One of the nice things about custom landscaping is how many options you have as a homeowner to make your yard as basic or elaborate as you like! Once functionality and safety are met, all decisions thereafter are in the realm of personal preferences and budgets.
If homeowners do want to upgrade an area or product, we’ll often see them incorporate materials that are either natural or more customizable. When it comes to walkways, you have similar options. On the more basic level are crushed granite paths, small rocks, and concrete. Each of those is restricted to certain limitations, like linear paths and perimeters, but are quite cost-efficient and easy to install. Conversely, and on the higher end, you have pavers and stone walkways that can be more personalized by the character of the material and the placement.
It’s nothing personal, but Landscape Guys only install paver and stone pathways. We’ve had too many issues with concrete over the years and since we’re about customer satisfaction, we recommend these better options. Compared to concrete, the benefits are:
- Longevity. When you use natural stones or pavers for your walkway, you’re ensuring that you won’t have to redo the whole thing in a matter of summers. Both pavers and stones can be swapped out individually if one needs replacing. Whereas with concrete, which cracks more easily and frequently, you’ll always be able to tell it’s been repaired due to being poured at different times and with a different mix.
- Timeless appearance. There’s something regal, yet organic about walking on well-thought-out pathways through one’s property. Unlike the hard angles and square contrast of concrete, pavers and stones blend into the scenery vs cutting through it. Complementary landscaping, like shrubs and outdoor accent lighting, can make a stone pathway even more impressive.
- Versatility in design. Trust us, you can be way more creative when you’re able to abandon the restrictive and linear pathways of concrete. You can seamlessly transition from these stone pathways to natural stone stairs or different areas of the yard easily.
- Traction and texture. While we design yards for those perfect summer days, we also have to consider how they serve the homeowners when it’s less than ideal weather. For example, when it rains, stone pathways can often have better texture and traction than concrete.
While concrete offers a more affordable value and is easy to install, we have just seen and heard too many homeowners get cracks or staining issues years later. Though not every home experiences these issues, we like it when our customers are 100% satisfied, which is a lot easier to deliver with pavers or stone pathways.
Contact Landscape Guys today to discuss your goals and to get an estimate. We serve the entire Twin Cities area and beyond.