By Koper
– America’s #1 Connected ContractorTM,
Free Augmented Article©
The creative use of natural and manufactured
paving material is limited only by your imagination. Patios, walkways and other
paved areas are durable and attractive as well as being virtually
maintenance-free.
Unlike
lawns that need watering, fertilizing and mowing, or gardens that require
routine weeding and nurturing paved surfaces offer long-lasting,
low-maintenance options.
First and foremost, paved surfaces around your property — brick, stone,
concrete, gravel, wood and asphalt — should be functional, defining landscape
boundaries and creating an exterior floor plan. Walkways lead visitors to your
front and back doors and point out the way to the garden or shed. A driveway
defines the parking area and directs traffic to the garage.
When paving large areas, the cost of material is a significant factor. Brick
and stone are attractive but relatively expensive compared to bark chips,
gravel or asphalt.
Ease of installation is another consideration. Materials such as wood rounds
are light and easy to work with. Bricks, although heavier, are easily set in
beds of sand and can be moved individually or a section at a time.
Preparing a “bed” is the most important element of a successful paving project.
No matter what material you choose, the walk, patio or garden border will be
only as good as the foundation it is laid on. Loose paving such as wood chips
or pebbles can be laid directly on the ground after lowering and leveling the
surface. Sand makes a good bed for bricks and block paving, because it levels easily
and forms a uniform, compacted surface that can be made to provide proper
run-off for rain and melting snow.
For a long-lasting surface, the bed should be slightly pitched for good
drainage. When a paved surface runs alongside a building, it should be sloped
away from it to carry away water that runs off the roof. This directs water
away from the foundation of the house and also helps keep the basement dry.
Keys to Success
Combining different paving surfaces
can create dramatic effects —within limits. It is better to combine two or
three materials over a large area than to cut up an area with many patterns and
materials.
Choose colors that blend with the
natural setting, not compete or clash with it. Use light-colored paving to
reflect available light, to brighten heavily shaded areas, and to give small
spaces a more open feeling. Conversely, to scale down a large patio or area,
use neutral or dark material.
A Variety of Patterns
The
most common paving materials are brick, stone and precast
concrete blocks. All three types are available in different shapes, sizes and
price ranges.
Brick
Paving
bricks or payers are different from common building bricks. They are
denser and harder, designed
to resist the effects of freezing and thawing. They can be laid dry in a bed of
sand or in a base of mortar. Standard paving bricks measure four inches wide by
eight inches long, so calculating the number you need for a particular area is
easy.
Paving Stone
Natural
stone offers an extraordinary range of color and texture and tends to blend
well in an informal home landscape. Slate, bluestone and sandstone are ideal
choices for steps and walkways because they are both durable and attractive.
Stone that comes straight from a stone quarry is irregular in size and shape,
and is suited to informal landscape designs. Laying it, however, requires more
effort than laying brick or cast concrete blocks. Flagstone and other types of
stone cut into uniform shapes and sizes are good choices for more formal
situations.
Concrete
Concrete
is one of the most versatile paving materials because it can be poured into any
shape and cast in place. Precast blocks — which may be known as payers, slabs or blocks
in different localities — offer a high degree of uniformity and durability
without the expense of pouring large areas of concrete on site.
Precast concrete is made in colors and textures to match most settings. It is
often made with
pebbles or other aggregate materials for a distinctive appearance that natural
stone cannot provide.
Brick basketweave. The classic basketweave
pattern is easy to lay in sand or mortar and creates a handsome garden walkway.
Concrete and stone. Concrete slabs with
exposed aggregate, combined here with natural stone, provide a contrast in texture
and color.
Geometric stones. Varying shades of
square-cut blue flagstone can be mixed together for a checkered look on
walkways and patios.
Irregular stones. The irregular shape and
variations in color of these stones create an interesting approach to a
traditional home.
Practical Alternatives
Lumber
Woods
like cedar, cypress and redwood are naturally resistant to rot. Other kinds of
wood can be chemically treated for long life. Pressure-treated wood is a good
choice for steps or terraces. It makes an ideal border to contain loose pieces
of paving materials such as stone, gravel or bark chips or as an edger
for bricks or concrete. Wood rounds sliced from large logs can be used alone or
combined with pebbles and other material for an interesting paving surface.
Asphalt
Asphalt,
also called blacktop, is used primarily for driveways because it is
inexpensive, durable and easy to maintain. When used for walks it should be
edged with other material, since unsupported asphalt
tends to crumble. Premixed asphalt is available in small quantities, but large
areas have to be poured by commercial suppliers. Large areas of asphalt should
be poured on a firm bed of gravel, and the surface should be treated with a
protective sealer ever few seasons.
Gravel
Gravel,
pebbles and crushed stone come in an enormous array of colors, shapes and
sizes. Gravel works
best when edged with wood or brick borders to keep it in place and off lawns
and gardens. If you plan to use pebbles or gravel over a large area, lay it on
an adequate bed of sand or finely crushed stone. To prevent grass and weeds
from sprouting through, put down plastic sheeting first.
Shredded bark
Soft,
resilient and inexpensive, this material is ideal for paths, children’s play
areas and the barbecue
pit. Being loose, it requires edging to keep it from spreading. Shredded N bark
needs occasional replenishment because it will decompose
Gravel. Similar materials of different scale make this
garden area appealing and over time. interesting. To keep it in place, the
gravel is edged by a stone wall.
Railroad ties. The rough texture of long-lasting railroad ties
contrasts nicely with smoothly polished granite block steps.
Wood rounds. Cross-cut tree sections set into a gravel path
give a rugged, natural look and serve as useful stepping-stones in wet weather.
Asphalt. An asphalt sidewalk should be laid up against
steps or some other masonry border, and should be sloped to promote good
drainage.
Wood boardwalk. Laid side by side on top
of logs or beams, a wooden boardwalk is ideal for paths that woul otherwise
become muddy after a rain.
Imaginative Combinations
Wood accenting concrete. Smooth concrete steps
are held in place and highlighted by wood timbers which act as borders for the
steps.
Multicolor effects. Multicolored stone
payers laid in different patterns add to the visual impact of the walk and
contrast with their surroundings.
Patterns in wood. Wood paving blocks can
be arranged to form interesting patterns where wood planks are laid in a
basketweave pattern.
Variety in similar material. The deeper shade of the
edging and step nosing of these cylindrical concrete payers add interest to
this walkway.
Monochromatic effect. Cobblestones, concrete
steps and payers in One color but different textures create a subtle
monochromatic look.
Variety in pattern. Different patterns can
be used to accentuate the shape of any area. Here a circular pattern radiates
out from the table.
This article
sponsored by Drexel Group, providing industrial, commercial and engineering
services. Interested in Hiring Us or
Learning More? Send us a note to learn about our services, and our connected
communities campaign.
Service areas
include: Metro Detroit, Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Washtenaw, Genesee, Troy,
Auburn Hills, Madison Heights, Bloomfield, Birmingham, Washington, Clarkston,
Orion, Oxford, Flint, Saginaw, Davison, Novi, Wixom, Plymouth, Ann Arbor and
Michigan.
We are moved and support Lake Orion https://www.gofundme.com/z2wv25-help-for-the-allen-family