Making New Stone Look Old: Two Tips For Aging New Stonework
Just because you want to get new stonework installed on your property does not mean it has to look completely brand new. People desire older looking stone so much that they are willing to buy old stones to get this look. However, since you are on a budget, you can age new stonework to look old, so it blends in nicely with the rest of its surroundings. You just need to figure out which of the following methods is going to work best for you.
Acid aging
Every time it rains, your stonework receives minute traces of acid in the rain water. Over time, this acidity adds to the weathered look of the stone. Since you don't want to wait years for acid rain to do its job, you can add acid to your stonework to hurry up the process.
Acidic foodstuffs found in your home such as lemon juice and vinegar can create the same acid pitting achieved by rain. When you apply these liquids to dry stonework, they start to eat away at the surface of the stonework. Once little holes and craters have formed, then microbes begin to grow. These bacteria make the stonework look old and weathered in as little as a year.
Encourage moss growth
You can easily encourage moss growth on the new stone. Moss gives the sensation that the stone has been around for decades, and you can achieve this look in as little as 12 months. Firstly, rub compost onto the stonework you want to age. Make sure you are wearing gloves, so no contaminants get into your blood if you accidentally cut your hand. Compost contains the organic matter that moss needs to grow on. Next, spray plant fertiliser onto the composted stonework, so the moss has something to feed it. Finally, water the stonework every fourth day if it is not the rainy season, so the moss has regular liquid nourishment.
Finally, before you embark on your stonework ageing exercise, talk to your landscaper to make sure your selected stonework is not going to be negatively damaged by your ageing endeavours. Limestone, for example, can be severely damaged by the use of an acid wash, so you do not want to use this method of ageing if limestone is part of your stonework plan. Your landscaper knows which ageing options work best for your garden when an old stone appearance is your end goal.