gases to easily pass through.
How to use it.
- Prepare the surface by removing grass and other obstructions to create level and compacted soil.
- Unroll the geotextile fabric and pin it in place, always overlap your fabric seems.
- Apply your aggregate. For patios or walkways, we recommend 3/8” chip stone underneath your pavers.
Some core reasons to use geotextiles under your next stone project include:
- Reducing the amount of screening required for your project.
- Creating a barrier to prevent your aggregate from migrating into the soil over time.
- Resisting and suppressing weeds.
- Acting as a drainage filter under your gravel.
Screening Versus ⅜” Chip Stone
Screening is among the most common drainage aggregates for stonework such as patios, walkways, or even crushed stone driveways. From our experience, there is one major con with traditional screening, compaction. When compacted over time, traditional screening will wick the water away rather than drain it through. This is because screening hasn’t been washed, causing the fine particles to paste together. This can lead to shifting or de-levelling of your stone projects over time. You’ll also notice stickier, dirtier shoes when walking on compacted screening if used for driveways or other projects where it remains exposed.
That’s why we recommend 3/8” High-Performance Bedding (HPB) Chip Stone. It can be used for all of the same landscaping projects as screening, but with better long term results. When compacted, HPB will continue to drain water well, maintain level, and reduce mess.
Whatever project you’re planning, we have the materials and expertise to help make it a little bit easier.
(905) 386-1744 | sales@ontarioagra.ca | 5377 Elcho Road, Wellandport, ON
