When it comes to putting a new patio or sidewalk in your backyard, you can’t go wrong with pavers.
Pavers – or slabs – offer homeowners an attractive, durable solution to creating pathways in places with heavy pedestrian traffic.
But like any home improvement project, adding pavers or slabs requires research and preparation. Ready to begin your search for Bucks County pavers and slabs? Here’s what you need to know.
1. The right paver for the right climate
Not every material will work in every climate. For example, bricks are extremely porous, and can deteriorate faster than concrete in regions that see a lot of heat, wind or rain. The more moderate your climate, the better off you’ll be with choosing brick.
It’s not just wind and rain damage you need to consider. If you know your pavers or slabs will be exposed to the sun, you’ll need to choose a stronger material like stone or concrete. More delicate materials like limestone will degrade after sun exposure.
If you really, really like the look of brick or limestone and live in a place that sees harsher weather, that’s fine. Just be prepared to include an “annual paver replacement” line item to your household budget.
You can also give your pavers a twice-yearly sealant application to protect against damage. And of course, if the area you want to pave is covered by a roof, you won’t need as durable a material.
One last note about paver material: you should also consider the make of the things around your pavers as well. For example, if you have outdoor furniture made of wood, it will pair well with brick, creating a nice, cozy feel.
2. The shape of your pavers
The width of the space where you’ll be installing pavers and slabs will help you figure out the shape of the pavers that will work in your yard.
If you have a narrow yard, wider pavers will make your space seem even smaller. And if you have a bigger yard, installing smaller pavers will take a lot of time (and thus cost a lot of money).
Homeowners with larger backyards can make things easier on themselves – or their contractors – by spacing their pavers and putting plants, wood chips or gravel between them. Just note that the pavers may shift after some time as they won’t be packed together.
From there, look at your yard and your house. If you see a lot of angular shapes, for example, you may want to choose standard brick pavers.
But be realistic. The more exotic the shape of your pavers, the more you’re going to spend. Consult with a Bucks County pavers supplier to see what the cost of installation will be before deciding on an elaborate paver shape.
3. The color of your paver
Will your Bucks County pavers be exposed to a lot of sun? Choose a more muted color. The sun will cause colors to fade as time goes by, turning vivacious blues into blander greys. If you know your pavers will be spending a lot of time in the sun, opt for a more muted color. And once again, applying a sealer to your pavers a few times a year can prevent sun damage.
Have further questions about installing pavers and slabs on your property? Woodward Landscape Supply can help.
We carry pavers and slabs from trusted manufactures such as Techo Bloc and EP Henry and can work with you to determine which type of Bucks County pavers or slabs are right for your property. Visit our website, or come see us in person, and we’ll help you get started.
Thanks for pointing out that you can space out your pavers and make it cheaper and easier on you. I want to get a new pathway put into my backyard that will look more or less natural. It seems like your tips will help me find some good paving stones for my property.
I truly like to reading your post. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such nice information.
My wife and I determined that we want to make the backyard look very slick this year. I want to bring in a stone service to install a patio made of pavers. It looks so nice to me. Thanks for bringing up that you should match the pavers to the climate, I wouldn’t have thought that the sun is a factor I should think about when picking pavers.
It would be good to know what paver would work for my climate. Maybe I should contactor a paving contractor. They would probably know the best solution for this.
Great guidance for choosing pavers.
Thanks for guidance.
I think I can confidently choose my pavers now. This was giving me such tough time. Thanks for this.
This is some really good information about choosing pavers and slabs. That it is good to know that you should consider the climate of your home before picking a paver. It might also be smart to check if you need to put something like sand under the paver.
I like how you mentioned that looking for the correct kind of supplies is important since it involves making sure that the masonry you’re going to use to pave a driveway or anywhere else that needs stone should be of the right size and shape. Another thing to mention is that they should be able to do the service in all manner of weather since the masonry is supposed to stand the test of time. While I don’t have the need to hire for the service at present, at least I know what to look for when it comes to hiring potential masonry services in the near future.
those points of the right climate and size and colour are things which are overlooked at times .. well thanks for letting me know about the above information.
I wanted to thank you for picking the right pavers and slabs. I didn’t know that wider pavers can be good for narrow yards because it makes it look bigger. Maybe it could be good to get a contractor to see the area to hear their opinion on what size is ideal for your situation.
Thank you for your comment about it being better to choose brick if you live in a more moderate climate. I really want to have brick in my yard for the patio that I am building, so I think that this would be perfect for me. I wonder how they make the brick though, and if there is a way to have them be more sturdy.
I think it’s interesting that you can make your yard seem bigger or smaller depending on the width of the paver, it makes sense that small pavers take a while to set up. My wife and I are thinking about adding pavers to our pool deck, we think that adding texture to the deck will prevent any accidental slipping. Our kids tend to run around the pool carelessly, so we are looking for potential ways to help them stay safe while decorating our pool deck at the same time.
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It was interesting to read that the bigger the pavers will make the yard look less spacious, so one should consider the shape of the pavers you choose. My brother removed the old deck from his house to pave his patio, and he needs help choosing the right material. I will pass him the info so he can start looking for a paving contractor in the area and get an estimate.
It never occurred to me that there are suitable pavers for different climate issues or concerns. My wife is planning to partake in a landscaping DIY project and she has been looking for a landscaping supplies shop that offers an array of supplies. I will advise my wife to look for a shop that offers pavers that suits our climate as it guarantees that the shop has many supplies to offer and is knowledgable.
Your blog really amazing it gives so much ideas on what to consider when using pavers.
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Thank you for the kind words
I can now confidently choose my pavers. This was giving me such tough time. Thanks for this article
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