When moving into a house or building a new construction, the priority is always to make the interior feel like home before moving to the outside. Most people work diligently to get that accomplished as quickly as possible to avoid living out of boxes and to move on to establishing curb appeal within the new community.
A significant element with curb appeal is landscaping. Nowadays, homeowners look to trusted, knowledgeable resources like Peoria Paver Experts for guidance when attempting to create hardscaping, especially if the garden is new with no pre-existing features.
When you’re unfamiliar with steppingstones, landscaping pavers, or hardscaping in general, getting feedback concerning materials and installation is essential to ensure the process is handled adequately. You might have a few ideas to run by the experts or prefer that a professional installer take the project.
Let’s look at some common questions a new homeowner might have when attempting to install pavers for different hardscaping attractions in a garden void of decor.
What Should You Know About Paver Installation As A New Homeowner
A priority when you’re faced with moving into a new home, especially if it’s a newly constructed structure, is the garden is void of any features; it’s barren. That means you’re starting entirely from scratch.
If you’re a first-time homeowner, looking at the landscaping and knowing how to approach it can be somewhat overwhelming. Fortunately, experts in the paver installation industry are readily available to guide you toward materials that will work for your particular tastes, maintenance preferences, and aesthetics.
These same professionals will answer any questions you have regarding installing the landscaping pavers or offer their precision services in handling the project if you’re uncomfortable with the process or your skill set as a beginner. Find out how to install pavers at https://www.wikihow.com/Install-Pavers
Usually, before committing to a professional installation or a specific installer, homeowners have a few questions that are relatively common across the board. Let’s review some to help you become more informed as a prospective client and to help you make a more educated decision regarding your project.
- What Is The Process For Making Patio Pavers
Landscaping pavers can consist of porcelain tile material or a natural stone. Still, when most homeowners consider these as a hardscaping option for their gardens, they think of the concrete material.
These consist of “cement, sand, gravel, and then a coloring dye,” which are thoroughly mixed and then pressed to create the ultimate shape. It’s a process that depends on how the product will be finished, whether it will be a smooth result or more rustic.
Each will mean somewhat varied elements in the mix plus methods for the finishing process while in the factory.
- What Is A Standard Paver’s Thickness
In the residential platform, concrete pavers, as a rule, will be roughly “2 ⅜” or 60 mm thick.” For the commercial industry, particularly when incorporated into the street, these will run approximately “3 ⅛” or 80 mm thick.” Either is okay for use with a household.
The thinner of these two is strong enough for a home’s driveway. When constructing a patio, however, the thickness isn’t as relevant as the depth at which the ground must be dug for a sound installation. Landscaping pavers need to be placed on a good foundation, which involves merely going below the soil.
An adequate install should endure a significant lifespan, including consideration for draining and a bed or foundation consisting of crushed rock. Thin pavers of roughly 1” are meant for placement on an already existing concrete pad.
These are exceptionally thin compared to regular landscaping pavers disallowing the potential for fall hazards or obstructing doors.
- Are Pavers Suitable For Driveways
Paving stones are suitable for residential driveways. Both the thicknesses, as mentioned earlier, of “2 ⅜” and 3 ⅛” are designed to endure driveway traffic.
The priority is to receive adequate installation, including a sufficient base layer that allows the vehicle’s weight to drive on without creating uneven areas or dips in the space.
The 1” paver is also an option for the driveway in some instances, like if the driveway consists of a concrete slab and it’s in good condition allowing it to be accepting of the stones.
When adding a layer of 1” landscaping stone, sand needs to cover the concrete first, with the paving stones being set in the sand and “polymeric sand” locking the finished product in place. Click for types of pavers for different hardscaping features.
- Should You Grout The Pavers When Laying Them For A Patio Or Driveway
When creating a patio or driveway, the design is such that the final product is somewhat flexible.
With that feature, the pathway or feature you create will remain attractive and be able to withstand harsh conditions, including the extremeness of “freezing and thawing cycles” that would often create cracks but, when installed correctly, does not.
If you grout in between pavers, this will eventually crack. You can set pavers in a mortar if you intend for an exceptionally permanent solution to your design installation, but the expense is one that’s unnecessary and avoidable.
- What Is The Product That Goes Between Pavers
Most homeowners new to landscape pavers are curious about what joins these for sturdiness and durability. With many applications, polymeric sand is the “joint compound” of choice. This is a particular sort of sand that doesn’t get swept into the paver joints until everything is set in place.
When the compound is exposed to water, it becomes solid and binds each paver one to the other. It behaves reminiscent of a mortar or grout substance but is not as rigid. It is penetrable by air and water, albeit maintaining a strong, solid surface free of weeds.
Final Thought
While sealing is not a requirement with concrete patio pavers, it’s something to consider for a few reasons. The sealant helps to enhance your color choice offering a wet appearance instead of a matte finish. The coating prevents the potential for stains which are challenging to eliminate.
These can come from grease from grills or other items, oils from cars, or other liquids known to stain concrete and rust from your metal furniture. A priority when you place landscaping pavers is to extend their longevity with care and upkeep to ensure not only that they don’t break but that they remain lovely.
One way to ensure your project turns out beautiful is to enlist the services of a professional installer to guide you through a first-time project.
You can provide your ideas for the landscape and work together to create the materials, colors, sizes, and shapes that will bring out your home’s aesthetic and add to the overall curb appeal.
