In today’s blog, we asked our local AI chatbot to write a how-to on building retaining walls. All errors to follow may be blamed on technology. All humor is the fine work of brilliant humans at PBM. Get your notepads, and let’s begin. A retaining wall is a structure that holds back soil or other materials. They are often used to create level areas in sloping yards, to support walkways and patios, or to create raised beds for gardening. Retaining walls can be made from a varie

San Francisco cobblestone streets—charming and chiseled with history. These days precast pavers are popular for driveways. But if you’re looking for natural cobblestones, like granite or basalt or porphyry, then not only can we help you find the right material, but we’d like to share the rich history of these regal stones. What we see now in San Francisco are mainly cobblestone restorations, not original installations. But long ago, when gold flakes flickered in rivers and fa

On our last blog, we touched on the idea of sealing and coating your natural stone. But does your natural stone even need to be sealed? And what's the difference between sealing and coating? Let's explore. Some say natural stone doesn't need any additional treatment since it's been sitting in the earth for millions of years and will do just fine without our help. While there is truth in that statement it is also true that natural stone will stain or etch depending on stone ty

Join us Tuesday, August 8 at the Mountain View Masonry Showroom. Belgard’s Simplicity Tour will be making a stop in Northern California and you don’t want to miss it. This is your chance is see Belgard’s new 2023 product offerings AND get a sneak peek at what’s coming in 2024. Product Demonstrations Food & Drink Raffle Prizes All in one afternoon only! Reserve your spot Today.

Imagine you’re hosting a backyard summer party. Everyone’s smiling and leaning into conversations. Drinks in hand. Then one of your best friends spills wine on your brand new natural stone patio. What do you do? Besides squeezing out a plastic smile and telling her it’s no problem, you should probably get some rags. And maybe a cleaner. But which cleaner? How to treat these stains? And how fast? Those answers depend on what kind of stone you have. When trying to figure out

So you need a new pool deck. Maybe you'd prefer modern pool coping showing fewer joints and sharper angles? Or maybe you've had your eye on travertine bullnose for a while? Whatever your style, investing in a pool remodel is a big decision. To help you during this process we sat down with Phil Cook of Blue Water Pools for a chat about pool decks and coping. Phil, what are you seeing in the pool world these days? Most people want modern looks, clean lines and colors more in th

Peninsula Building Materials Co. is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of its Walnut Creek Showroom. This masonry showroom is for industry professionals only. It’s located in the heart of Walnut Creek and displays samples of natural stone, brick, porcelain, and more. GRAND OPENING EVENT—2 Days! When: May 17 & 18: 8am - 11am | 3pm - 6pm For more information, reach out to: Brenda Hunsinger 📲 (650) 861-6062 Pete Betsekas 📲 (408) 690-1218 Dave Mekeel 📲 (209) 652-2859 Sh

Our houses are one of the most important investments we'll ever make. Natural stone is the kind of investment that turns a house into a home. It becomes the centerpiece, the place where families gather to share stories, to sing happy birthday, or maybe just gaze at the fire with your little ones gathered on the hearth. So when choosing stone make sure to take your time. Go to the material yards, see it under the sun, or after a good rain. Touch it. Tilt your head and find tha

Chiseled: A Natural Stone Conversation Your friends walk into your home and see the new natural stone fireplace. You hear oh my, how lovely. Someone else says where did you get that? You smile, turn to your spouse and say do you want to tell the story or should I? Natural stone draws the eye. It connects us to something we can’t quite explain. Timeless. Soothing. And while most of us don’t build entire homes from rock these days, some may be lucky enough to add stone accents

One of the most common dilemmas when starting any home project is “who should we hire?” Depending on the location, scope and materials used in your project, you may need one or multiple industry professionals. In this blog, we’ve broken down the types of home and landscaping renovation professionals, the differences between them, and who work together. Types of Home Professionals Landscape Architects: Landscape Architects are required to not only have an accredited bachelor’

It’ll be spring before you know it. We promise. You’ve been dreaming of adding an outdoor living space for awhile and you finally decided to do it. In order to get your dream outdoor living space ready to entertain or relax, now is the time to get started. There are a number of important steps to consider when it comes to inspiration, supplies, vendors and planning to make your outdoor living space a reality. Curate your Outdoor Living Space Ideas on a Vision Board If you ha