Spring is here! Are you as excited as we are about the upcoming landscape improvement season? If you have a York, PA, patio, walkway, pool deck, or driveway upgrade on the docket, then you’ll want to know what to look for when picking pavers at our landscape supply.

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Safety First: Non-Slip Textures

Safety is often the first consideration when choosing pavers for the patio, walkway, and pool deck. Textured pavers automatically offer more grip, but we also carry a wide variety of non-slip yet un-textured pavers. 

Brushed-finish pavers can be great for front entry walkways and driveways, but they may not be the best choice for areas that will experience a lot of bare feet walking across or outdoor kitchens where frequent spills are likely to occur.

Low Maintenance

Nobody wants to fuss with cleaning, so choose pavers with a durable finish that resists stains, especially around outdoor kitchens and pools where condiments and pool chemicals can cause stains. These finishes will also maintain rich color and protect the pavers from scratches. For pavers that will be sealed, they will need follow-up coats of sealant every three to five years. Another option is choosing pavers that are factory sealed.

Colors

Color could be the topmost consideration in a paver. Light colors can make a space feel larger, but they also show more dirt. Dark colors add elegance and sophistication, but they can get hot under bare feet if installed in sunny areas. The best choice for most landscapes tends to be mid-toned pavers. They offer tremendous design versatility and blend in beautifully with the surrounding landscape.

Also, consider the color of jointing sand: Use contrasting jointing sand to add texture, and same-colored jointing sand to create a more uniform space. 

Some landscape professionals like to mix a few colors in their outdoor living spaces by adding contrasting borders and accents such as outdoor “area rugs.” To keep the space from becoming too busy, you may want to restrict the choices to no more than three distinct colors.

If you desire a surface with a lot of visual interest, choose contrasting jointing sand; for a surface that looks more uniform, try to match the jointing sand color as close to the pavers as possible.

Paver Sizes

Some people love the intimate feel of small brick-sized pavers while others love the fresh, modern appeal of large format pavers. Small pavers make a space feel more intimate, while large pavers can add to the illusion of space. However, there are no hard and fast rules: Large pavers can be used in tiny spaces and vice versa!

Some pavers are available in random bundles of several shapes/sizes, which allow for random-looking laying patterns. Others are available in individual sizes, so there’s the option of different sizes for different applications. Also available are trendy plank-style or hexagonal pavers.

Driveway Pavers

For a unified look throughout the landscape, consider upgrading to driveway pavers. Some pavers are suitable for use throughout the entire landscape including the driveway, while others are only suitable for foot traffic. We can help with the selection of creative accenting and border strategies to tie two vastly different materials together beautifully.

Related: COLOR MATCHING PATIO PAVERS AND RETAINING WALLS FOR YORK, PA, PROJECTS

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