Outdoor living lets you decompress from life’s stresses, but that relief can be hampered if you’ve noticed your old patio or driveway is slowly falling apart. Ensuring the longevity of your investment is important for your wallet and your wellbeing. Here’s how a landscape contractor ensures that hardscapes last a lifetime in Allentown, PA.
Planning
Planning goes far beyond drawing up a patio design. A hardscape project involves planning for site preparation, including excavating to remove any obstacles; grading to level the land and ensure proper drainage away from the home and the hardscape areas; planning for installation of underground utilities; and determining the proper type and amount of foundational materials.
Planning also involves logistics. Existing structures, trees, utilities, and other landscape elements have to be worked around with care. Of course, safety is a prime concern. Proper planning will minimize surprises, and ensures that no shortcuts are taken.
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Preparation
Cracking, heaving, shifting, or settling results from poor site preparation and careless installation. Site preparation requires knowledge of the soil characteristics, ensuring proper drainage, and building a base that can easily withstand the intended use.
Base preparation is different for each application. Permeable paver driveways have different considerations than non-permeable patios or walkways. Base preparation includes clearly marking existing underground utilities; over-excavating the perimeter to support the edges; excavating to the proper depth; installation of a geo-textile in poor-draining soils; laying new utilities; adding the proper base materials to the correct depth; proper compaction; and adding bedding sand to the appropriate depth.
Paver Choice
As with anything, you get what you pay for. Whether you choose natural stone or concrete pavers, you’ll quickly find that the options can be overwhelming—but you can rely on a good landscape contractor to help you choose the best products that fit your tastes, practical needs, and budget.
Related Article: Why You Should Only Hire a Licensed Professional Contractor
Installation
Poor leveling, inadequate edging, and careless cutting and laying will also cause problems in the future. To avoid that outcome, the hardscape should be level enough for comfortable use and feel flat, but it must also be sloped enough to allow water to drain off the surface: the standard is 1/4" drop per linear foot.
Hardscape surfaces need edging, no matter how large or small they are, and no matter whether you’re using natural stone or interlocking concrete pavers. Unrestrained edges will eventually break loose and migrate into the softer surrounding soil.
Careless cutting results in an unattractive surface that is prone to shifting. Pavers should be hand-tamped into place to secure them, and the proper jointing compound must be used.
Maintenance
Properly installed hardscapes don’t need much more than regular sweeping to prevent leaves, dirt, and other debris from collecting; spot cleaning of any spills; annual washing with paver cleaner; replacement of any eroded jointing compound; if necessary, power-washing to remove stubborn stains; and reapplication of sealant, if used, every three to five years.
Working with experienced installers is your best bet for a well-installed hardscape that will last. At Nature’s Accents, we know that proper installation is the key to longevity. We have the experience and pride in workmanship to deliver hardscapes you’ll be proud to use for many years.
