New Jersey is the perfect terrain for using pavers to create a hardscape without extensive grading and digging.  Hardscapes created from bricks or stone can organize spaces in the yard for walking, sitting, entertaining, grilling, and gardening.  Soft scaping uses flowers, grass, and trees for landscape design.  The addition of hardscaping will increase the property value as much as 20 percent.

Professional landscapers are adequate to maintain softscapes, but not to design hardscapes.  Professional masonry specialists will create a hardscape that will endure for 50 years or longer.  Hardscape refers to the solid, hard elements in landscape design that stay the same for years like rocks, walkways, retaining walls, paver patios, outdoor kitchens, water features, and driveways.

Features

First decide what features you want in your hardscape. Design features must be selected, then materials can be picked.

Driveways are often constructed from asphalt, but paver stones offer an attractive alternative.

Walkways can be wandering paths through softscape or functional sidewalks to the front door.

Raised Gardens constructed from brick or stone are less susceptible to rot from water damage and decay from insects.

Firepit made from paving stone can turn a charred hole in the ground into an attractive feature for toasting smores and entertaining.  Fireplaces can be added as feature walls at the end of a patio.

Edging defines the different areas between the hardscape and the softscape.  Edging will save time trimming the landscape and create sturdy barriers between sidewalks, gardens, lawns, patios, and driveways.  Edging prevents weeds and grass from shifting or damaging design features.

Patios are a place where you can entertain guests or commune with nature.  Perfect for sitting outside, taking in the environment, enjoying nice weather, and spending time with loved ones.  Patios can turn the mud puddle in the backyard into usable outdoor living space.

Poolside patios create a classy, nonslip surface that will enhance the enjoyment of the pool area.

Retaining walls protect landscape from avalanche and erosion.

Outdoor kitchens can be as simple as a grill with a couple counters to a full portico with grill, pizza oven, smoker, refrigerator, wine cooler, beer tap, and storage cubbies.

Water features add interest to any garden.  From a simple koi pond to a waterfall with multiple levels, water adds atmosphere.  Modern features include smart technology, solar power, and distinctive lighting designs.  Whether it’s a pond, fountain, waterfall or bubbling rock, water features continue to be a popular design element for outdoor living spaces.

Materials

There is a multitude of design features to include in your hardscape.  A well-designed landscape combines softscape and hardscape to create a beautiful, balanced yard.  Natural stone slabs like flagstone, slate, and granite are used for walkways, pathways, and patios.  Concrete is an incredibly versatile material for walls, walkways, courtyards, patios, and driveways.  Wood is a typical material for decks, fences, pergolas, arbors, and other structures.   Composite lumber, a wood alternative, also known as synthetic decking or wood-polymer composite can also be used in structures.  Metal is used for style with finishes like galvanized, powder-coated, corrugated which can be used for railings, trims, and artistic accents.  Large rocks and boulders can add an interesting dynamic to the landscape as stand-alone focal points in gardens, courtyards, patios, or retaining walls.  Boulders can also be strategically placed to stabilize soil in hillsides or steeply sloped yards.

Installation

Once the hardscape is designed, the installation can begin.  Although it is possible to lay pavers directly over grass without digging, over time they will sink leading to uneven, cracked pavers and invasion of weeds or grasses.  Depending on the pavers to be used in the hardscape, the depth of excavation to create a durable base will vary.  Creating a firm base is essential for a stable hardscape.  The area to excavated is marked off and then all grass and plants are removed.  The depth must be the thickness of the pavers plus 4 to 8 inches for the base.

The ground is leveled with a plate compactor with a 10 percent grade away from buildings to prevent water from pooling near foundations.  A firm base is built laying landscape fabric, 4 to 8 inches of crushed rock or gravel, and coarse builder’s sand.  Each layer is leveled and packed.  Next a sturdy edging along any side that does not have contact with a building is built.  The edging prevents the hardscape from shifting, and can be constructed out of rubber, metal, heavy plastic, wood, bricks, or stone.  The edging must be the thickness of the base plus pavers.  The pavers are laid, and the plate compactor is used again.  The joints are sealed.  Then, sand is spread into the cracks with a push broom and grout is placed to secure the pavers in place.   Finally, enjoy the balance between nature and nurture that you have created by balancing softscape and hardscape.

Contact us

Our masonry and paving experts serve all central and northern New Jersey including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Passaic, and Union Counties.  Contact us at 908-322-1533.  Address 55 Terrill Road, Plainfield, NJ 07062.  https://junsproservices.com

 

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