Choosing Landscape Construction Materials (Hardscape)

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Choosing Landscape Construction Materials
(Hardscape)
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Your selection should be based on

• Quality
• Durability
• Cost
• Long-term maintenance requirements

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Earth/Soil

• Can be graded into any 3-dimensional shape gt
  sculpted to the form you desire
• berms, mounds, etc.

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lt Berm
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Rock

• Rock could be boulders, cobbles, stone and
  gravel as paving, for building walls as
  groundcovers and surfacing.
• Can be used in its natural state or as cut stone,
  sawed stone or polished stone. It is more
  expensive than most artificial materials but it
  is very durable, with interesting texture.

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Transportation costs can be higher than the stone
itself!
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Rock

• Its appropriateness depends on how well one uses
  it in relation to the site and to other landscape
  materials.
• Guideline natural rock should be placed as
  nearly as possible to the position it occupied in
  nature.
• Emphasize horizontal dimensions - they should
  give an impression of stability.

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Chinese-style garden
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• Flagstone has horizontal layers that can be split
  into large, flat slabs. It is most suitable for
  paving patios and walks and comes in various
  colors.
• Fieldstone is composed of irregular blocks of
  uncut stone of various sizes found on or under
  the earth.

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Flagstone
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Examples of flagstone applications
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Formal pattern
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Using fieldstone in informal and formal
applications
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• Granite is a very hard, strong and durable. Its
  texture can be fine or durable and may be found
  in various colors but is most often gray.
  Granite pavers, also referred to as cobblestones
  or granite setts, are quarried and are set in
  mortar/sand mixes.
• Pebbles are small stones, rounded by the action
  of water. They can be used as a textured ground
  cover.
• Gravel results from the disintegration of rocks
  or blasting. It is relatively inexpensive but it
  is hard to confine, difficult to walk on and may
  present a glare problem.
• (Alternative loose aggregates bark and wood
  chips)

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Granite Pavers
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Pebbles
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Gravel in several colors
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Using rock in the landscape
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Concrete

• Concrete is an inexpensive form of paving but
  it can be dull and uninteresting. A large
  expanse of concrete can be visually overwhelming
  as well.
• There are several ways to finish the surface of
  concrete
• Colored
• Jointed
• Exposed aggregate
• Stamped

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Available concrete colors
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Colored, jointed concrete
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Exposed aggregate concrete
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Stamped concrete applications
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Manufactured Masonry Units brick, concrete
blocks precast concrete pavers

• Manufactured in standard sizes
• Brick is hard-burned clay. It comes in a
  standard size except for paving brick which is ½
  as thick.
• It is solid, durable and can be laid in a variety
  of attractive patterns. Laid on sand, they can
  be slightly uneven and are subject to frost
  action but can be easily reset.
• Textures and colors vary.
• Avoid too busy patterns that can dominate a
  landscape.

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• Concrete blocks are composed of Portland cement,
  aggregate and water.
• Patio block is made of similar material and is
  available in a variety of sizes and shapes.
• Concrete pavers come in various textures, colors,
  sizes, shapes and thicknesses. Some are
  interlocking and sometimes different shapes can
  be combined to make interesting patterns. They
  are used for patios, walkways and driveways and
  are set in mortar or sand.

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Examples of paver patterns and colors
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Wood

• Its abundance and low cost make it a practical
  selection for hardscaping and its color, texture
  and grain patterns add a natural richness to the
  landscape.
• Wood can decay as a result of fungi and insect
  attack but there are methods of preservation
  treatment

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Asphalt

• The most common landscape surfacing material for
  walks, parking areas and driveways.
• Its main appeal is its low cost and quick
  installation.
• It can get hot in the summer, however and
  requires regular resealing.

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Stamped asphalt
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