Batchelder & Collins

Masonry is commonly used for the walls of buildings, retaining walls and buildings. Brick and concrete block are the most common types of masonry in use in industrialized nations and may be either weight-bearing or a veneer. Concrete blocks, especially those with hollow cores, offer various possibilities in masonry construction. They generally provide great compressive strength, and are best suited to structures with light transverse loading when the cores remain unfilled. Filling some or all of the cores with concrete or concrete with steel reinforcement (typically rebar) offers much greater tensile and lateral strength to structures.

Choosing the right aesthetic for your home design project can be daunting especially when you're not sure which materials will help you accomplish the look. Fortunately, Batchelder & Collins offers a variety of manufactured stone veneer, thin brick, natural veneer, and lath to relieve your concerns all in one place. Stone veneer can be made from natural stone as well as manufactured stone. Natural stone veneer is made from real stone that is either collected, i.e. fieldstone, or quarried. The stone is cut to a consistent thickness and weight for use as a veneer, often called thin stone veneer.

Cleaning and maintaining a fireplace can be a DIY job, but before the chimney is cleaned, key areas must be checked. Use these tips to ensure fireplace and chimney safety. The warm glow of a fireplace is one of nature's simple gifts. To keep things simple and safe, clean the fireplace regularly and know that it is well built. It's also a good idea to have a professional initially inspect the fireplace and chimney even if you plan to clean and maintain it yourself, according to Ken Robinson, of the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

Concrete pavers are a popular outdoor hardscapes option. Concrete Pavers are manufactured in a factory in specific shapes, sizes and colors and are most commonly installed over a compacted base of soil and sand. A concrete paver has to be allowed to set as they are a porous form of brick formed by mixing small stone hardcore, dyes, cement, sand and other materials in various amounts. Because there isn't any grout between the joints, concrete pavers offer a permeable surface that allows water to pass through.