Enhancing Your Yard with Garden Paving Slabs
What are Garden Paving Slabs?
Garden paving slabs, whether man-made or natural, are usually large concrete or stone pieces used for design purposes, such as paving patios, walkways, and driveways. Their size and thickness can vary, but they are larger than pavers and bricks. Textured, smooth, or patterned, they may be made from concrete, brick, stone, bluestone, flagstone, marble, granite, and sandstone. Some of the finishes, which determine the slab's appearance, include cobbled, riven, exposed aggregate, and stipple.
From white to black and various colors in-between, garden paving slabs can be purchased in most desirable colors. However, with the progression of time and weathering, the colors of the slabs may become muted, so select accordingly. Some slabs, such as concrete slabs, can be customized with a tint to create the color of your choice, and designs can be added to them after the slabs are installed.
An Extension of Your Home
Ideally, garden paving slabs should be selected in a color or style to match or complement the exterior of your home, since they will become an extension of it. With properly selected and placed slabs, a patio, gazebo, or courtyard can become as stylish as your home's interior. Your slab choice will determine if the area being decorated will have, for instance, a modern, rustic, or old-world appearance. With the various paving slabs available, your decorating and design options are limitless.
Walkways, Pathways, Small Areas, and Driveways
If you don't want to cover a large area in your yard with garden paving slabs, they can be used to create attractive walkways or pathways on your property. Textured slabs provide the traction needed for safe walkways leading up to your doorways or paths guiding friends or family members to your garden. Properly placed slabs laid around the sides of your home can be an alternative to using groundcovers such as pebbles or mulch. Even a humdrum driveway can become elegant after slabs are installed.
Maintenance
Garden paving slabs should be maintained for beauty and longevity. After your slabs are installed, an optional protective sealant can be applied to them to make removing stains easier. Also, periodically expecting your slabs will help you to notice stains, cracks, or loose slabs. Fixing these problems quickly will extend the life of your slabs. Sweeping and sometimes pressure washing them will be necessary to remove debris or moss.
Regardless of the style you choose, garden paving slabs will enhance your property. They are aesthetically pleasing and durable, and they turn an ordinary outdoor environment into an extraordinary setting. With proper planning and skilled placement of your slabs, your exterior living space will remind you of stylish yards featured in home and garden magazines.