veda-dante-kids-playing-outdoors-with-mum
10 top paving tips
Veda Dante, September
2016
Outdoor pavers can help you maximise valuable space on small urban blocks and create areas of interest for larger properties – often without the need for costly renovations. They’re an essential part of great garden design but can easily be overlooked when plants and furniture are thrown into the decorating mix.
Choosing the right paving product makes a huge difference as to how your outdoor space looks and feels. Select the wrong material and you not only risk installing something that’s too hot to walk on in the middle of summer but also can create a safety hazard if those pavers you installed around the pool become slippery when wet.
[caption id="attachment_5823" align="alignnone" width="690"]
Image courtesy of A Total Concept[/caption]
You may be eyeing off your neighbour’s concrete pavers but do they match the style of your house? Are you looking for something that feels soft underfoot or would you prefer texture to match the surrounding landscape? Do you know the rules for large format pavers, or have you factored in the cost of paving a large deck with small bespoke tiles?
Practically, paving needs to cater to the specific demands of the outdoor environment, such as sun exposure, child’s play, decomposing leaves from overhanging trees, and pot plants being moved around from one sunny spot to another. Ideally, paving materials need to possess high density and low porosity, be slip resistant, salt safe and highly durable.
Professional paving installers can answer all of your questions and queries, while a landscape gardener or landscape architect will help you think about the space as a whole entity as opposed to the pavers in isolation.
[caption id="attachment_5824" align="alignnone" width="690"]
Image courtesy of Sareen Stone[/caption]
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Image courtesy of A Total Concept[/caption]
You may be eyeing off your neighbour’s concrete pavers but do they match the style of your house? Are you looking for something that feels soft underfoot or would you prefer texture to match the surrounding landscape? Do you know the rules for large format pavers, or have you factored in the cost of paving a large deck with small bespoke tiles?
Practically, paving needs to cater to the specific demands of the outdoor environment, such as sun exposure, child’s play, decomposing leaves from overhanging trees, and pot plants being moved around from one sunny spot to another. Ideally, paving materials need to possess high density and low porosity, be slip resistant, salt safe and highly durable.
Professional paving installers can answer all of your questions and queries, while a landscape gardener or landscape architect will help you think about the space as a whole entity as opposed to the pavers in isolation.
[caption id="attachment_5824" align="alignnone" width="690"] Image courtesy of Sareen Stone[/caption]
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HomeHub’s 10 top paving tips
- Link your home and garden with the same style of pavers that flow from indoor living areas to outdoor entertaining zones
- Ensure pavers around your pool, spa and water features are salt-safe, pre-sealed and slip resistant
- Large format pavers require fewer joins, making them ideal for small outdoor spaces
- Rounded bullnose pavers create a stylish edge for steps and pool coping
- The warm, sun kissed colours of natural clay pavers and terracotta tiles complement Mediterranean style homes
- Break up a large expanse of pavers with decorative stone pebbles
- Create a design statement by merging paved areas with other materials such as paint, mosaic and timber
- While Herringbone is a popular driveway paving style, consider other patterns that complement the outdoor look of your home
- Sweep and clean paved areas regularly to retain their colour, and repair cracked or broken pavers as you see them
- Sealers such EziCleen and Crystal help protect pavers from environmental stains
