Base preparation for a front walkway
Everyone loves the look of a nice stonewall, patio or walkway. There are some great hardscape materials to use, no matter what your style or budget may be.
But did you know that 80% of the work that goes into installing those walls, patios and walkways is underground?
The excavation piece of those hardscape projects is actually the hardest part. Preparing the base of the hardscape design – what’s underneath your patio or walkway – is crucial to endurance.
Creating a hardscape for your yard is a lot like building a house. You start with a good foundation and build up. With a solid foundation, that house will last a long time. It’s the same with a patio, wall or pathway in your yard. The base preparations made in the very beginning of the project will help the finished project last for a long time.
The finished walkway
Cutting corners in the installation will only cost you money in the long run. There’s a lot to take into consideration when approaching these landscaping projects, including:
- Depth and underlayment of the gravel base
- Geosynthetics, for soil separation and stability
- Proper backfill material (and enough of it)
- Compaction equipment, to eliminate settling
- Accurate grading
Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring a professional landscape company, you want to make sure the proper installation methods are being used. If you don’t know what the above bullet points mean, you probably want to hire professionals. It may seem more expensive at first, but you’ll save money in the long run.
Here at M. J. Storey Landscape Construction, all of our staff is certified by SRW and ICPI standards. Certified work makes a difference in longevity, which is particularly important in Maine because of the clay in the soils and the extreme freeze – thaw cycles we endure.
The most important work done for your hardscape is the work that people don’t see. There are serious implications for longevity and your investment if you ignore the base preparations.
