Pro Secrets for Maintaining Your Hardscape: 4 Essential Tips

September 5, 2024/in Hardscapes/by Mary Monday

Your hardscape, whether it’s a charming stone patio, a sleek concrete walkway, or a sturdy retaining wall, is a significant investment that adds beauty and functionality to your outdoor space. However, maintaining your hardscape is crucial to ensuring it remains an attractive and durable feature of your home.

Regular upkeep preserves its appearance and extends its lifespan – saving you time and money in the long run. Before jumping into hardscape maintenance tips, it’s important to have a basic understanding of what hardscape maintenance is and why it is so essential.

What Exactly is Hardscape Maintenance?

Hardscape maintenance encompasses the tasks and techniques used to keep your hardscape in top shape. Since hardscape installation is an investment, you want to be sure you are doing your due diligence to keep your investment in good condition for years.

Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t realize there is no one-size-fits-all approach to hardscape maintenance. Each feature has different needs, depending on its composition, location, and purpose.

Common questions homeowners ask when it comes to hardscape maintenance include:

How to clean hardscapes?
How often should I clean my hardscape surfaces?
What are the best products for hardscape upkeep?
What should I do if I notice cracks or shifting in my hardscape?

These are all great questions, and the answers will vary based on the hardscape feature in question. To get you started, we’ve outlined a few hardscape maintenance tips and tricks that can be applied to most hardscape features.

4 Important Tips for Maintaining Your Hardscape

Hardscapes for the Modern Design Style Landscape

Proper maintenance is essential to keep your hardscape looking pristine and functioning well for years to come. By following these four important tips, you can ensure that your outdoor spaces remain beautiful and durable through every season.

1. Regular Cleaning

Believe it or not, many people assume that if it’s outdoors, it doesn’t need cleaning. This is especially true for those in the Midwest, where summer rains can appear out of nowhere and wash away some of that muck and yuck.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case when it comes to your hardscapes. Sure, weather can affect how clean your hardscape looks, but it still needs regular cleaning to keep it looking its best.

Have you ever seen one of those power washing videos where a perfectly clean concrete patio is given a whole new look by being shot with a high-powered machine and proper cleaning solution?

That’s one option for your hardscape features; But you don’t always have to dig out the heavy machinery. Instead, consider:

Sweeping your hardscape areas regularly
Cleaning up spills as they happen, usually with a simple soap and water solution
Removing weeds and other plant growth that can appear in cracks and crevices

2. Preventative Maintenance

Preventative maintenance helps you shift your hardscape care from a reactive to a proactive stance. A good preventative maintenance plan can help you address potential issues before they become big problems.

For instance, if a retaining wall starts to crack or a patio starts to sink, you can get ahead of the problem and address it before it gets worse and becomes a safety and financial concern.

Preventative maintenance is pretty simple, too. It typically involves:

Regular Inspections: Check your hardscape surfaces for any signs of damage, such as cracks, shifting, or unevenness.
Weed and Moss Control: Regularly remove weeds and moss that can grow between pavers and on surfaces to prevent them from causing further damage.
Proper Drainage: Ensure proper drainage around your hardscape to prevent water accumulation, which can lead to erosion and other issues.
Immediate Repairs: Address any minor issues, such as small cracks or loose pavers, as soon as you notice them to prevent them from becoming larger, more costly problems.

3. Seasonal Maintenance

Caring for your hardscape throughout the year is essential for preserving its longevity – especially in the Wisconsin area, where the seasonal changes can wreak havoc on hardscape surfaces. Here are some key practices to ensure your hardscape remains in top condition through every season:

Winterizing Your Hardscape

- Snow and Ice Removal: Use plastic shovels or snow blowers to clear snow without scratching or damaging the surface. Avoid using salt or chemical deicers that can erode materials; instead, opt for sand or cat litter for traction.

