Every homeowner’s landscape is a perfectly imperfect masterpiece with endless potential. Landscaping professionals and homeowners can work together to create the most welcoming atmosphere while keeping in mind an often-overlooked area: safety. None of these outdoor masterpiece landscapes are devoid of hazards, but most of them can be solved with simple techniques. Here’s how a landscape contractor maximizes the safety of a landscape in Reading and Lebanon, PA areas.
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Outdoor Lighting
Keeping specific areas illuminated is a must to keep a landscape safe and hospitable. By focusing lighting on specific areas that would otherwise be completely dark, you can clearly define the perimeter of a property as well as add texture to a washed-out landscape at night. This gives a great feeling of security. Optimize lighting on pathways with low-lying ground lights that illuminate the path and reduce sharp shadows. Make sure that each entryway is properly illuminated, including grazing techniques that illuminate windows and garage doors. By keeping key areas illuminated instead of the entire yard covered with floodlights, you can prioritize economics and environmental concerns as well.
Non-Slip Surfaces
To ensure safety from slipping, use concrete pavers for driveways and outdoor living areas. Most concrete pavers are designed to feature non-slip surfaces. You can also install them as permeable surfaces; while the pavers themselves aren’t porous, the spaces between them - along with a permeable base - lets water soak into the ground without causing pooling or runoff. Although rainstorms can be the source of slipping hazards, the use of a non-slip surface becomes especially precious in the winter during freeze-and-thaw cycles. Concrete pavers can also be effectively used around pools and hot tubs instead of slick tile. Not to worry, they don’t look as industrial as they sound, and can be made to mimic natural stone colors and different textures. If concrete pavers aren’t your preferred choice, look for clay brick, natural flagstone, limestone, and sandstone as suitable non-slip alternatives.
Well-Built Hardscapes
Keeping your patios, walkways, pool decks and driveways free from tripping hazards is a must; but a lot of problems are actually caused by poor installation. Faults such as cracks, borders falling apart, erosion, low spots, or uneven pavers usually result from shoddy installation. No one wants to visit or use a space that’s falling apart and uneven and it’s incredibly frustrating to have spent money on a new outdoor space only to be faced with repairs shortly after installation.
At the beginning of the installation process and throughout, a good landscaping contractor will ensure that no shortcuts are taken. The space beneath the hardscape will be excavated to a proper depth; the right substrate will be used in the correct amounts, and it will be properly compacted and reinforced to prevent movement and erosion. The borders of the hardscape will have edge restraints to maintain the integrity of the surface. The surface will be properly sloped to allow for drainage. Attention to detail will always pay off in the long run.
Maintenance
After expert installation, the best way to ensure that your landscape remains safe is to keep your favorite landscaping company contracted to perform periodic maintenance work. Schedule seasonal check-ups of your hardscape areas to look for damage, to clean and seal surfaces, and refresh joint compound. If one paverl begins to deteriorate or breaks, your contractor will replace it before it affects the rest of the patio. Keeping your landscape safe means maintenance is the most important thing after construction.
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