Landscaping can make or break your outdoor space. And choosing the right paving for your outdoor space is crucial since you are going to live it for a long time. A well-designed and installed paving can transform a dull and boring outdoor space into a sanctuary to relax and have fun with the whole family.
And when it comes to choosing the best paving for your outdoor space, there are plenty of various aspects that you need to take into consideration.
Here are some of our top 6 tips in making such a big decision:
What’s Your Budget?
The very first thing you need to consider is your total budget for your paving project. Once you have set down the average amount that you are willing to spend on the projects, then you can quickly narrow down your choices for the paving materials.
There are some paving materials that are really cheap; however, they do not look very pleasing to the eye. There are some that are very popular but the cost is usually higher since they require more time and effort in installing.
Get samples
All paving and stone companies are more than happy to give you a few samples of their paving. So, you can get as many as you can so that when you go home you can actually see them on-site and visualize what works best for your outdoor space.
See if there are anything that fits in with the color of your house or the garden and any other materials in your outdoor space. Moreover, be sure to take a look at the stone when it is wet as well as dry. This is because some stones can change quite dramatically, depending on their state.
Thick or Thin
The thickness of your stones very much depends on where you are going to lay them. Usually, budget stone only has a 25mm depth which works really well for foot traffic. But this thickness can never withstand a vehicular use and will crack very easily.
Now, if you are laying the stones on your driveway, then you will need something that needs to be around 40mm in thickness in order to accommodate a vehicle passing.
Textured or Smooth
If you wish to have something that looks a little more classic, then you can choose a paving that has a lot of texture. On the other hand, if you wish for something contemporary aesthetic and has slick look, then you would want a sawn stone with a smooth finish and sharp edges.
Just make sure that you do some research before since some stone requires to be sealed after laying in order to prevent staining and can lead to changes in color.
Natural or Concrete Stone
Natural stone provides a clean finish with just a hint of character that you might love. If you want concrete products, then you need to make sure that you carefully place the cut edges when laying the design. This is because the inside of a concrete stone is not that appealing.
However, even though concrete slabs are not the most pleasing and appealing type, this paving can be an affordable solution and really durable.
Consider the Effects of Weathering
Appearance is very important, but so is the performance. Outdoor space paving should be durable, slip-resistant and only needs little maintenance.
Retaining structures that are built with sleepers, blocks, bricks or stacked stone need to stand firm even if the soil underneath is waterlogged. And while high-quality materials cost more, they usually last longer than others.
Furthermore, you should check if the material weathers well. For some individuals, they usually prefer copper, natural stone and oak since they look better with age. For other, they choose concrete imitation paving that will not change at all and that is what they want.
Conclusion:
After you have narrow down your choices for your paving, then you need to ask yourself one more time:
DIY or hire some help?
Paving and landscaping can be a bit hard, especially for beginners. So, if you have no idea on how to properly place those slabs and stones in your outdoor space, consider hiring paving specialists Pretoria, so you won’t have to take the challenge alone.