Spring Preparation

- Thorough Cleaning: Once the snow melts, thoroughly clean your hardscape to remove any accumulated dirt, debris, and winter grime.
- Damage Inspection: Look for any cracks, loose pavers, or other signs of wear and tear caused by the winter weather. Address these issues promptly to prevent them from worsening.

Summer Maintenance

- Regular Sweeping and Washing: Keep your hardscape clean by sweeping regularly and washing with a hose or pressure washer to remove dust and stains.
- Removing Unwanted Vegetation: Summer is prime time for all types of unwanted vegetation, including weeds and moss. Regularly remove any invasive plants, moss, and other growth to prevent them from causing damage to your hardscape.

Fall Preparation

- Leaf and Debris Removal: Clear fallen leaves and other debris from your hardscape to prevent staining and potential damage from organic material breaking down.

By implementing these seasonal maintenance practices, you can protect your hardscape from the harsh effects of Wisconsin’s weather and ensure it remains a beautiful, functional part of your outdoor space for years to come.

4. Restoration and Repairs

Even with diligent maintenance, hardscapes can experience wear and tear over time. Addressing these issues promptly is crucial to maintaining your outdoor spaces’ functionality and aesthetic appeal. Here’s how to effectively handle restoration and repairs:

Identifying and Understanding Causes of Damage

Effectively managing repairs involves not only inspecting for visible issues but also understanding the specific causes of damage. Early intervention can prevent minor problems from becoming major concerns. So, what should you be looking for?

Inadequate Drainage: Poor drainage can lead to water pooling and erosion, causing cracks and instability.
Soil Shifting: Changes in soil volume, often due to freeze-thaw cycles or settling, can result in uneven surfaces and shifting pavers.
Heavy Loads: Excessive weight from vehicles or equipment can stress and damage hardscape elements.
Vegetation Growth: Roots from nearby plants or trees can push against pavers or walls, causing movement and cracks.

Understanding these causes helps in addressing the root problems effectively and ensuring a long-lasting repair.

Once damage is assessed, you can undertake specific repairs to restore your hardscape’s integrity and appearance. Proper repair techniques will ensure a long-lasting fix and maintain the overall look of your space.

Fixing Cracks: For small cracks in concrete or masonry, use a suitable crack filler or sealant. For larger or more significant cracks, consulting a professional might be necessary to ensure a durable repair.
Releveling and Resettling: If pavers or stones have shifted or settled unevenly, you may need to relevel them. This involves lifting the pavers, adjusting the base material, and resetting them to ensure a stable, even surface.
Replacing Damaged Elements: Replace any broken or severely damaged pavers, bricks, or stones. Matching new elements to the existing ones in size and color ensures a cohesive look and maintains the visual appeal of your hardscape.

Maintaining Your Hardscape with American Landscape

Maintaining your hardscape is crucial for preserving its beauty and functionality. By following these essential tips—regular cleaning, preventive care, seasonal upkeep, and timely repairs—you can ensure your outdoor spaces stay attractive and durable for years.

Ready to give your hardscape the attention it deserves? Contact American Landscape for expert guidance and services to maintain and restore your outdoor spaces.

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Creating a Dancer-Friendly Patio with Edible Gardens at the baaree

June 1, 2023/in Hardscapes/by Mary Monday

If you have had the pleasure of stopping into the baaree in Thiensville, you have no doubt noticed their amazing outdoor space. It is a respite from the bustle of everyday life. A spot to relax and enjoy live music, while surrounded by a variety of edible garden areas. It suits the baaree, which gets its name from a Nepalese word which means “garden.” The space is a hybrid concept that brings together aspects of a traditional German beer garden with elements of a community garden. We were thrilled to help them bring this concept to life.

Landscape Design Delivers “Must Haves”

The baaree beer garden patio project had a few “must haves.” We were charged with creating an inviting outdoor hospitality space with a solid surface to dance to live music. Keeping the need for upkeep and ongoing maintenance minimal was also key. The timeline called for completing the garden in time for patrons to enjoy it starting in spring.

