Building the right paving for your garden can make a big difference to your property. Nowadays, almost everyone who owns a house with a garden chooses to have a decorative garden circle with suitable pathways paved with limestone or other stones.
There are various reasons to go for back garden paving. For instance, paving consumes some areas of the garden, which leads to reduced maintenance of the yard.
It makes the outdoor space pleasing to sit and have a quiet time. Moreover, garden paving is one such thing that adds more value to your home or property with durable and long-lasting flooring.
But before you begin the paving of your garden, it is crucial to know certain things to avoid the concerns and challenges that may arise later.
These things include some garden paving ideas, colour combinations, the total cost involved, types of garden paving stones, and much more.
Choose the right space
The first step is to decide which space of your garden or backyard you want to pave. A number of things should be taken care of while deciding this.
For instance, the paved area should be easily accessible for your benefit. People also like some privacy or at least not being looked at like a public place. Hence, the area to be paved should be chosen wisely where it becomes comfortable to sit and have quality time.
Some people like to have the patio halfway across the garden. For such ideas, different types of garden paving stones can be used for pathways and the patio area.
Once you finalise the space for garden flooring, draw a rough plan on paper. This will give you an idea about the size of paving stones or slabs to use, the budget required for paving, the materials needed, etc.
Another thing to consider is that your back garden decoratives should not block the light of your neighbours, their drainage system, or other things.
Explore garden paving ideas
It makes sense to explore some great ideas for garden paving to find some inspiration and beautiful designs. The best ideas can completely transform the way your garden looks, whether you live in a metro city or a small town. Moreover, if you are doing garden flooring from scratch, exploring some ideas should be at the top of your list.
You can consider some points while finding some inspirations. For example,
- note down whether you want the paved area to be in a sunny spot for a shady area,
- will it also be used by kids,
- do you want to have more grass than flooring, etc.
Based on your criteria, find or create new ideas for paving.
Choosing colours
You can either go with a single colour of garden paving stones or try mixing a couple of colours. The colours chosen for the slabs or stones should also match the colours of the walls of your house.
You can start with picking up a number of different colours and imagine which ones are likely to make it look more pleasant and appealing. You can also try to match with the colour combination of your indoor flooring.
Slab shapes and sizes
The shapes and sizes of the stones or slabs should depend on whether you want a traditional look or a modern one. Mostly, people think of having square slabs of one size, but there are several different shapes and sizes available in the market. Square slabs are not the only option.
Some people tend to prefer a combination of circular slabs with square ones for a pleasing outlook. Similarly, the use of square and rectangular slabs also has its charm.
Using the correct shapes of stones complementing the right colour combinations can transform the way your backyard or garden looks.
The size of slabs also makes your paved area look smaller or larger. For instance, if you install small slabs, it will make the area look a bit larger. But if you have a lot of space to be paved, then using large stones will prove to be a cost-effective option.
Paving texture
Apart from the colour combination and shapes & sizes, another thing that matters for the look and quality is the texture of the garden patio slab. You got to choose from different types of textures, like smooth, shiny, rough, seamless, etc. The surface can enhance the overall look of your backyard, garden, or patio so choose wisely.
People choose the texture on the basis of their preference, look they want, existing flooring in the garden or home, the texture of walls, etc. For instance, unpolished paving stones are great for those who wish to have a rustic look, whereas, polished stones or slabs can make the garden flooring look modern and sophisticated.
Utilize cobblestone paving
For those who like traditional pathways, incorporating cobblestones can be a great fit. Cobbles are sturdy and durable that can survive heavyweights in the pathways while bringing a rustic charm to the overall look of the back garden.
If you have a driveway through the garden, the cobbles should be given priority over fancy slabs or stones. It will make the driveway live longer. It will also reduce the costs involved in maintenance and reinstallations.
Don’t ignore the natural garden look
Some people focus too much on the paving that the garden area is reduced. It should not be the case.
Your aim should be to have a patio or small area in the garden with a pathway where you can have some quality time. Don’t replace the things that add to the garden’s natural look.
You should plant new seedlings, flowers, and allow the sunlight. Different types of plants at the garden boundaries make the garden more natural and aesthetic. You should never get rid of existing plants or trees while paving. Instead, make the garden flooring go around the plants.
Other things you can do for a natural garden look after paving is use wooden tables, leather chairs, cotton textiles, etc. – that add to its overall natural appeal.
Cost of paving back garden or backyard
So, coming to the final point: how much does it cost to pave a back garden? Well, the total depends on a number of factors. These factors include the size of the area to be paved, the style and quality of slabs or stones, paving materials, etc.
You can control some costs, like reducing the area to be paved. However, it doesn’t make sense to go for cheap slabs that don’t last long or fail to add elegance to your backyard.
A big part of the cost will go to the slabs and stones, as well as the materials required for paving. The rest of the budget goes to labourers doing the job for you.
Wrapping Up
Back garden paving is broadly considered an aesthetic type of outdoor space. It not only adds an appealing touch to the home but also provides a soothing backyard with a garden. Since you have every option to customize the way your back garden looks in terms of stones, colours, sizes, shapes, styles, etc., you should do it wisely. Explore new ideas, choose the right space for garden flooring, and don’t forget the natural essentials of the garden.