The Way to Ensure Your Patio is Unique and Durable
- Home
- >>
- The Way to Ensure Your Patio is Unique and Durable
Table of contents
Understanding Dense-Grade Base Systems
How Dense-Grade Base Is Installed?
Choosing pavers is just one way to create an attractive patio. The details when your patio has been laid make all the difference to appearance and performance in the long term. At M&G Landscaping, we believe that joint sand and edge restraints are as important as the base that is laid below. These final touches secure the pavers in place, protect your patio and improve the aesthetics of your space.
Joint Sand: The Unsung Hero of Stability
Joint sand isn’t just a filler for the gaps in your pavers. It contributes to the stability, drainage, and durability of your pavers in the long run. The material you choose will depend on the type of patio system you’re working with.
Joint Sand Varieties:
Polymeric Sand (Most Common for Traditional Patios):
Polymeric sand has binding agents that, when met with water, activate and set a strong surface.
It also:
- Keeps weeds and bugs at bay
- Holds up despite the rain
- Fits well into joints of all sizes, but especially small, consistent ones
- Works best in patio systems that are water-shedding and don’t allow water to seep through.
Nitro Sand (Wet Application for Permeable Systems)
Nitro sand provides an alternative solution for stabilizing permeable systems and for maintaining drainage systems.
- Used as a wet slurry that fills joints
- Best used with larger joints and systems of permeable pavers
- Enables water to flow through to open-graded aggregate
- While erosions of aggregate systems is a concern, nitro sand is a good solution while maintaining drainage
This solution is best used when partnered with an open-graded aggregate system, where water is intended to flow through the patio. Hydrogen sand does not seal the systems like polymeric sand, and appropriately allows drainage while providing some stabilization of the pavers.
Proper Application Matters:
Usage of any material requires critical installation. Joints must be clean and optimally filled to sustain integrity. With polymeric sand, exact watering of the sand activates the binders. With nitro sand, the slurry must be evenly poured and set accordingly to achieve both strength and permeability. When applied correctly, joint material is better described as a structural element and not merely a finishing detail.
Edge Restraints: Keeping Patios Aligned:
If joint sand acts as a glue to bond pavers, edge restraints keep the pavers from spreading. Perfect installation of a patio without restraints will still lose form with time.
Types of Edge Restraints:
Plastic Edge Restraints (Xtreme Edge or Similar):
Good solution for all types of patios.
- Flexible for the curves and custom layouts
- Base material is prepped and spikes are hammered through.
- Lies below the finished patio
Concrete Edge Restraints:
A permanent and more heavy-duty solution.
- Good for heavy use and bigger patios
- Are pavers that are secured and surrounded with a concrete haunch.
- Provides maximum long-term stability
Metal Edge Restraints:
Perfect for streamlined edges.
- Minimalist profile or design.
- Great for clean lines.
- Very durable, but demanding on the installer.
Paver Borders (Soldier or Sailor Course):
Can be part of your design as the edge restraint.
- Pavers are set in a pattern that contrasts or is different in some way.
- Looks great on the patio.
- Usually combined with a structural edge restraint for strength.
The Perfect Blend of Design and Quality:
At M&G Landscaping, we know that the mortar and edge restraint are some of the most important materials for the construction of a patio. Not only do they complete the patio design, but they also serve a function in allowing for patio expansion with changing weather, drainage, and everyday wear.
That is why we work to ensure that every detail is perfect. From the base to the edge restraint and mortar, we make certain that the patio is built to last and look great for years to come.
Ready to Enhance Your Outdoor Space?
The right finishing touches can make all the difference whether you’re installing a new permeable patio or upgrading an old one. M&G Landscaping wants to help you add outstanding design to your outdoor space that will last for years. Call us today!