Selection of patio materials was guided by a need to stay within budget and ensure that whatever was selected could be readily obtained. The clay pavers we chose married the existing arts and crafts architecture of the restaurant to the gardens. We carefully placed patterns to encourage flow and highlight focal points of interest, like the stage and bar.

Sustainable & Edible Gardens

Adding to the ambiance, functionality and sustainability are the multiple garden areas that flank the patio space. This edible landscape includes hops (the same used in Schlitz original brew, that made Milwaukee famous!), blueberry shrubs, a variety of peppers, pole beans, and even a plum tree. All of these ingredients make their way into the food prepared at the baaree! Adding to the sustainability is that the patio is pitched so that water sheet drains into the gardens, minimizing stormwater runoff and providing hydration for the plants.

You can hear from Katie Jean Fedorski, Landscape Designer in this video walkthrough of the project:

https://fb.watch/kRVD_m6Qdk/

Whether you are looking to transform your own backyard or a commercial space, our landscape designers are ready to help you make your dreams a reality. Get in touch today. www.amerlandscape.com/contact.

A Guide to Permeable Pavers

September 28, 2022/in Hardscapes/by American Landscape

An Environmentally-Friendly Option for Your Hardscape Project

Whether you’re required to use them or you just want to know more about what they are, permeable pavers are a hot topic these days. Local requirements are often the driver of these conversations, but many homeowners are also becoming more aware of the benefits of adding a permeable paver patio or using permeable pavers for a walkway and/or driveway.

As more municipalities are becoming concerned with the problems storm water runoff create, there have been increasing restrictions placed on the amount of impervious surface allowed on a property. For example, lakefront property owners are often limited as to how many square feet of impervious material can be used in their landscape. It is not without good reason that these restrictions exist. Storm water runoff can overwhelm sewer systems and/or increase the number of pollutants the end up in area lakes and rivers.

According to the MMSD, permeable pavers have several benefits:

Helps protect our streams and lakes from pollution by reducing storm water runoff
Reduces erosion and flooding risks associated with high runoff volumes
Needs less salt for de-icing in the winter
Manages a lot of run off in a small space
Absorbs less heat than asphalt in the summer because of its lighter colors, thus cooling and humidifying the ambient air

What are Permeable Pavers?

Permeable pavers replicate the natural process that occurs on the ground’s surface. The permeable pavement system allows water to pass through the joints and seep into the ground naturally rather than turning into runoff headed directly into the sewer system. Permeable pavers also filter out pollutants such as contaminants from vehicles, de-icing salt and chemical products, keeping them from polluting waterways.

Aesthetics of Permeable Pavers

A range of styles are available for permeable pavers, which means you will not sacrifice the aesthetics of your hardscape project. Our trusted suppliers, like Techo-Bloc, Unilock and Belgard have a wide range of styles and colors to ensure your permeable paver project complements the look of your property.

Permeable Paver System Installation

The process of installing permeable pavers is a bit different from traditional paver installation. Permeable pavers are just one part of a complete system—with various layers and sizes of crushed stone to make the system permeable.

For this reason, permeable pavers are installed using layers of varying-sized stone or aggregate underneath to filter and direct storm water to underground aquifers. Proper base preparation is necessary to accommodate all of the water that is going to be percolating into the gravel beneath the pavers. It’s the installation of the base that is critical to the success of your permeable paver patio, walkway, or driveway.

We invested in equipment recently to help streamline the installation of a permeable paver parking lot for a commercial customer. Rather than requiring human labor to individually place pavers one by one, this equipment allows a pallet of pavers to be placed – saving time and preserving the health of our employees. You can see it in action below:

If you are interested in learning more about leveraging permeable pavers on your property, feel free to contact one of our experts today. We can help you design, select materials, and ensure proper installation of your hardscape project. Call 262-252-4260 or visit www.amerlandscape.com to learn more.

