What Kind of Stone Do I Use for Paths for a Gray Siding Cottage?

Crushed Stone

• Crushed stone is available in a number of different types, such as granite, quartz, marble, slate and recycled materials including firebrick and slag. Blended with a water-activated stabilizer, crushed stone becomes resistant to erosion caused by weather and traffic. Match your pathways to the trim on your house with one of more than 20 colors. For example, you could build a two-tone pathway using crushed midnight blue granite for the main pathway with white crystal quartz edges, to offset your gray siding cottage with white trim.

Pebble Mosaic

• Create a pebble mosaic pathway to complement the gray siding cottage for almost no cost by collecting pebbles, river rocks, children’s marbles and other attractive stones. Sort the pebbles into different colors and sizes, and draw a pattern based on the colors you have. Prepare the ground and then spread a layer of mortar over the pathway area. Wet the stones and press them into the mortar according to the pattern you want. Lay a sheet of plywood on top of the finished design and walk on it to level the stones uniformly.

Granite

• One of the hardest stones available in nature, granite is durable, attractive and common for use in paving. You can buy granite ready-cut in uniform flagstone sizes, in a wide variety of colors. The common granite shade of dark gray works well with a cottage with gray siding, especially if you match your trim to the paving. Granite is difficult to work with and expensive to cut, so consider using it as an accent or edging for pathways made of cheaper stone.

Sandstone

• Sandstone is natural quarry stone commonly used in garden paving. It is tough and hard, but not as difficult to cut and work with as granite. Available across the country in a variety of shapes and colors, sandstone comes in a light gray shade that works well with gray siding. Purchase all your sandstone in one batch if possible, because color variations exist across difference batches or suppliers.

Slate

• Slate used for flagstones comes in a variety of pastel shades. A fairly soft stone to work with, slate is easy to cut into the shape and size you want for your pathway. Slate works better in a sheltered environment and warm climate than out in the open in areas with cold weather, because freezing can cause a slipping hazard and the eventual degradation of the stone.

Limestone

• Limestone pathways are less common than other types of stone, but any of several shades available would be complementary to a cottage with gray siding. Limestone comes in dark gray, blue-gray and pale gray, and is easy to cut and handle. Limestone has a smooth, velvety finish that does not last well in areas with regular acid rain, which can cause pitting and wearing.