Choosing the right paver for your Chestnut Hill, MA, home’s patio is an important design decision. Not only is it significant from an aesthetic point of view, but picking the right paver goes a long way in improving the patio’s longevity, reducing the maintenance cost, and expanding its usability. Here’s how to choose the right pavers for your patio installation.
Colors and Textures
Pavers that meld well with the overall design of your home and yard should be a foremost priority. Thankfully, concrete pavers can be found in a wide variety of textures, colors, and shapes. For modern landscapes, you can choose a sleek paver with a smooth texture and uniform colors such as the Series paver from Unilock. For more traditional homes, you have the option of more established paver designs such as Courtstone and Brussels Block. Modern paver technology has also come a long way and can mimic the look of natural stone with amazing authenticity, so you can even have your patio finished in flagstone, sandstone, or granite pavers that can work equally well in both traditional and modern landscape design.
The wide variety of options also lets you be more creative when designing borders and accents for your patio. You can choose to create a sharp border with contrasting colors such as Rustic Red in Hollandstone or take a more conservative route with a subtle border in Granite. Regardless of your color choice, be sure to go with a paver that matches the general design language of your home and landscape.
Strength and Durability
Concrete pavers tend to be quite durable—a paved patio can last the lifetime of your home if properly installed and maintained. However, some variants offer added strength such as those featuring Unilock’s Ultima technology. These pavers feature a different manufacturing process that makes them up to four times stronger than poured concrete. In the light load conditions of most patios, these pavers offer unmatched durability for decades.
Durability isn’t so much about the strength of the concrete but about how well the pavers stand up to the continuous exposure to the elements. High-quality pavers, such as EnduraColor line from Unilock, feature additives and coloring that retain their original hue and sheen even after decades of use.
Pavers from an established manufacturer is generally a good indicator of durability and quality. Moreover, they are also usually backed by a warranty if installed by a certified contractor so that you get the most out of your investment.
Practicality
Your patio is an extension of your living room and outdoor living space. It has to stand up to some of the same challenges such as stains from spills and leaks. This is especially relevant if your patio features a dining area and extends into an outdoor kitchen. For this reason, you may want to choose a paver with strong colors or one that features an easy cleaning or spill-proof surface.
Similarly, if your patio extends into a pool or a spa, you could opt for a slip-proof paver for safety reasons. Such pavers feature additives as well as textured surfaces that provide a strong grip even for wet feet.
Eco-friendliness
Hardscaping tends to be hard on the environment by interfering with the natural water cycle. Eco-friendly pavers offer a more sustainable option, with a porous surface that allows water to infiltrate the underlying soil and become a part of the groundwater. This difference not only helps retain groundwater levels but also reduces surface water runoff and induces less strain on your stormwater infrastructure.
Related: Complete Your Millis, MA, Landscape Design with Beautiful Outdoor Dining Space