Hardscape 101: Design Guides
If you're designing a brand-new outdoor area (or overhauling the hardscape you already have), we'll help guide you, from beginning to end.
Start by dreaming huge-- you can control your wildest ideas later, if need be. Make a list (even if it's a mile long) of whatever you desire in your landscape: deck, patio area, swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, edible garden, outside shower. Then utilize our Design Guides to assist you separate the musts from the maybes.
Pore over our Hardscape 101 design guides to see thousands of pictures of garden spaces to discover what you love, with an eye to design, colors, products, and furniture. You'll see specific themes emerge-- and after that you'll be all set to set a budget.
Where to splurge and where to conserve? Some things worth spending on: a master plan, masonry to provide your garden good bones, quality products to withstand the elements, privacy, and workmanship. Ways to save: usage gravel rather of pavers on courses, recycle existing materials (bricks, stone, pickets), purchaser smaller plants, and use mix-and-match furniture.
Little details can have huge effect in a landscape. Make sure hardscape materials-- stone, pavers, concrete, gravel, wood, paint, hardware-- all work together, and likewise match your home's architectural design.
In our Hardscape 101 design guides, it's our objective to debunk garden style. And keep in mind: it does not matter if you're a very first timer or a master garden enthusiast: you can do this.
Hardscaping 101: Decks & Patios
Think about a deck or patio as an instant extra space. Nothing will expand your living space much faster.
The distinction between a deck and an outdoor patio? A patio area is developed at ground level, on a flat surface area, and generally is constructed of a "permanent" product such as stone pavers, brick, or poured concrete. A deck drifts in the air, supported by footings, at a height of anywhere from a few inches to numerous feet and can be developed on an existing slope.
Deck frames generally are built of wood or steel supports. Deck flooring choices consist of natural wood, composite materials, bamboo, and pressure-treated lumber. For an introduction on options (and their costs) see Whatever You Required to Know About Decking Materials.
For more pros and cons, read our Hardscaping 101 guides on bluestone, brick, wood deck tiles, stone deck tiles, broken down granite, and concrete (pre-cast and poured-in-place) to determine which decking product or pavers to use for your deck or outdoor patio.
Hardscaping Click here to find out more 101: Driveways
Driveways typically get taken for given. They should have much better. When it pertains to producing curb appeal, the entry road that links a home to the public road is often a house's most popular hardscape function.
" An attractive driveway will increase resale value if a homeowner ever wishes to sell-- and in the meantime will invite you home every day," writes our contributor Kier Holmes.
Are you developing a brand-new driveway? Step one: Design and function should marry. To set out a driveway, start by studying the shape and contour of the land. How huge is your home? Are there dips and slopes to navigate in between the public road and the house? Take into consideration the variety of parked automobiles you will desire a driveway to accommodate and whether you will require to designate square video for a garage.
Your driveway's style will depend upon its size, shape, and the material you utilize to pave it. If you reside on a hectic street, think about a horseshoe driveway to make it easier to pull out into traffic. If your home is set back from the road, consider a curving driveway to create a country-lane impact. On a smaller lot, an easy, straight driveway sited on the edge of the residential or commercial property may be the very best choice.
The material you choose to appear a driveway needs to complement the architectural design of the house. Pavers, gravel, lawn block pavers, asphalt, and poured-in-place concrete are all common choices. Which is the very best choice for your environment and terrain? Read on: