When aiming to strengthen your home’s curb appeal, selecting the correct hardscaping material is key to achieving stunningly appealing outdoor spaces.
Given its extended longevity and versatile appearances and layout, concrete has for the longest time enjoyed increased favor over other options.
With technological advancements and innovation, other hardscapes have started making their way into many outdoors.
This article explores concrete alternatives during the creation of stunningly appealing outdoors.
Natural Stone
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No hardscape material offers an excellent indoor-outdoor transition like natural stone. Existing in numerous textures and colors, natural stone leads homeowners to a world of endless possibilities. The rustic charm of textured natural stone helps to blend your yard with the surroundings, creating an excellent visually pleasing outdoor environment. Often sought after for its long-lasting and pollutant-proof attributes, natural stone makes an excellent hardscaping material for pool decks and walkways. However, this alternative is for homeowners who are ready to splurge in their outdoor living.
Metal
Though not very common, metal is fast gaining popularity in outdoor spaces. From making stunning outdoor furniture to garden fences, you can never go wrong with metal. Steel and wrought iron are commonly applied to make pergola screens, decorations, and artwork among other applications. The good thing with these is that they can be easily molded into different designs to achieve stunningly pleasing outdoor furniture and artwork.
Gabion Walls
Another unique feature for stunning outdoors is a gabion wall. This is crafted from stones enclosed in a wire mesh bag. Gabion walls are constructed in areas that experience increased runoff flow that could lead to massive erosion or foundation damage. They are mainly used in place of concrete retaining walls. Unlike concrete, these are highly permeable, thereby reducing pressure and rendering the wall durable. Besides achieving improved functionality, gabion walls add increased stunning appearance to your yard.
Brick
Just like natural stone, brick is another highly durable hardscaping material. Crafted from heated clay, brick offers a complex extraction process that increases its initial investment. This increased initial investment is offset by the reduced maintenance going forward. The earthy rustic charm of brick is ideal for patios, fire pits, and pathways. However, in its natural state, brick is heavily vulnerable to elements and must be regularly maintained for weather and pollutant proofing. Overall, brick guarantees you service for decades.
Wood
While the rustic charm of wood is something to revere in off-ground outdoor features, it does not adapt seamlessly to ground features, given its susceptibility to water and rot. When correctly treated and sealed, wood makes an excellent material for outdoor features such as pergolas, posts, decking, and vertical garden screens. The main downside with wood is leaves trails of environmental impact. An eco-friendly alternative to solid wood is engineered or reclaimed wood that is crafted from recycled wood materials. Besides reducing environmental impact, engineered wood lasts longer than its solid counterpart.
Composite Decking
Composite decking offers an even more eco-friendly alternative to solid wood. These are made by combining plastics with upcycled wood pieces. It is an excellent option for homeowners who revere the appeal of solid wood with minimal environmental impact and maintenance. Most importantly, they come in numerous styles, ranging from textured to smooth, permitting for adaptability with an array of designs. When correctly implemented, composite decking will last for decades, enabled by its increased performance against pollutants, rendering it ideal for pool decks and pathways.
Rubber Pavers
As the name hints, rubber pavers are made of upcycled rubber such as old tires. They make an excellent hardscaping candidate for areas such as pool decks and playgrounds, where safety is paramount, given their anti-slip and fireproof attributes. Most importantly, they come with minimal maintenance requirements in addition to contributing to environmental well-being through upcycled rubber.
Gravel
Grave, a product of crushed stone, is another outdoor oasis material. Appearing in an array of designs and colors, gravel creates stunning driveways, fire pits, and walkways. Its permeability makes it ideal for soggy areas where drainage is paramount. The downside of this option is the discomfort it creates on feet, especially if you are walking barefoot. It may also require edging for containment.
These concrete alternatives not only elevate the visual appearance of exterior spaces but also provide minimal-maintenance, and high-functional outcomes. Selecting the correct combination of hardscapes permits for stunning landscapes customized to numerous exterior design objectives. We understand that this is not a straightforward task, which is why we recommend engaging a landscaper in the selection.
