PAVERS, PATIO & DRIVEWAY INSTALLATIONS
WHY PAVERS VS. CONCRETE?
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We get this question quite a bit and are happy to elaborate as to the many advantages of paver products. To start things off, pavers offer a manner of customization that simply cannot be replicated by concrete. Between the catalogue of paver product available, multitude of colors, sizes, shapes, textures, lay patterns, border options, jointing materials, edge restraint options - the only limitation is one's imagination.
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Pavers are also better suited to our cold climate with the freeze and thaw. The installation systems we use are designed to flex and better handle the freeze/thaw cycle, whereas with concrete this is simply not the case. As we like to say, it is not a matter of if concrete will crack, but when. Hopefully the cracks form down the pre-cut expansion joints, but if not, it is difficult if not impossible to repair without compromising the aesthetics and integrity of the pad. Should an issue arise with pavers, a problematic area can be easily repaired (or upgraded, see gallery #6 below!).
Finally, Unilock pavers come with a built in warranty ("Unilock Quality Commitment") for the products themselves. A bad concrete mix has no such thing. If an individual paver is a problem, it can be easily replaced and the section repaired. Wit this in mind, we often plan our estimates are having a small surplus of pavers upon completion, to be stored by the customer just in case.
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At the end of the day, pavers have many advantages over a traditional concrete application. While concrete can offer a more "cost efficient" alternative, the durability, flexibility, visual aesthetic and customization of a paver system is simply unmatched.
1.) "BEACON HILL (GRANITE FUSION FLAGSTONE)" UNILOCK PATIO, BED WALL & SEAT WALL (32 images)
Here at Marinucci Landscaping, it is critical to understand a product and its installation before selling it to a customer. This project was undertaken to accomplish just that, to familiarize the company and crews with the installation of Unilock products. It was designed from the ground up by Marinucci Landscaping, incorporating: straight sections and a more difficult curved section of the patio area; a seat wall that ran conjoined perpendicular to one another; and curved bed walls to encompass the existing beds. Four different products were used from the Unilock catalog: Beacon Hill Granite Fusion Flagstone; Lineo Dimensional (Wall) Stone; Ledgestone Pillar Cap with full nose coping; and Split and Stack (wall) Stone. The most cutting edge installation methods were used, utilizing the new Permaedge (concrete) restraint system to hold the pavers (a replacement to the traditional plastic edging held with steel spikes), and EZ Joint sand to seal the joints.
2.) UNILOCK PATIO AND STAIRS OF "BEACON HILL (BIRCH FLAGSTONE)" WITH "TOWN HALL (TRI-COLOR BLEND)" SAILOR COURSE BORDER, AND "PISA2 WALL-BLOCK (SIERRA)" STAIRS WITH "BLACK RIVER NATURAL" COPING (48 images)
This project was themed around the Tudor architectural style of the home, applying an angular design with accents of earth-tone colors. For the patio space, the customers wanted to maximize the square footage of the living space while both avoiding the existing utilities, and preserving the root system of their beautiful magnolia tree. The pavers selected sit at differing depths with the Town Hall brick being nearly half an inch thicker than the Beacon Hill paver. This meant a second bedding layer was screed out on top of the Gator Base panels to ensure the pavers sat plum to one another, with no tripping hazards or dips in the patio. By setting the wall blocks in formation of traditional stairs rather than a landing, more usable space was afforded to the patio. Plantings are to be installed in the years to come!Updated photos in the spring of '24 included at the end!
3.) "TREO PREMIER (RIVER) UNILOCK DRIVEWAY EXTENSION (10 images)
Pavers make an excellent alternative to concrete for both driveways and driveway extension - why you ask? A concrete extension will be impossible to match new to old concrete; pavers bridge this gap with the broad customization available. A variety of colors, textures and sizes are available to fit any style of concrete or personal taste. In this case the customer wanted to widen the driveway to improve the visual aesthetic and stop muddying up the lawn by driving on it, and also to increase usable square footage particularly in the winter. The process is similar to a normal patio installation, with the exception of a wider and deeper base, and the use of aluminum edge restraint with heavy duty steel stakes.
