A Quick Guide to Patio Materials
Omaha homeowners often come to Breaking Ground with a touch of paralysis by analysis. After all, there are seemingly so many choices for patio materials that making the right choice when you’re designing a new patio can seem nearly impossible. We’ve found that once homeowners better understand their material choices, it’s easier to make an informed decision and lay the foundation for a backyard landscape design they’ll enjoy for years to come.
Popular Patio Materials
There are a few different choices to build a patio, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
Concrete
We’re all familiar with concrete patios. Odds are better than even that your home has one now. However, it comes with a number of drawbacks. It requires more specialized equipment for installation. It’s impermeable. It’s also inflexible, which can lead to severe damage due to root incursions or the repeated freeze and thaw cycles that come with living in Nebraska. And when repairs are needed, they can be terribly expensive.
Natural Stone
Natural stone can make for a striking look, and under the right circumstances it can be a sustainable choice. However, sourcing enough of the right stone can be expensive, and it typically requires concrete or mortar to fill in the joints. Over time, those joints degrade with exposure to the elements, requiring expensive and labor-intensive repairs to avoid a “patched” look.
Flagstones
Flagstone is attractive and extremely durable; it can easily outlive your home. However, the stones tend to be large and very heavy, and their irregular sizes and thicknesses can pose challenges when it comes to grading and installation, as well as issues if the soil erodes or settles unevenly.
Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers
Permeable interlocking concrete pavers are becoming increasingly popular. They combine many of the best features of the materials we’ve already discussed, with fewer downsides.
- The durability of concrete
- The ability to vary colors and textures
- Less reliance on specialized equipment
- Regular sizes and thicknesses that ensure better wear and ease of installation
- Low maintenance, with repairs taking less time and materials than other materials
Other Benefits of Concrete Pavers
There are other benefits to concrete pavers that aren’t as immediately apparent, but which are still extremely important. The fact that the surface is permeable prevents wastewater runoff, controls soil erosion, and helps to prevent groundwater pollution. What’s more, the joints ensure a degree of flexibility that means a much lower chance of cracking or damage than you’d find with other traditional methods and materials.
Patio Design
Permeable pavers also fit hand-in-glove with our sustainable design philosophy. After all, they ensure a patio that will be stylish, functional, and durable. If you’re installing other hardscaping features — like a fire pit, a water feature, or a retaining wall — you’ll have plenty of options for a design that works as a unified whole.
Benefits of the Breaking Ground Approach to Patios
The team at Breaking Ground exclusively uses Belgard interlocking concrete pavers sourced from Watkins Concrete Block. This brings our clients certain advantages to our clients.
- Belgard is the leading provider of hardscaping products in America, providing materials that are warranted for the life of your home in a variety of styles, textures, and colors that suit nearly any application and taste.
- Sourcing from Watkins Concrete Block supports a respected local company and ensures readiness for projects of all sizes.
- Our principles Mike and Cyndi Corrigan are certified paver installers through ICPI, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.
If your outdoor renovation leaves you with more questions than answers, it’s time to call Breaking Ground for a design consultation. We’ll help you unearth what’s possible, and co-create a design that you’ll enjoy for a long time to come!