Ideas for crafts from stones for the garden and how to do it yourself
Like wood, stone, used well, can give life to original ideas in the garden. Using this material, you can create colorful paths, ready-made structures of plating or erect full-fledged sculptures. However, the list of original stone crafts for the garden is not limited to this. The material allows you to create designs that are both colorful and practical.
garden paths
Due to the fact that the stones differ in different shapes and sizes, but at the same time have increased resistance to the effects of the external environment (including loads), this material is often used for laying garden paths. For these purposes, various cobblestones are used:
- small and big;
- with a smooth and rough surface;
- with sharp and rounded corners.
If you plan to pave a stone path, it is recommended to select a glossy material or to paint the pavers with a persistent paint. This will create a path that will remain visible in all weathers.
Laying a stone path is simple. This will require:
- A trench is dug on the site with a width and length that correspond to the dimensions of the planned path.
- A drainage layer 10-15 centimeters thick from gravel or crushed stone is laid. This is to ensure that the water does not wash away the track.
- Non-woven textiles, 4 centimeters of sand and 15 centimeters of concrete are perforated on top of the simulator.
- A sand-cement mixture is laid (1 part sand to 4 parts cement) and compacted.
- The stones are arranged in the chosen pattern and tapped with a rubber hammer.
- The path is sprinkled with water.
To simplify the paving, it is recommended to place a board on the stones and tap on it with a hammer. It is important to consider that the path should be located away from the roots of trees.
Borders
Stone borders are used for zoning the site. These structures make it possible in particular to enclose the flowerbeds, thus avoiding the loss of soil. The laying of stone curbs is carried out according to the algorithm described above.
For such constructions it is recommended to use:
- seashells;
- limestone;
- sandstone.
During installation, the voids between large pavers can be filled with small stones.
Dry streams
A dry stream is understood as a composition obtained from pebbles, rocks, large rubble and stones. These materials are arranged in such a way that the end result is a structure that simulates the flow of water. A dry stream looks like a path. However, the first is considered a landscape composition, unsuitable for increased loads. Moreover, both constructions are erected according to the same algorithm.
stone grill
A stone brazier, built with your own hands, is able to decorate a gazebo or an open terrace. It is recommended to make this structure using quartzite, granite, slate or sandstone.
When erecting a barbecue, a brick frame is first laid, which is then covered with stone. Cobblestones are suitable for this design.
garden sculptures
Stone (especially with rounded edges) allows you to create a variety of garden figures. If there is no experience of such work, you can start with simple products. In particular, round stones are used to decorate the site, which are painted in ladybugs or other representatives of fauna.
To make more complex figures, you will need:
- Glue. For compact figures, it is recommended to use universal compositions such as "Moment". If large-scale work is planned, a glue gun and a set of polymer sticks will be required.
- Paints. Acrylic is suitable for making ephemeral figurines. These paints are non-toxic and dry quickly. Fluorescent compounds are used to create figures that glow in the dark. If durable structures are erected that will be exposed to ultraviolet rays, silicone-based paints should be taken.
- Protective coatings. For garden figurines, epoxy or alkyd varnishes are mainly used.
If the shape of the available stones does not allow to create the necessary figures, then it is recommended to purchase architectural concrete for this. This building mixture is based on cement and sand, which are "diluted" with inorganic and mineral components.
Registration of tanks
Natural and artificial stones are used in the design of reservoirs in garden plots for two purposes: to create a decorative layer that decorates the perimeter and to strengthen the banks of the descent of the earth during floods and rains. Country ponds, regardless of size and shape, are made in several stages.
First, a hole of the required depth is dug in the lighted and at the same time shaded area. Then a specialized film is laid on the lower and side parts, which is sold in hardware stores. At the end of the procedure, large and small cobblestones are deepened into the walls along the perimeter. After that, the pond is filled with water.
Lining well
As with the barbecue, the stones can be used to line the pits. For this, both large and small cobblestones are used. Stones help make a "semi-antique" well when such structures were built from natural materials.
Additional Ideas
As has been noted more than once, stones differ in a variety of shapes and sizes. Therefore, this material, with enough imagination, can be used to create various decors, not limited to the above examples.
