Many different landscape activities, from relaxing with a good novel to entertaining a crowd, require a quality surface for optimal outdoor enjoyment. Concrete pavers are a go-to choice for many homeowners: They are beautiful, practical, versatile, cost-effective, and come in a huge variety of styles to suit virtually any design aesthetic. Here is how a landscape supply store can help you choose the perfect long-term pavers for your project in State College, PA.
Finding the Right Pavers for Your Project
Not all pavers are created equal. For example, if you want pavers throughout your entire hardscape you might find that a beautiful paver used for your patio may not be durable enough for your driveway. Pavers used around pools and in areas with high moisture need to have a non-slip texture. Color matters as well as some darker pavers may absorb too much heat in the hot summer sun.
The same paver can look vastly different in various lighting and weather conditions—and it’s a big choice. A landscape supply store may have many pavers on display in an outdoor showroom, which will help you narrow your choices. If a paver you are considering isn’t displayed outdoors, consider taking home a sample so that you can see the paver where it will ultimately live.
Develop an Understanding of Modern Paver Technology
Your landscape supply can help you make the right choices in paver technology so that you’re getting the most practical solution as well as the most aesthetically pleasing one.
Pavers, above all, need to provide a safe surface for walking. The collection of water from either rain runoff or snowmelt can quickly create an unsafe surface. Permeable paver technology could be a great way to disperse surface water as quickly as possible to keep your driveway, walkway, patio, or pool surround dry. This is particularly important on driveways, pool decks, and walkways where you want to avoid ice build-up. The spaces between the pavers are slightly larger than in traditional installations, and these joints may be filled with either pea gravel or other rock aggregate instead of polymeric sand to allow water to filter through. Permeable pavers will also often have slight deviations in the surface to funnel water into the joints.
Modern pavers have a huge advantage over natural stone in that they have been built and tested with quality in mind. A modern paver will be consistent and even throughout—unlike natural stone, which could have flaws within the slab that aren’t apparent from outside examination. This consistency will ensure strength over a long period of time.
Discover More Style Options
From large format to linear to hexagonal to highly textured to smooth, there are a multitude of choices. Your landscape supply experts can help you choose the best paver style for your project based on the design of your home, the surrounding landscape, your aesthetic preferences, and your practical needs.
You can also get assistance in choosing complementary pavers for decorative accents and borders. And don’t forget that your horizontal surfaces need to complement vertical surfaces: here too, the experts can guide you in choosing pavers to go with an existing or future retaining wall, fire feature, and the home.
Paver Care: Sealant Options
Sealants are important to help preserve color and simplify cleanup. Once you choose a paver, you could talk to the experts about whether to protect your investment with regular application of surface or penetrating sealants. Both have their pros and cons, and the right choice depends on many factors.
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