What are decorative aggregates?
Decorative aggregates are small stones used for decorative purposes. They can be used to cover areas of your garden, or they can be used to create features such as water features or rockeries. What’s more, decorative aggregates have many other uses around the house.
First things first: you’ll need to know what kind of decorative aggregate you’re looking for before you start shopping around. There are three main types: crushed stone (also known as “gravel”), pea gravel and sandstone, each with their own pros and cons depending on how they will be used in your project.
Crushed stone is typically coarse-grained and found in shades ranging from grey to black, though it can also come in reds and whites; it’s a great choice if your top priority is cost because it’s very affordable relative to other types of decorative aggregates. However, because crushed stone comes in such a wide range of sizes – from fine dust particles all the way up through rocks weighing several pounds each – it doesn’t fit well into tight spots where there isn’t much room between individual pieces.
Why use Decorative Aggregates instead of Concrete?
Unlike concrete, which requires a lot of energy to produce and can take up to 1,000 years to break down, decorative aggregates are made from waste materials that are easily recycled.
In addition to being environmentally friendly, decorative aggregates are easier on your wallet too because they’re not as expensive as concrete or asphalt, you can save money by using them in your next project.
Decorative aggregates are also more durable than many other types of pavement. When made up of crushed rock or glass beads and then applied over a base layer of asphalt or concrete (or even placed directly over soil), these materials provide superior traction for vehicles driving on them. But they last forever; they will begin breaking down within 5–10 years after installation.
What are the Different Types of Decorative Aggregates?
There are many different types of decorative aggregates available. The most common is gravel, which can be used in driveways and paths to provide a smooth surface.
Chippings are a smaller version of gravel and they’re often used to cover areas around plants or as borders. Pebbles are also available in different sizes and colours, so you can use them on your pathway, in garden beds or around trees. There are even some pebbles that look like bricks.
Rockery stones are larger versions of chippings that make natural-looking walls for plants to grow up against. Boulders have been used for thousands of years by landscapers everywhere because they add character to any garden design. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours too.
Recycled glass has become a very popular aggregate in recent years due to its low carbon footprint on the environment when compared with other materials such as stone chippings from quarries (which may leave behind toxic waste).
Crushed shells have been used for centuries too – particularly during Victorian times when it was fashionable for ladies’ hats to be made from silk flowers decorated with crushed seashells!
Another decorative aggregate is slates. Whilst still used as roof tiles today they can be also found decorating patios or walls thanks to their distinctive green colouring which makes them great accents pieces against white backgrounds such as concrete block work which is commonly found on house exteriors today.
What is the Difference between Gravel and Pebbles?
Gravel and pebbles are both small-sized decorative aggregates. The main difference between gravel and pebbles is that gravel is larger than the stones in the other category. Gravels range from 1/4 inch to 3 inches across, while pebbles have a diameter of less than 1/2 inch.
Gravel is used primarily as an underlayment for driveways and patios, while pebbles are often used in garden beds or along walkways.
How can I use Decorative Aggregates at Home?
Decorative aggregates are an excellent way to add colour and texture to your home or garden. You can use them in a variety of ways, such as:
- Creating a pathway.
- Filling in a driveway or parking space with decorative aggregates.
- Decorating your pond with decorative aggregates that are safe for fish and wildlife.
- Use as ground cover to hide bad soil and to create new paths through your garden.
- Build an attractive border around flower beds by placing decorative aggregate around their edges which is perfect for keeping weeds out.
- Use decorative aggregates as a base for fountains so they don’t sink into the ground over time.
Decorative aggregates are also perfect for creating interesting shapes within landscapes like ponds which will retain frame and structure better than traditional rocks would under pressure from water flowing.
How do I maintain my Garden with Decorative Aggregates?
Now that you’re all set with the decorative aggregates, it’s time to maintain your garden. Your first step is to make sure that you have a layer of weed protection in place, this can be a fabric or membrane. Once that’s out of the way, regularly remove weeds from your garden bed by hand so they don’t take over.
When weeding, be careful not to disturb the edges of the garden beds because this could cause them to collapse into an unsightly pile. Also avoid allowing weeds near edges so they can’t grow up and block off light from any new plants you add later on.
If there are any bare spots within your landscape due to poor maintenance or neglect, simply add more decorative aggregate material until everything has been covered up again (it’s okay if it looks messy).
Using Decorative Aggregates to Transform your Garden.
You can use decorative aggregates to create a new look for your garden. For example, if you want to add some extra sparkle and shine, try using crushed glass as a decorative aggregate in your next project. This is a good way to inject some colour into your garden design, or simply make it look more stylish and contemporary.
Another option is sandblasting the surface of stones that have already been shaped and crafted into beautiful pieces of art. This creates an interesting texture on each stone, which will reflect light in different ways depending on the angle at which you view them.