5 ways hardscaping and pavers can transform your yard

Bloomington, Indiana, is the perfect place for hardscaping using paver stones and bricks. The flat terrain makes a lot of jobs simpler and less expensive than in areas which require extensive grading. Hardscaping, simply defined, is using more permanent materials (like stone and brick) to organize spaces in your yard, as opposed to softscaping, which uses flowers, grass and other plants. 

Using hardscaping in your yard is a great way to add some curb appeal and break up the monotony. Below are five of the countless possibilities for using hardscaping on a property.

1. A path or walkway: Likely the most common use of hardscaping is to create a walkway or other path. Asphalt is hardscaping, but there are much more attractive materials to create a path with, like paver stones. If you are ambitious, you can even use paver stones or bricks for your driveway. They actually hold up very well, and if a paver gets a crack, that single paver can be replaced without disturbing the whole path. A brick path to the side yard is also an attractive option.
2. A raised garden: Raised garden beds are a popular addition to a backyard, but how should you set the edges? Some people use wooden boards to mark the edge, but then these rot over time and need to be replaced. A sturdier look, and one that is less susceptible to water and insects, is to use pavers. 
3. Fire pit: Pavers are great for making the perfect fire-pit area on your property. To prevent uneven ground for those roasting smores or enjoying a drink, pavers can create a nice, flat surface. They are also the best way of building a small structure around the pit. Just a few paver stones or bricks can turn a charred hole in the ground into an attractive part of your backyard. 
4. Use as edging: One of the biggest hassles of maintaining a property is all the edging between areas with different uses. If you have a garden in one place, a grass lawn in another and a sidewalk in another, keeping all these areas well delineated takes a good barrier (or lots of edge trimming). Using pavers as the edging prevents a lot of weeds from growing or dirt from sliding, and it prevents the line from shifting over time. 
5. Patios: Making a patio of pavers is the biggest project of all the ones we’ve named, but it also may improve the value of your property the most. If you have a dull, muddy backyard, building a beautiful patio can immediately shift the entire feel of the property. You can also make patterns with different sizes and shapes of pavers to give it some extra personality. 

* Bonus * Pool surrounds: One more, just because everybody loves extras. If you have a pool, building your pool surround with paver stones or bricks gives a classy, non-slip surface that will really enhance the area. 

Do you live in the Bloomington, Indiana, area and have questions on hardscaping with pavers? Call Anthony’s at (812) 345-5694. We can help discuss all the exciting options pavers could provide for your property.