Menu
Menu
Cowra white pebbles are quarried from the Cowra region of New South Wales, Australia. They come in two main colors: white and gold. Both are ideal choices for landscaping projects due to their attractive appearance and durability. Cowra White Pebbles are white color due to their high quartz content, giving them a clean, fresh look. Cowra white pebbles are popular for pathways, driveways, retaining walls and feature gardens due to their light color that contrasts nicely with plants and other landscape features. They are resistant to weathering, so they will maintain their white appearance for many years with only minimal maintenance.
Similarly, Cowra gold pebbles have a light tan to golden brown hue that originates from their iron content. Cowra gold pebbles also have quartz, giving them a similar hardness and durability as the white pebbles. They are a popular alternative to the white pebbles for the same landscape applications. The warm gold color pairs beautifully with other tones like browns, taupes and greys found in nature.
Cowra white pebbles are a type of quartzite that forms through the metamorphosis of quartz sandstone. The geology of their formation starts with the deposition of quartz sand in ancient river channels or beaches.
Over millions of years, pressures and temperatures within the Earth’s crust cause the quartz sand grains to recrystallize and cement together into a hard quartzite rock. This metamorphic process results in the quartz grains fusing into larger interlocking crystals.
The quartzite is then uplifted to the surface through tectonic activity and erosion of overlying rock layers. Exposure at the surface and weathering breaks the quartzite down into its characteristic rounded pebble shape. Cowra white pebbles form in this manner through prolonged surface weathering and abrasion.
The white color of cowra white pebbles comes from the high silica content of the quartz mineral, however the level of white can vary from supplier to supplier. Some have grey tones mixed through. Quartz is composed solely of silicon and oxygen atoms arranged in a structure that transmits and refracts light, giving it a transparent and colorless appearance. Any impurities within the quartz, like iron in cowra gold pebbles, distort this structure and produce a colored quartzite.
Cowra gold pebbles form through a similar geological process as cowra white pebbles. They both start as quartzite rocks that are weathered down into rounded pebbles. The key difference lies in the impurities present within the quartz mineral.
Cowra gold pebbles contain quartz that is impure due to the presence of iron. Small amounts of iron substitute for silicon atoms within the quartz crystal structure. This iron impurity is what gives the quartz its distinctive golden color.
When quartz sandstone containing iron-rich quartz grains undergoes metamorphism into quartzite, the resulting rock has an overall golden hue. Surface weathering and abrasion then shapes this quartzite into the familiar rounded pebble form of cowra gold pebbles.
The amount of iron present within the quartz determines the exact shade of gold exhibited by the pebbles. More iron leads to a darker gold color while less iron produces a lighter gold. However, all cowra gold pebbles derive their color from this iron impurity in the quartz mineral.
Cowra gold pebbles have a distinct yellow coloration compared to the uniform white of cowra white pebbles. The yellow hue comes from the presence of iron minerals within the quartz pebbles.
Cowra white pebbles are a type of natural stone aggregate made of white quartz pebbles. They are primarily used as a decorative material in landscaping applications. Cowra white pebbles are prized for their rounded shapes, smooth texture and uniform white coloring.
Cowra gold pebbles have a distinct yellow coloration compared to the uniform white of cowra white pebbles. The yellow hue comes from the presence of iron minerals within the quartz pebbles.
While cowra white pebbles are made of pure white quartz, cowra gold pebbles consist of quartz with iron impurities that give them their golden color. This difference in mineral composition results in some key differences in their properties:
Color: As mentioned, cowra gold pebbles have a noticeably yellow-gold tone while cowra white pebbles are consistently white in color.
Hardness: Cowra gold pebbles tend to be slightly softer due to the iron content, while cowra white pebbles are harder.
Porosity: Cowra gold pebbles are more porous due to the iron minerals, while cowra white pebbles are less porous.
Staining: Cowra gold pebbles are more prone to staining from elements like copper, which leaves rust-colored marks. Cowra white pebbles are less likely to stain.
Overall, the choice between cowra white and gold pebbles comes down to aesthetic preferences. Cowra gold pebbles provide a warmer, earthier tone for your landscape while cowra white pebbles offer a cooler and brighter color scheme. The differences in properties, while present, are not major enough to be a primary deciding factor.
Cowra white pebbles are laid in paths and walkways approximately 2 inches thick to provide an attractive and even surface for walking. The pebbles are not totally stable as a pathway unless using a base layer of crusher dust or other material.
The pebbles are embedded 1 to 2 inches into the soil to define planting beds and borders. This creates a clearly delineated edge that also helps retain moisture in the planting bed.
The pebbles can be spread 1 to 2 inches thick over the soil surface to conserve moisture, suppress weeds and improve aesthetics. They allow air and water to penetrate the soil while reducing evaporation.
Cowra Pebbles can be used to create decorative borders around gardens, trees and flower beds, bedrooms or patios. The striking gold or white colour provides an eye-catching contrast that helps define the edges of planting areas.
Cowra pebbles are actually quite low maintenance. They do not require any fertilizing, watering or weeding. They can last for many years with only an occasional hose down to remove dust and debris
Cowra pebbles, like most landscaping materials, will eventually need to be replaced due to weathering and wear. However, with proper care and maintenance, cowra pebbles can last many years before requiring replacement. Some factors that influence how often you need to replace cowra pebbles include:
Exposure to extreme weather
Foot traffic
Landscape maintenance
With typical residential use and moderate maintenance, cowra pebbles installed at ground level (not in pathways) will likely last anywhere from 8 to 15 years before needing replacement. Cowra pebbles used in high-traffic pathways may only last between 5 to 10 years.
To install cowra pebbles, you first lay down a layer of landscape fabric or weed barrier. Then you add a layer of coarse sand or fine gravel. Finally, you spread the pebbles over the base layer and tamp them down gently. You can also add edging material around the perimeter to contain the pebbles. Be sure that when your material arrives that you ask the driver to spread the pebbles (if possible) becuase they have a lot of weight in them!
While cowra white pebbles are not inherently slippery, they can become slick when wet, especially for those with limited mobility. To reduce slipping hazards when wet, you can install the pebbles at a slight angle of incline, mix in coarse sand for traction and avoid high traffic wet areas, or dont use them as a walkway!
To cover 10 square meters with cowra pebbles, you'll need around 1.5 cubic meters of material. Here are the steps to calculate the amount you need:
First, determine the size of your garden bed in square meters. In this case, it's 10 square meters.
Next, estimate the depth you want the pebbles to be. For a typical garden bed, around 5-10 centimeters (2-4 inches) of pebble depth is common. Let's use 8 centimeters as our depth.
Then, convert 8 centimeters to meters, which is 0.08 meters.
Multiply the depth in meters (0.08) by the area in square meters (10) to get the volume of pebbles needed in cubic meters. In this case, it would be:
0.08 meters x 10 square meters = 0.8 cubic meters
To account for compaction and settling, you'll likely want to purchase around 20-30% more material. So for a 10 square meter garden bed at 8 centimeters depth, we recommend buying between 1.2 to 1.5 cubic meters of cowra pebbles to ensure you have enough material.
RUBBL enables the ordering of your bulk materials to be efficient & effortless by digitizing the entire process. The App connects Building Contractors, Suppliers and Transporters to create a reliable and rapid way to receive your sand, stone, gravel and mulch.