Light paths
Natural stones are available in a variety of colors. But even ordinary cobblestones can be turned into bright decorative elements, from which paths are then laid. To do this, you need to paint the stones with silicone paint, and then cover the surface with epoxy resin. In addition, from these cobblestones you can lay out a beautiful multi-colored path. When paving garden paths, it is recommended to use small stones (pebbles). Thanks to this, original patterns can be formed on the way, combining different shades.
gabions
Gabions are sort of steel cages in which stones are placed. Such structures were originally erected for the enclosure of the site. Now various shapes are formed from steel rods, filling the interior with cobblestones. From these structures they also create a decorative fence for flower beds and are used for other purposes.
When mounting gabions, it is recommended to take metal rods with an anti-corrosion coating. For these designs, white or gray rounded stones are more suitable. However, if necessary, you can take other materials, depending on the characteristics of the composition being created.
caterpillar
The stone caterpillar fits well in a flower bed. To create such a figurine, you need compact cobblestones with rounded edges and polymer glue. Additionally, you can use silicone-based paints.
Mosaic
As with paths, pebbles make it possible to create various compositions on the site that will perform practical functions. Mosaic "carpets" are laid primarily to highlight or decorate individual areas. This is explained by the fact that paving paths with pebbles is a laborious process that takes a lot of time.
garden furniture
Garden furniture is usually not made of stones only. This material heats up strongly in the sun and cools quickly at night. That is, it is impossible to sit on stone furniture. Instead, this material is used to organize the frame to which the wooden planks are attached. Also, gabions with thick rods that can withstand a lot of weight are used as the basis for furniture.
luminous stones
Large stones of the original form are sometimes used as a separate type of garden figurines. A freestanding paving stone, which received a non-standard color with the help of paints, is able to attract attention, thereby emphasizing a separate part of the garden. These stone sculptures can be placed in the center of a large flower bed.
Heart
There are three ways to make a stone heart for a summer cottage:
- create a gabion by giving the pattern a heart shape;
- arrange the stones on the site accordingly;
- carve a heart in stone.
In the latter case, a specialized device is required. The second option is considered optimal, since the stone statue can be additionally painted.
Cactus
If you have enough artistic skills, you can create stone cacti by painting the cobblestones dark green. Then these figures are placed in pots, which are placed around the site.
stone footprints
After finding a large and a few small cobblestones with rounded edges, you can drop a figurine imitating a human foot on the site. Such statues will look original when entering a house, bathhouse or shed.
Illumination on stones
This decor option is difficult to implement, but it allows you to create non-standard compositions that can decorate any area. To make such structures, you will need to drill several holes in the cobblestones, one of which is for installing lamps, and the rest for wiring. This decor option can be combined with other stone carvings described above. In particular, gardeners installed a pair of paving stones with built-in lights along a dry creek.
Family tree
This ingenious method of using cobblestones is more suitable for decorating rooms than for a garden. But, if you wish, you can recreate such a tree on the ground. To do this, you need to pick up a few cobblestones of different sizes and arrange them in a certain order, taking into account the age of each of the family members, writing the names of the latter on the surface of the stones.
fairy tale house
To create a fabulous house you will need small stones and polymer glue. This decor option is suitable for decorating flower beds and recreation areas. In addition, fabulous houses are often painted on the surface of large cobblestones.
bird houses
Birdhouses are usually made not of solid stone, but of pebbles glued to a wooden structure. It is recommended to install this product on the floor or on a pedestal.
Garlands of stones
Brightly colored pebbles and other pebbles can be used to create colorful garlands. To do this, it is enough to tie the paving stones with wire and hang the finished structure.
flower beds
Stone beds are an original and practical use of pavers. This design is very durable.If desired, using paving stones and cement, you can create non-standard flower beds that simulate real objects (baskets, etc.).
DIY for a stone garden
The use of paving stones in the garden is not limited to these examples. Stones are often used when arranging alpine slides. The latter combine a variety of flowers, separated by cobblestones of different shapes and sizes.
Stones are used for zoning the site, establishing a kind of fences. This material is used to face stairs and create a second floor near a fence or house.Large paving stones can be laid at some distance between them, and voids can be sown with a lawn. This decorative option looks spectacular in areas for flower beds.
Examples of ready-made solutions
Most often, stones from garden plots are used to pave paths or cover other structures. The first option is popular because this material is able to retain its shape for many years..
With the help of stone coatings, you can give the landscape the look of the countryside of past centuries, when cobblestones were used by peasants for agriculture.