Paver Patio vs Wood Deck: Which is Best for You?

June 20, 2022/in News, Hardscapes/by American Landscape

Everyone loves an inviting outdoor space for eating, entertaining, and relaxing. Deciding what kind of outdoor space to create calls for evaluating the location of the structure, the topography of your yard, budget, and of course the aesthetic you hope to achieve. One significant choice will be what kind of material you want to use for your outdoor space. Let’s take a look at some things to consider when deciding between wood vs hardscapes.

Will the outdoor space be raised or at ground level?

Wood decking is elevated and can sit a few inches to several feet above grade with supports. This may be ideal for second story decks or to accommodate sloping topography.
Paver patios are typically built at ground level. Since they require less structural support than wood, patios can be built next to your home, or elsewhere on your property to give you an inviting space to enjoy a garden, pool or fire pit.

Do you need to accommodate tricky topography?

Since paving is done at a ground level, sloped landscapes require construction of a raised foundation or small retaining wall. Patios can also be built with multiple layers to account for grade changes. Decking, on the other hand, is elevated. It is a good solution for steeply sloping yards or yards with tricky topography. Consider a deck & paver patio combination for homes with exposed basements.

For a ground-level construction, natural stone, concrete or clay pavers are a better option, providing a durable, long-term solution.

Do you want a low maintenance option?

A paved patio is by far a better option if you’re looking for a low maintenance feature. Once your pavers are installed, there is very little further maintenance required apart from the occasional hose down or quick replacement of an individual faulty paver. On the other hand, wooden decks require regular cleaning, staining, and replacement of rotten or worn deck boards.

Wooden decks have a shorter lifespan than paver patios. If not protected properly, wood is predisposed to rot, fungus and general decay. While regular maintenance can extend a deck’s lifetime, a paver patio definitely has the advantage when it comes to permanence.

Where will the patio be located and what look are you going for?

When choosing between these two materials, take a look at your overall landscape design and home and consider which one will blend in more naturally with the existing look and architecture. You should also consider the location to determine whether wood or stone is the right choice. For example, for poolside settings, the chlorine or salt used in pools can be damaging to wood, as can the high exposure to moisture. Pavers also offer a good choice when constructing a non-flammable area for a fire pit.

Concrete pavers often integrate better with other hardscaped outdoor elements, such as fire pits, steps, grill islands, and water features. If you’re looking to enhance the visual appearance of your landscape by adding these elements, pavers make a good match. Many people like the warmth and character offered by wood, while others prefer the timeless look of a natural stone or a paver product.

Pavers can replicate the look of wood and come in a variety of patterns and colors – giving homeowners flexibility to match the style of the property and integrate complementary colors in the hardscape.

Which is the most cost-effective option?

In the short-term, wood may be cheaper install. However, the following factors make paver patio the winner in the long-term:

Minimal annual upkeep
Easy to maintain
When professionally installed, repairs are typically limited to replacing individual pavers or installing new poly sand.
Long lifespan

Making the decision between the type of outdoor space you want for your home requires careful consideration of all the pros and cons. By thinking through the look you want, the placement of the structure, your short and long-term budget and the durability you seek, you won’t go wrong with whichever material you choose.

Our landscape designers are experts at selecting the right materials to complement your home and landscape. Call us today for help in selecting the right outdoor space for your home. 262-252-6240

Creating a Rustic and Serene Commercial Landscape

February 22, 2022/in News, Hardscapes/by American Landscape

This WLCA award-winning project called for hardscaping and landscaping around a new addition to the client’s existing historical building. We designed and installed extensive new walkways, steps, outcrop walls, planting beds, patio spaces, fire pit area, and additions to an existing creek bed area. The client has an eclectic and creative design aesthetic, which allowed us the freedom to design a rustic and serene landscape with interesting features throughout.