4.) "BEACON HILL (GRANITE FLAGSTONE)" SIDEWALK AND GRADING (49 images)
With the construction of a large polestar, the customer here was left with a bit of a mess on hand. The goal of the project was to repair the grade and regrow the lawn, but also build a path leading from the high ground near the driveway, down to the plow barn. Originally this path was to be temporary, and the materials (pavers, edge restraint and Gator Base panels) were to be reused and repurposed on property. That said, the customer was so happy with the final product ("I never imagined the process would be so in depth, and how well this would turn out") that he would like to add to it and expand in the years to come.
5.) "BEACON HILL (SIERRA SMOOTH)" UNILOCK PATIO & SEAT WALL (25 images)
The customers here were looking to expand their outdoor living space with a patio. Part of the design of the patio space was made to scale off of the existing deck, to highlight and accentuate the space. A seatwall was installed in one corner to accommodate a grill set and the likes. This install incorporates a product known as "Gator Base" from Alliance, which serves to create an interlocking system of foam. This system rests on both a crusher base and a limestone base. Gator Base support the pavers, dramatically reduces the impact of heaving, and creating a surface that is much more conducive to set and slide pavers on. Additionally, the Gator Base reduces the amount of material that need to be removed and then replaced, and can be used as an option for most paver installations. Minor lawn repair was done after the installation was completed, with major grading work currently planned for spring of 2022.
6.) UPGRADING A PREVIOUS PATIO INSTALLATION (15 images)
This project highlights the true power of a paver installation regardless of size or scope in that it can be modified or repaired with ease. The previous install was done knowing there could be a potential issue due to the grade of the lawn moving water towards the base of the patio. In the year to follow it was decided to address this issue by stripping the grade away from the patio, removing the edge restraint, reinforcing the patio and wall with poured concrete edging, and most importantly re-grading a deep swath around the perimeter. The outside pavers were popped up and removed to allow for an easier and safer excavation process, and were re-installed with fresh jointing material later in the project. The plywood serves a placeholder for stone beds to be installed the following spring, as to match the existing stone beds that surround the raised deck. Just remember, folks - concrete cracks, and can't be easily fixed or upgraded. Not so for pavers!
7.) "TOWN HALL (OLD OAK)" UNILOCK SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT & LANDSCAPE DESIGN (33 images)
This project involved installing a brand new sidewalk in a "rustic" theme, while also designing and installing plantings for a nearly pure shade environment. For the sidewalk, the Town Hall paver offers just such a look. This paver is thicker and heavier for a stronger base, and fills more space than that of its smaller counterparts, allowing for a less "busy" look. For the plantings, fresh beds were carved out and installed along the perimeter of the garage. A series of shade tolerant shrubs and perennials were chosen to grow into the space over the course of the next few years. As an aside, remember: don't plant for the here-and-now; plant for maturity. This saves time, money, extra plantings that need to be maintained and trimmed, and reduces the chance for overcrowding.
8.) "BEACON HILL (GRANITE FUSION FLAGSTONE)" UNILOCK PATIO (29 images)
Another patio installation but with an interesting twist: there is only one cut paver in the entire installation. The customer wanted a simple patio to be able to enjoy the outdoors with her family. The existing area comprised of hardware store pavers stacked on over a foot of pea gravel, to be removed. To accommodate her wishes the patio was designed to perfection around a selected lay pattern. While the pattern does not form a square naturally, using our design software and quite a bit of math allowed for the patio to be laid in a way where virtually no cuts were needed (only one cut paver in total!). This accomplishment cannot be understated given how difficult it is to pull off from start to finish, and will serve as a benchmark for future installations.
9.) "COPTHORNE (BURGUNDY RED)" UNILOCK SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT (25 images)
The customer here wished to address the negative grade (pitch) towards the existing front steps, and only slightly enlarge the sidewalk in doing so. The Copthorne brick (paver) was chosen for a more rustic aesthetic, and to give the front a pop of color. The process for installation was quite involved: pitching the grade across multiple surface angles in an effort to connect from the steps to the driveway; trying to create a curve using bricks; many more cuts than usual given the chosen pattern/size of the brick; the need for polymeric sand rather than our usual resin joint compound. That said, the end result was worth the efforts.
