Porphyry Paving – The Financial Value

The tradition of stone paving with stones like Porphyry is centuries old.  Most of our stone knowledge comes from the European quarries and stonemasons.  This blog presents research involving the paving and hardscape designs with natural stone. So much of this research emanates from Europe and the United Kingdom.  Part of this is because of […]

Porphyry Paving – Overlapping Arcs

Porphyry paving cubes for use in a pattern of overlapping arcs is one of the oldest designs for stone pavement.  It has continued in use for centuries due to its stability, beauty and pleasing intricacy. In Europe, one of the more popular layouts is the bogen also known as an overlapping arc, which is often mistaken for […]

GftK Jointing Mortar Installation Video

GftK jointing mortar can be used in streets, public plaza’s, market squares, commercial developments, parking areas, pedestrian areas and for all types of garden patios and landscaping projects.  You select and specify the GftK product that fits your project, traffic load, and permeability situation. The advanced GftK Pavement Jointing Mortars are engineered and produced in […]

Porphyry Paving with Smolleri

Porphyry paving with  Smolleri or “Slabs on Edge” is traditionally used  for paving surfaces on steep slopes as they present the maximum roughness and the natural split surface is used as a decking for grip.  Smolleri are ideal for the paving of roundabouts and other high stress traffic situations. Smolleri can add textural variation to  contemporary paving schemes […]

GftK Pavement Jointing Mortar Best Choice

GftK’s vdw 850 jointing mortar was selected for a sensitive project in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.  The old Market square project presented various challenges to dealing with the 750 sq. meter area of time worn granite and basalt setts.  Weather and disruption of business were among the many. Re-jointing was specified over re-laying and Vdw 850 was […]

Porphyry Pavers used in Park on Malta

Porphyry pavers, both cut tiles and 8/10cm cubes, were used in this park on the island of Malta.  This was a new project designed be Architect Anne Casha working with the Malta Environment & Public Authority who decided to provide its people with a new park, creating it out of a rocky area along the […]

Porphyry – Integrating Stone and Water

The notebook from Pierres et Marbres called Stone in the Garden – Water 06 is a beautiful treatise on the design of the landscape.  The projects presented in this notebook illustrate some of the natural and contemporary ways of integrating stone and water into a garden and the spiritual enrichment with stones like Porphyry.  Stone […]

Jointing Mortar for Porphyry Cubes

There is a jointing product designed for those closed or tight joints that are especially desirable in designs for Porphyry Cubes.  Vdw 805 from GftK is a high performance jointing mortar for narrow joints (> 3mm) in small format natural stone paving. This jointing material is appropriate for light to medium traffic loads, such as […]

Seonyudo Park uses Stone Cubes

Stones like Porphyry stone cubes are used to create an amazing landscape artform that serves as a children’s water playground.  It has been described as rows of stone tiles on a sand dune.  The installation is part of the award winning Soenyudo Park in Seoul, South Korea. Seonyudo Park was made utilizing the previous filtration […]

Porphyry Paving by the Book

When we look at a finished residential Porphyry paving project, we are taken with the beauty and symmetry of the finished project. Back up for a moment and think of the design process, the selection of material, the estimating, the grading, the drainage decisions, the layers of material we no longer see, and you will […]