Landscaping to Complement Historic Building

Needing more space for their growing business, Gentian Financial added an interesting and fitting addition on to Holstein School, built in 1920, which has been a staple historic building in Mequon. The addition has brick, stone, and reclaimed timbers on both the interior and exterior, so mimicking that in the landscaping design made sense. The client’s love of all things pavers and stone allowed for sweeping walkways, patios, and landscape features.

Multiple Hardscapes for Visual Interest

We used a variety of hardscape features to visually lead clients in and out of the facility and to the outdoor meeting spaces. Stroll through the property and you will see Belgard Mega Dublin, Holland, and Mirage porcelain pavers, Chilton outcropping, granite boulders and fieldstone, and lannon rock faced steps. The Mega Dublin pavers in the front of the facility work in tandem with Warmquest heating elements to minimize snow and ice during the winter.

Enchanting Outdoor Gathering Spaces

Gentian hosts many events for clients, friends, and family so careful consideration was given to creating welcoming and unique gathering spots. We used Belgard Mirage porcelain plank raised pavers to bridge the gap between the historic school building and new addition. The planks mimic the oiled wooden floor on the inside of the addition.

Among the outdoor gathering spaces is a raised gas and wood-burning fire pit. It is fitted with a custom-made laser cut ring, which showcases the company name and is visible at night from the road. Pillars and steps define the entrances to the large and shaded “back yard feel.”

As we designed this creative and eclectic landscape, we navigated the challenges of elevation changes and a wish for sightlines to the landscape features from various offices. We preserved the beautiful, mature trees during all facets of construction to allow for excellent shading, as well as a cozy feel for each of the outdoor meeting spaces.

Gentian Financial is constantly adding items to the landscape to create chatter in Mequon. They are truly visionary! We would love to help you realize your own vision for your landscape. Contact us today to set up a design consultation or call (262) 252-4260.

Re-Imagining the Front Entrance of a Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Home

November 10, 2021/in News, Hardscapes/by American Landscape

Our client had a vision for their front entrance. Originally constructed in the 1930’s the concrete porch and walk had settled, cracked and weathered. The existing iron railing was failing and the landscaping was unimpressive, with overgrown and mismatched plantings.

The American Landscape team was charged with creating a front entry that complemented the home’s distinctive architecture and was visually stunning. The client wanted to maintain the original semi-circular layout of the porch landing and add a path to their south patio. The final design included a raised porch landing, primary and secondary walkways, a step at the junction to the city sidewalk, surrounding landscaping and lighting.

Selecting the Right Materials for Texture, Color & Style

Choosing the right materials is a critical aspect of creating the right aesthetic for a hardscape project. In this case, our team constructed the new front porch landing using Summit Stone® risers and full nose paver step treads. We flanked the lower step section with low-rise pillars of Summit Stone and Ledgestone caps.

To introduce additional texture and pattern, the team built the porch landing and walkways with Elements pavers in a three-piece field pattern. A Brussel’s paver accent band is incorporated along the perimeter border, to accentuate the gentle curvilinear layout.

We eliminated an existing path of disheveled stepping stones that connected the front walk with a south side patio and replaced it with a paver walkway of the same materials as the primary front entry walk.

Our designer gave the colors of the materials careful consideration. The façade of the home is a cream brick veneer, so hardscape colors of cream, deep brown, tan and buff were carefully selected to complement and accentuate the home’s exterior.

Finishing Touches: Landscaping & Lighting

Our crew removed declining and overgrown landscaping from the front. We created a combination of formal and casual layouts using classic boxwoods, hydrangea, lilac and assorted perennials.

Low-voltage lighting from Kichler and Volt was used to enhance the night time atmosphere. Path light were positioned along the walkways, and under-cap accent lights were set on the entry pillars to create a soft welcoming glow as one approaches the front door.

Re-imagining the front entrance of this Wauwatosa, Wisconsin home was a challenge and rewarding for both our team and our very happy client.

Ready to tackle your own dream project? Get in touch with our team today to start the conversation. (262) 252-4260