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Ever wonder what a landscape design company does all winter? Well, apart from commercial snow removal, we do hardscapes. As long as we can dig the foundation before the ground freezes, we take advantage of days over 40 degrees to pour concrete, lay paver stones, construct decks, and build pools. We also do carpentry projects in the winter.
Ian celebrates finishing a paver stone driveway.
We build patios of all kinds during the winter. We specialize in using pavers and natural stone but also sometimes use concrete or even decomposed granite.
Pavers are concrete molded to form different shapes, sizes, textures, and colors. About 80% of our patios tend to be made with pavers. The advantages are the flexible pavement construction technique along with the endless variety of patterns and designs that can be used. Because each paver is set on a fine aggregate base, they can move more without cracking as the soil moves. Pavers can also be dug up and re-set or repaired without destroying them. The disadvantage is they do weather like solid concrete, so eventually they may fade in color or have aggregates that become exposed over time. The polymeric sand needs to be touched up and refreshed every 2-3 years to keep things looking tidy and prevent weeds from growing in the joints.
Natural stone is the most expensive option for a patio. It is also the most durable and it will never go out of style. Like pavers, natural stones can be cut into a variety of shapes. Natural stone floats on a bed of fine gravel, so it moves without breaking. A natural stone feature can be expanded or moved easier than concrete if you want to expand the hardscape later and we can also set stepping stones to match and lead to or from your new patio through the garden.
Concrete is the least expensive alternative for a patio. Concrete can also be poured into almost any shape. To install a concrete fixture, it needs to be above freezing for a few days. The disadvantage to concrete is that it is rigid. As the soil moves, concrete can’t, so eventually it will crack. Concrete is also the least permeable option, so it may not be as effective in certain situations where drainage is an issue.
Pool decks don't have to be an expanse of white concrete.
Pool decks used to always be just a sea of white concrete around a pool. Now, we can use concrete with an integral mixed color instead and even add texture and saw cuts. We try to avoid stamped concrete as it can be slippery when wet. Our favorite material for around pools are pavers or natural stone. Just because this area has to be hard and solid for furniture and function, doesn’t mean it can’t be both pretty and safe.
Retaining walls are designed to make areas level and to keep soil from washing down slopes. Retaining walls can be made of natural stone or concrete blocks as long as the base is built well and the drainage behind the wall is adequate, you can have walls that last for decades. We often see retaining walls around patios and backyards to make level playing areas for the kids.
We do a lot of carpentry work during the winter as well. We will build decks and outdoor rooms in the winter. Once we have the piers in place for the posts we can build above ground even in the cold. We also finish the inside work for our outdoor living areas we have already built and sometimes they even have built in heaters to keep us warm.
We work with our customers designing all kinds of outdoor projects during the off season to be ready for installations when the weather breaks and plants become available. Sometimes we can start on the hardscape phases during the winter so that we can be ready for planting come spring.
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping keeps very busy during the winter, and we only have a few openings left for hardscape and deck projects. Give us a call at (816) 825-2524 or schedule a consultation to get your project started.
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