Dartmouth Landscaping Localturf
Paving & Interlock services | Dartmouth, NS
While pavement might not sound like it has much to do with landscaping, great hardscaping is actually key to a great landscape design. Hardscape elements such as pavement and interlocking pavers are a great way to balance the living elements of your landscape while making your outdoor space more comfortable and easier to use.
Whether you need an interlock driveway repaired or a new patio installed, the paving experts at
Dartmouth Landscaping are here to help. With years of experience in the industry, we have the skills and tools to give you a smooth and sturdy surface for any need. We also repair and revitalize existing pavers so that they look like new at a fraction of the cost!
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Why Should I Use Pavers for My Next Outdoor Project?
While there are an ever-growing number of outdoor surface options available today, pavers remain popular for many reasons. Here are a few of the reasons that our clients decide to use pavers for their outdoor project:
Durability: With a lifespan of up to 50 years, pavers are made to last. When properly installed, they can withstand heavy foot traffic, light vehicle traffic, and nearly anything nature can throw at them without significant damage.
Low Maintenance: Pavers are one of the simplest surfaces to maintain - simply sweeping and rinsing with a garden hose when needed is all it takes to keep pavers looking their best.
Versatility: Pavers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Whatever your style, there are pavers that will coordinate perfectly with it!
Safety: If slipping and falling on a rainy day is a concern for you or your loved ones, there are many paver options that are textured to provide great slip-resistance. Pavers also generally stay cooler than concrete in the summer heat, making them safer for pets and people alike to walk on (not to mention keeping everyone more comfortable!).
Our Outdoor Paving Services in Dartmouth, NS
We install pavers for a wide range of applications, from driveways to walkways to backyard gazebos. While we do not pour concrete foundations, we can give you a smooth, sturdy surface for anything from storage to outdoor entertaining. Our paving services generally fall into one of the three following categories, but don’t hesitate to reach out with special requests and unique projects!
Traditional Pavers
Traditional pavers are one of the most commonly used landscaping elements today. Available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, these pavers are perfect for decorative or low-traffic applications - the design possibilities are nearly endless! Because each paver is free standing, they can be installed with as little or as much space between them as needed.
While this free-standing feature of traditional pavers is great for design, it requires extra planning, preparation, and attention to detail during installation. Pavers should be installed over a well-compacted and leveled bed of gravel and sand, and will be prone to shifting if they are not grouted in properly. For this reason, traditional pavers are best used in garden pathways, rock gardens, and other applications that will not see heavy foot or vehicle traffic and where the design will not be compromised by small shifts and settling in individual pavers.
Interlocking Pavers
For paver installations that will see heavier use, such as driveways and outdoor entertaining spaces, we recommend using interlocking pavers. These pavers are shaped to fit together precisely with little to no gaps in between, locking together like puzzle pieces. This gives them much greater strength and stability than traditional pavers - no single paver can shift unless the entire installation shifts.
While their interlocking design does decrease the number of design options, interlocking pavers still come in many different shapes and sizes. Their tight seams also reduce the number of weeds that grow between them, making maintenance easier. Just like traditional pavers, interlocking pavers require a well-compacted and leveled bed of gravel and sand for maximum stability and durability. With proper prep work and installation, interlocking pavers can withstand even light vehicle traffic for many years without showing any signs of wear!
Paver Repairs
One of the great things about pavers is that if one cracks or breaks, you don’t have to replace the entire paved surface. As long as you can still purchase a matching replacement paver, you only have to replace the damaged paver! Sunken or out-of-level pavers can also often be removed so the bed beneath them can be repaired. If your pavers have cracked, shifted, or aren’t looking their best for any reason, call our paver repair experts. Both traditional and interlocking paver repairs are almost always quick and incredibly affordable!
Our Paver Installation Process
Paver installation is often advertised by home improvement stores as a great DIY project, but be careful to not jump into a paver installation blindly. There is a lot of prep work that goes into proper paver installation! Once you have decided on a design, we follow a tried-and-true installation process to ensure your pavers last a lifetime.
- Excavation - Pavers shouldn’t be laid directly on the topsoil. The first step of any paver installation is to dig down 6 to 12 inches (depending on the type of installation), clearing away all of the topsoil and vegetation in the area to be paved.
- Base Preparation - The excavated area will be filled in with foundational materials to ensure a firm and stable base. First a layer of gravel is spread and compacted. If the final installation needs to be sloped for water drainage, that slope is created in this step. Then a layer of sand is spread, leveled, and compacted over the gravel.
- Paver Installation - Now it is time to lay the pavers! We pay careful attention to spacing and alignment as we lay your pavers, ensuring equal spacing. Once each paver is in the perfect spot, it is gently tapped down into the sand.
- Edging and Joint Filling - Once all pavers are in place, we secure the borders with metal edging to prevent the whole installation from shifting. We then fill the joints with sand, concrete, pebbles, or other fillers (according to your design) and use a plate compactor to settle the joint filling into place.
After a quick clean-up process, your new paver installation is ready to use! With professional installation, outdoor pavers create some of the sturdiest, longest-lasting, and easiest to maintain surfaces available today.
Still have questions? Check out this blog post for a deeper dive into the process of preparing for a paver installation.
Call Us Today for All Your Paver Needs!
Whether you are building an outdoor patio or need a safe way to get to your outdoor garden shed when it rains, pavers are a long-lasting and affordable solution. Call us today to discuss your project and get a free, no-obligation quote!