Make sure that garden materials, stone, pavers, concrete, gravel, wood, paint and hardware work together and also complement the architectural style of your home. In our Hardscape 101 design guides, our mission is to demystify garden design. A garden without hardscape lacks something. Imagine a landscape without gravel, rocks, gazebos, gazebos, walls, bricks or wood.
Plants and trees would be an endless forest of wild and growing things. Decks that are not made of real wood or aluminum are considered composite or synthetic decks. It's built to last, it won't chip, it's insect repellent, resists mold and rot, provides excellent traction (meaning it's not likely to slip) and doesn't need to be sanded or resealed. Sounds perfect, except that it can be costly for those on a budget.
Composite decking is an environmentally friendly landscaping material, as most brands are made from recycled wood fibers and plastics. Paving stones can be made of a variety of materials, the most popular pavers are concrete, brick and slab. Laying cobblestones can be a fairly simple project on the DIY scale, as long as you build a permanent edge to prevent it from moving and sliding. Cobblestones are usually installed on gravel and bed sand, but can be placed on DE (diatomaceous earth), dirt, or grass.
Natural stone or slab is a popular and attractive option for outdoor patios, patios, and other areas that require gardening. If you use natural stone, you will have to deal with bumps, ridges and different heights and weights. Irregular slab pieces have a more rustic look, while cut geometric shapes are more formal. The stone or slab can be placed on a sand or gravel base or it can be placed with mortar on a concrete slab.
The ceramic tile must be placed in a mortar bed on a concrete slab. Tiles made from recycled materials are an environmentally friendly option. Wood is real and has long been the material of choice for outdoor decking. Availability varies by location, local wood will be cheaper than imported exotic hardwood.
While maintenance can be a problem, yes, it needs to be kept up to date, many people prefer the warm, rich look and natural feel of wood. Bricks are a quintessential hardscape option that is often used for patios, walkways, and driveways. They are most appropriate for use in homes with traditional architecture, but can also be used in more contemporary landscape designs. And if you work on a budget, concrete is the best option for you.
You can really create an attractive harsh landscape using poured concrete, all while keeping your savings account out of the water. If you've decided to make the investment in a new outdoor living space, you'll naturally want to make sure you're choosing the right materials. You want something that looks great and something that will stand the test of time. For some homeowners, using materials that increase the resale value of their home is also an important consideration.
While others are looking for low-maintenance materials, as they want to do little more than relax in their outdoor oasis. There are four main materials used in most landscaping projects. This is an overview that will help you understand each of the options they present. Concrete is often the most affordable option for landscaping projects.
A concrete slab with a broom finish and natural color is the most basic and least expensive option of all concrete options. A simple concrete slab can be colored, either with a dry or liquid pigment, or by staining a finished slab. A more labor-intensive process is used to create exposed aggregate concrete. With this finish, the installer presses a layer of small aggregates (stones) on top of the pour and then washes the concrete away from the stones in the top layer, leaving a unique textured finish.
The most expensive type of concrete for harsh landscapes is stamped concrete. With this finish, the pigments are cleverly sprinkled onto the concrete after pouring the tile. Stamps are used to create prints that can look like bricks, stones, or even wooden planks. The lower cost of concrete is undoubtedly a virtue.
One concern some homeowners have with concrete is that cracks and chips are difficult to repair, and a damaged surface can expose a completely different color underneath. Concrete pavers are easy to maintain and repair is also easy. If an individual paver is damaged, simply remove that paver and replace it with a new one. Twenty years ago pavers could have presented some maintenance issues, as joint sand needed to be replaced, but that's no longer a concern, as polymer sand is used in paver joints, creating a flexible joint that doesn't wash out.
Quality slab of a suitable thickness for the given application results in a durable and beautiful product. Thicker pieces can be “dry-laid”, meaning they are placed on a bed of sand or stone dust and not set in place with mortar. The slab can also be wet laid, which means that it is attached to a concrete slab with mortar and the joints are joined. Which one to choose depends on the budget, aesthetics and site conditions.
Tough landscaping can create a beautiful, multi-dimensional, multi-purpose outdoor space, and can even benefit your lawn. If you're a homeowner, chances are you've already used the idea without realizing it. The walkway through your garden? That's also landscaping. Even your front entrance or door is considered landscaped.
What do you need to know? We're going to get into it. Harsh landscapes use materials such as cobblestones, natural stones, and bricks to help you get the most out of your landscape design. These materials can be used to enhance your landscape or provide structure and practicality by building retaining walls, walkways and patios. .
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